A dog owner has shared a pretty genius hack she uses to help soothe her scared pooch on Bonfire Night.
Caitlin Miller from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, revealed the really simple trick on Facebook recently, revealing a pair of socks is all you need to stop your pet getting anxious during firework season.
Yep, you heard us, socks.
The 17-year-old student told social media users that instead of buying stress bands or calming jackets, which can cost up to £40 each, dog owners should just use old socks instead.
All she does is cut the end off each sock before putting them around the pup's head, which, she claims, gives them the sensation of being cuddled.
Caitlin says the trick instantly relaxes her five-month-old Jack Russell Cookie and her nine-year-old Pomchi Ruby - especially when noisy fireworks are stressing them out.
Posting snaps of her two pets wearing the cuddle contraption on Facebook, she wrote: "For all those whose dogs are scared of fireworks.
"Instead of buying anti stress bands or anything else off of the internet, just cut the two ends off a sock and put it on their head ensuring it's not too tight, but comfortable.
"It gives them a sensation of being cuddled and relaxes them. We used them last year and as firework season is back we're using them again and thought I'd share with my friends."
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The post has been shared over 15,000 times and attracted almost 7,000 comments.
One dog owner wrote: "This sounds like a good idea!"
While another concurred: "Lovely idea. Our pooch heard fireworks for the first time last week and panicked.
"I showed him what was making the sounds and when he hears them he's calm as peanuts and takes himself outside so he can sit and watch them."
A third chipped in: "After all these years, never thought of it. Small Border Collie. Terrified of bangs."
As a fourth simply penned: "Amazing."
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"My older dog, Ruby, had been afraid of fireworks all of her life," Caitlin said. "We did everything to comfort her, but no matter what she was still afraid.
"She began to rip out patches in her fur due to this anxiety, so last year we then took it further to the vet.
"They gave her anxiety pills and a cone. The anxiety pills didn't do anything and the cone only made her more uncomfortable than she already was.
"After all this not working I then went on Google to research if anything would help them and I came across the anti-stress band which instantly brought my attention and did some investigating on how it works."
The band essentially gives the sensation of being cuddled, while also - essentially - covering their ears to block out the racket of some of the otherwise terrifying fireworks.
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Keen not to break the bank, Caitlin spotted the resemblance the bands had to socks and decided to create a cheaper version herself.
She added: "I noticed that it looked a bit like a sock on the dog's head so I thought I would try it with a sock and cut off the two ends.
"I found one that wouldn't be too tight but not too loose either. After trying it I realised it was the only thing that kept her calm and happy.
"I also recently got a puppy, Cookie, she is only 5 months old and has never experienced fireworks before.
"Much like Ruby, she didn't like them and barked at them. Trying this on her she was unsure at first, something going over her head, but once it was on it was an instant relaxation."
Last year RSPCA research revealed that 62% of dog owners said their animals were visibly distressed when fireworks went off nearby.
They also said that since 2014, they received over 2,200 calls about firework related issues.
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Subsequently, a community of vets across the country, known as Vets Now, recently wrote an open letter to all British retailers, pleading that they "end the needless suffering of pets, livestock and wildlife".
"Pets have been a lifeline for millions of people this year. They have been a source of comfort and companionship, they've motivated us to get moving, and they've lifted our spirits during the most difficult of times.
"Now fireworks season is around the corner - many owners are reluctantly preparing themselves to watch on helplessly as their pets suffer psychological distress from the indiscriminate bangs and flashes from fireworks displays."
"Sadly, some are even likely to end up injured or missing as a result," wrote Dave Leicester, Head of Clinical Intelligence at Vets Now.
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"To reduce the distress caused to pets we urgently need supermarkets and other retailers to take action and stop selling fireworks for private use."
A petition has also been launched calling for a ban on the sale of fireworks.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash