Firework season is the week most owners discover their dog is noise-sensitive, and by then it is rather late to be starting. A snood is one of the small, cheap things that genuinely helps at the margins. It takes the sharp edge off a bang without leaving your dog deaf to the room, and the light even pressure around the head and neck settles some dogs on its own.

The fabric is a stretchy fleece that slips over the head and lies flat across the ears. Muffling rather than blocking is the right approach here: a dog who can hear nothing at all is often more unsettled, not less, because the world has stopped making sense. Grooming dryers are the other common use, and plenty of groomers reach for a snood for exactly that reason. Listed in pink and blue, sizes S, M and L.

• Stretchy fleece that slips over the head
• Covers the ears to muffle rather than block sound
• Helps with fireworks, thunder and grooming dryers
• Pink or blue in sizes S, M and L
• Listed weight 100g to 120g depending on size

Be honest about what this can do. A snood softens noise. It does not fix a genuine noise phobia, and a dog who panics, drools or tries to bolt at fireworks needs a plan made with your vet weeks in advance rather than a piece of fleece on the night. Introduce it on a quiet day with treats so it is familiar, and remove it if your dog paws at it.

Who it's for: Owners of dogs who flinch at fireworks, thunder or the grooming dryer and want a cheap, simple thing to try alongside proper preparation.