Dogs and fireworks

August 1 is coming, which means mountain-hut smorgasbords, mountain-top bonfires, and lots and lots of flags. It also means fireworks, and for our four-legged friends this is bad news. Although the law states that fireworks can only be let off on August 1 itself (without a permit), it's already started, and there are always a few idiots who insist on exhausting their supplies over the first days of August. For dogs, who have far better hearing than us humans, August 1 is a time of great stress. For some it can cause diarrhoea or the kind of skittishness that will make them do something unexpected like panic and run in front of a car. So GstaadLife.com has a few suggestions for you to try to minimize the discomfort for your furry friends. (1) leave them at home, close the windows, close the shutters and generally make the place look like it does 44 weeks of the year;

(2) make like Sylvester Stallone and dress them in an overly tight T-shirt which will give them a feeling of security (really); (3) play loud classical music which has a muffling effect on the loud bangs (although ease up on the 1812 Overture); (4) safely sedate them with pills available from any area vet. If all else fails, plan ahead and drop them off in Gsteig at the five-star Hunde Paradies. Half way to Reusch and half way up the alp, your canine companions won't hear a thing from lower down the valley. But call now for reservations (033 765 35 51 or 079 415 77 29) because like any good hotel, it fills up fast for the holidays.