With Bonfire Night just around the corner, lots of you have already told us your dogs are getting jumpy at every bang and whizz in the evenings. And many owners notice something else too: a wobbly tummy, a skipped dinner or a softer poo the morning after. That’s no coincidence. Dog stress and digestion are more closely linked than many of us realise, so this week we’re taking a gentle look at why, and sharing the simple, tummy friendly ideas we chat about in the shop at this time of year.
How dog stress and digestion are connected
We often think of the brain and the tummy as two separate departments, but they talk to each other all the time. The gut has its own network of nerves running along it, and it’s in constant conversation with the brain.
The gut is linked to the nervous system and to mood, and a large share of the body’s serotonin, one of the “feel good” messenger chemicals, is made in the gut rather than the brain. It’s a two way street: a worried mind can unsettle the tummy, and what’s happening in the gut may play a part in how a dog feels.
If you read our post on the dog gut microbiome, you’ll remember the trillions of friendly microbes living in there. They’re part of this conversation too, which is one more reason we think a happy gut is worth looking after all year round, not just when the fireworks start.
Why stress can unsettle your dog’s tummy
When a dog feels frightened, their body shifts into “alert” mode. Energy goes towards being ready to react, and digestion simply isn’t the priority in that moment. That’s why some dogs turn their nose up at dinner when they’re anxious, while others gulp it down and then have a grumbly tummy later.
Many owners find their dog’s stools change a little after a stressful evening, whether that’s fireworks, a trip to the groomer, a house move or a long car journey. Usually it settles once things are calm again. Keeping an eye on poo is one of the easiest ways to see how your dog is coping (we wrote a whole guide to it a couple of weeks ago), and noticing what’s normal for your dog makes it easier to spot when something changes and stays changed.
Dog stress and digestion: what we can do around the bowl
You can’t stop the neighbours’ fireworks, but there are small things around feeding that many owners find make the evenings feel easier for everyone.
Feed a little earlier. Lots of our customers bring dinner forward on fireworks nights so their dog has eaten and settled before the bangs begin. Dr Conor Brady makes a similar point about travel in his article on herbs to reduce stress in dogs, suggesting you don’t feed too close to a journey. The same thinking makes sense for a noisy evening.
Keep the menu familiar. Fireworks season isn’t the week we’d choose to try a brand new food or a rich new treat. If you’re planning a change, it may be kinder on the tummy to wait until things are quieter. Familiar, simple meals help keep one thing predictable when everything else feels a bit topsy turvy.
Think about protein. Dr Brady notes that protein provides the building blocks for calming messenger chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. Whatever you feed, a good quality, meaty diet is a lovely foundation. You can only feed the best you can, and every bit of fresh food counts.
Keep water close by. Anxious dogs often pant more, so make sure there’s fresh water in the room where your dog likes to hide.
Calm, tummy friendly ideas to try
Licking and chewing are naturally soothing things for dogs to do, and many owners find a good lick or chew helps their dog settle on a noisy night. Here are a few favourites from the shop:
- A lick mat. The Sodapup Lotus Emat sticks to the floor or a tile with suction cups, so it stays put. Spread it with something your dog loves and pop it in the freezer earlier in the day so it lasts longer.
- Kefir on the mat. A smear of DAF Iced Kefir Yogurt (Venaberry) is a popular lick mat topping, and fermented foods are a lovely, lively addition to the bowl for many dogs.
- A splash of broth. If your dog goes off their food when they’re worried, a warm splash of Karnlea Venison Bone Broth over dinner may tempt them, or you can freeze it on the lick mat too. There’s more in our post on why bone broth is good for dogs.
- A long lasting chew. Something like a Yak Chew gives your dog a steady, satisfying job to focus on. You can read why we love them in our yak chews guide.
Short-term helpers and the bigger picture
Natural calming aids are popular at this time of year. Dr Brady describes a small study of 15 kennelled dogs in which the scents of vanilla, coconut, ginger and valerian were linked with less activity and barking. He also mentions that ginger is often used to settle the tummy of poor car travellers, though, as he says, people still aren’t sure how or why.
We like his honesty, too: he calls these herbs “plasters”, a short term helping hand rather than the whole answer. For fireworks season, that’s how we see them. They may sit nicely alongside a cosy den, closed curtains, some background noise, a daylight walk and a calm, familiar routine. If your dog finds fireworks really hard every year, it’s well worth chatting to your vet or a qualified behaviourist well before next season.
There’s no perfect, only better
Please don’t feel you need to get everything right. Some dogs barely notice fireworks, others find them very hard, and most are somewhere in between. Understanding the link between dog stress and digestion simply helps us be a little kinder to their tummies when life gets loud. A familiar meal, an earlier dinner and something lovely to lick or chew can all make a difference.
Pop in and see us
If you’d like a chat about dog stress and digestion, or want help choosing a lick mat topping or chew for Bonfire Night, we’d love to see you. Pop into the shop at Unit A, Newton Farm, Tewkesbury, GL20 7BE. We’re about a minute from Junction 9 of the M5, so it’s an easy stop on your way through. We stock 12 raw food brands, over 250 natural treats including our Natural Pick & Mix, and a lovely range of natural supplements.
Can’t get to us? Our local delivery covers Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Bishops Cleeve, Malvern, Worcester and the surrounding areas. You can browse everything at btbdogsupplies.co.uk.
Wishing you and your dogs a calm and cosy fireworks season from all of us at BTB!
This article is for general information only. If your dog has ongoing digestive issues or you’re worried about their health, please speak to your vet.
