fearful of fireworks..........
Val here ---I am new to the site and I am wondering how your dogs react to fireworks and what you have done to help them through this... I have an OES, Pearl (9 years old) who is not really bothered by them. However, Cosmo, my Beardie (4 years old) is in the hallway shaking as I am posting. I would hate to have to medicate him, but since, around here anyway, fireworks start now and will continue for the next couple of weeks I don't know what to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. |
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| I had a bid dog afraid of the fireworks, and I hated to drug him. But I was always more afraid that he would hurt himself or someone else in his terror. To make it better for him, I would give him his pill and then either have him lay on the bed or sogfa next to me or sit on the floor with him. There is nothing like having a large dog run at you crying "Mama Hold Me'"
I was once woke up at 3 in the morning by one of my idot neighbors shooting fireworks. When I call the police they got me crying because the dog had woke me up by landing on my back, and I am not a good waker up. They also got the background noise of a dog screaming. It took me hours to calm him down. Sometimes I think it is better for them to keep them calm. |
| It's late to begin training for this year, so meds may be your only option at the moment.
I had one Sheepie who used to close herself up in the master bathroom during fireworks or thunderstorms. We took something she really loved and started doing it during thunderstorms and fireworks. In her case, it was combing out - which worked great as it could be kept up for as long as needed. Soft voices and cuddles. Eventually we could go out on the patio during fireworks, then to the city park (though I looked strange combing her out during the fireworks). |
| I have used a CD which stops dogs from being afraid of noises such as fireworks thunderstorms etc.
Here is a link http://www.petbehaviourcentre.com/us/index.htm I have used this CD since george was little but he isn't afraid of either fireworks or thunderstorms! Don't know if he just isn't scared or if it's the CD but it's worth a try!! |
| i hate this day .. i just let my onegirl go in the closet but the other just paws at me all i do is make sure i am home and give out plenty of hugs. |
| I don't really have any advice, luckily none of mine are afraid of fireworks or storms etc... though Panda barks at fireworks.
I suppose it would be like anything when they are young, don't coddle them or reassure them, that only reinforces it. Not sure if you can do anything for a dog who has already learned to be afraid of it though. |
| not a way to get her over it, but I watch tv loud. Blocks out the noise, she lies next to me, and it stops her from hiding in the bathroom shaking. |
| ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Good idea...I'll start tonite and see if it helps... Thanks |
shaggy wrote: not a way to get her over it, but I watch tv loud. Blocks out the noise, she lies next to me, and it stops her from hiding in the bathroom shaking.
Some dogs are not only bothered by the sound, but also by the vibrations-- maybe more with storms than fireworks though. lucy knows when storms are coming and is getting upset before the sky is even dark. Oddly, fireworks she doesn't care about. Bear also barks at fireworks, which is really annoying. |
| My poodle sat on the couch panting 2 minutes after fireworks done she stopped. We can watch the fireworks from my balcony and my 9 month old oes ran in and out of the house. She wanted to be with me then bang ran into house then came out sat beside me and bang gone again I found her all over my husband on the couch with the paws over the couch waiting for me to come in. Luckly we live in a small town fireworks are only 5 to 10 minutes. Funny though she watched for the colors then took off with the loud bang.
Beth |
| I've tried pills, sprays, etc. Nothing makes much of a dent. I close off the hall way by shutting the bedroom doors, put a fan in the hall to create "white noise," keep the hall lights on and turn on a radio or TV louder than normal. And then I sit there with them and read while they pant and drool all over me.
I hate this time of year! We can't leave the house to enjoy parties, etc. Already they are inside following me around the house....and it's only Monday but enough fireworks noise to keep them nervous. |
| "Already they are inside following me around the house....and it's only Monday but enough fireworks noise to keep them nervous
I think we will be soul mates this 4th of July....I will certainly be thinking of all of you who posted. At least I know I am not alone in this and all the suggestions are making me feel "empowered"....I CAN HANDLE THIS.... Val |
| Hi Valerie,
Yup I can relate as two of mine are afraid. Blue will race to my side and while he doesn't bark he just whines and tries to sit under my legs. With Panda it's a different story....his fear was so intense when I got him 3 years ago (a rescue). The first time I viewed him around fireworks (Halloween) he paced , vomited, cried, and what could only be described as frantic. That Halloween I sat in the dark yard with him and kept continuing to speak softly to him...catch 22 as he was racing around vomiting every couple steps he took. Panda was an inside dog but the other two were going crazy with his vomiting thinking it was food stuff. Sigh how I survived that first time ..dunno now! At that time Panda had been with me for only a few weeks. For the next three years I stayed home at New Years, July 1st and Halloween when I knew there would be fireworks and continued the quiet speaking and also tried to not show any reaction to them myself. Leaving him alone would not have been an option and whatever work you put in the first couple years pays off tenfold in years to come. The next year after he had been with me - the vomiting stopped. Second year he still whined but not as much and only barked infrequently. July 1st of this year I knew fireworks were scheduled to go off at 10 pm...I had him sitting beside me, patting him , speaking softly to him. 2 barks and that was it!!! Hang in there it takes patience, consistency but they can be desensitized. Marianne |
| Hi,
How did Cosmo make out yesterday? I was thinking of you. Marianne |
| I have been turning the TV up in the evening and he doesn't seem to "hear" the smaller fireworks.
However, I am sure tonite will be a true test but with all the great advice from this site, I feel I am ready for it. Thanks again. Val |
| Boy I can relate. My neighborhood is a war-zone during the 4th.
My street is a gathering place for the entire neighborhood and fireworks, fire crackers and Atomic bombs go off from afternoon to early morning and continues sometimes for days. I have left town in the past but can't this year. Stella and zak are already freaked out at the few pre-holiday test bombings, so I am not looking forward to tonight. The worst thing is, I don't have a backyard, so I need to take them out front to pee, etc and they get so frightened that they refuse to go, even well in to the week after the fireworks are over. This holiday absolutely sucks. |
| Hey Val,
I have to give my standard poodle meds. She wasn't so fearful when she was younger. Since her new little brother doesn't come until the 18th, she doesn't have a buffer. We will stay in together and watch the Twilight Zone marathon. |
| I'm not looking forward to tonight either. People here stay out until almost morning shooting off fireworks since it doesn't get dark. It's my cats that freak out. Yuki is more curious than anything, thankfully. |
| Riley and Simon are deathly afraid of fireworks. Both are gunshy as well. They aren't afraid of storms, thankfully.
They aren't destructive or sick or drool, they just want to hide and refuse to go outside. This is Chewie's 1st 4th, so we shall see. He seems to be doing just fine. Our Ollie absolutely loved fireworks!! He needed to be restrained, as he chased them and tried to catch them.  Crazy dog! |
| Oh, I have had a dog who loved fireworks, but she was only a foster dog. Annie sat on the back porth with my husband and watched the neighborhood and nearby Indian Rez's display with wonder in her eyes. My guys were tearing up the inside of the house trying to dig a bomb shelter. |
| Update on the 4th survival.............
Well, it's (almost) over. I mean, in our neighborhood like many, the fireworks will still continue for the next week or so but for the most part, Cosmo did do rather well. In the midst of the active hours, there were only 3 times, when big BOOMS were heard, he paced a little. But I did go in the back yard with him so he could potty and he actually did!!!! He, of course, wanted inside immediatly, BUT he ---went out and pottied...boy!!! I was proud of him. He tried to overcome his fear and he succeeded!!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!! 
Thanks again, I couldn't have done it without all of your great advice and support. |
| Our guys must have bladders the size of Texas because only MO would go out for "last call." They did not wake me up in the middle of the night or try to go when I got up. Husband gets up at 4 and still the doggies slept on.
We had a thunderstorm move through about 8 pm, a little pre-fireworks. Still the dogs were "good" this year. I closed as many windows as possible (with evaporative cooling you have to leave some open), closed doors for extra sound insulation from the street, shut curtains where I have them, turned on floor fans and radios and tv so there was enough distraction to lessen the impact. DH and I watched TV while I combed dogs. Jack was as tight at a drum, ready to spring but he did sit for an hour. Glacier was more upset about the brushing (she hates it). MO watched my DH for clues and he just ignored her. Harry was the odd man, er dog, trying to stick his head in his favorite dark corner but we had turned on lights and the corner wasn't dark. He paced. So I wonder if our late Fox was the trigger for much of the panic. With his passing, this was a much easier July 4th. |
| Hello,
Ive never experienced any problems with fireworks and my dog so far (probably cause im so loud at home, cant tell the difference!!!) but I do have a few handy hints. Firstly when the dog is scared the worst thing you can do is cuddle it and pamper to it as your reinforcing the fact that it should be scared. The best things to try is to... -Make the dog a cosy den they can go into and feel safe. -Turn up the TV and carry on as normal -Try and find a good treat or toy that they like to distract their attention -No sedative drugs ( as this only allows disenables the dog and doesnt reduce its fear or anxiety just makes the owner feel better as they cant see the physical symptoms of fear (eg shaking) -Try using herbal medines, homoeopathic remedy, music or plugins that help to relax the dog A really good product to use is Scullcap & Valerian tablets a fully licensed medicine used to calm, relac and reduce anxiety WITHOUT sedating or making the dog drowsy. Hope this helps. Good Luck - sorry if the advice comes too late. |
| Our guest came up with some good ideas and hopefully they will work for others. They've failed here. Each has his own "den" but they fail to stay in them and if the door is shut, they pee in their crate or bark or whimper. We try to ignore, but dog is too miserable.
They won't eat or take treats when frightened. The herbal and sedative products have no effect. We've moved from fireworks to lightening season. So we still have nervous pups. We'll get thru it with extra drool, upchucking, and pacing. We'll be fine. As for the calming music, it worked great on the orphaned kittens on their way to the rescue ranch last week. The girls were part Siamese and real talkers, but with calming music they zoned right out. |
| I don't know if you're in a house or an apartment, but what about trying to desensitize by turning up some music with deep bass/percussion and gradually increase until it can mask the fireworks (I'm assuming it's the thunderous ones that are causing the problems, not firecrackers/"reports")?
Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" comes to mind for beginners. |
| Ron, I live on acreage so noise is not a concern. In fact I bought a tape of nature sounds including thunder. I put it on the lowest setting, I couldn't hear it and I have sonar for ears.......even at my age. And wouldn't you know, those darn dogs heard the first thunder clap and ran and hid, LOL!! Maybe with other sounds such as the TV, it would help.
Then I could get a strobe light to help with lightning. Last night Harry got half way out the front door when the sky lit up with cloud to cloud lightning. He froze mid step and started to tremble. Poor guy. I turned him around, physically and got him into a room where he could put his head in a closet and turned on all the lights, closet and room. Turned on the radio. The storm never reached us, so wasn't too bad. |
| Poor boy.
I had one just like him -- after the Great Fireworks Mistake. |
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