thought it was the valerian that was making her cough.  We have been to agility this afternoon.  We have all had pasta tonight!  She has her dap collar on and you have never seen such a chilled out dog.  (posted elsewhere)  Hope this lasts when we put her to bed later.

I've had a DAP plugged in for a few weeks and there's been a huge improvement in all the dogs this year. Harry and Beattie haven't been bothered at all by WW3 outside, and Piglet just came and sat under the computer desk without quivering and trying to dig through the floor. Fantastic!

Excellent to hear some dogs are finding the DAP helpful!
I have been using it for a few years, and this year have just started Banya on skullcap and valerian also.

Has anyone used the DAP diffuser and is now using the DAP collar? I wondered if there was any difference noted
in their dog's reactions and behaviour if so ...

Good site to check  out for more info:

http://www.dog-secrets.co.uk/news/dogs-and-fireworks.html

It explains about vibrations etc too.

How much melatonin do you usually give? I've taken it myself so have some tablets in the house already.

Never mind; I found the dosage. 3 mg for 30-100 lb dog.

Just a note I#d always take advice from a vet rather than trust the information I read on the Internet and then use all the information to help me decide the best action to take.

Also the herbal treatments tend to need a build up over time before they become effective. I'd give it a week before it was needed at a lower dose and the max dose for the nights it was really needed. I also find the Valerian pills much better than the liquid because it is much easier to give the correct dose for the weight of the dog. 

I found the pills perfectly adequate for the fireworks so far except for Sat where I anticipated worse fireworks so gave diazepam from the vet and I will give the Diazepam gain tonight when all the organised fireworks events set the fireworks off because it will be the worst night as they can have the more powerful fireworks.  I am very pleased with the effects of the  Diazepam  prescribed by the vet.

Fortunately since the change in the law restricting the sale/size of fireworks the situation seems to be getting vastly better each year ... this is now the third year and there have been none of the enormous relentless explosions that had began to make firework season a nightmare even for many firework lovers. They seem much more manageable and more in line with the level and type of fireworks we had in the past. 

Well On Saturday afternoon the bangs started around here!!! Hence I couldn't get my dog to eat anything ~so no food to calm her...By 6pm she was in such a state with panting I gave her some valerian drops....This helped a bit ~she stopped panting just shook for about an hour...Then the big bangs started & she was off panting & trying to crawl up my legs,,,Couldn't calm her, couldn't do anything....This went on until 10.30pm when I wanted to go to bed...I was even exhausted just watching & listening to her...Trying to get her to bed to sleep was horrendous ...The panic was like hyper ventilation  I thought, If she was a child I would need to smack her to get her senses back...Sooooooo a firm smack on the bum made her see sense & because I DON'T do smacking IT made her think about something other than the bangs outside...Anyway she settled down under her blanket & I didn't see or hear from her 'till next morning....
Last eveningthe bangs were just as bad BUT she just shook & settled on my feet...Went to bed ok...
Hopefully tonite she will be the same ....I know this will open a huge can of worms but smacking seems to make her see sense....I live in HOPE! 

Wow, I can't think of anything worse than being petrified, going to the one being you're supposed to trust and feel safe with and getting hit. I suppose better for you since now you're as scary as the fireworks and she has to deal with her fear on her own.

My dog trembles and panics usually but I got a DAP diffuser and an anxiety wrap. When he's wearing the wrap he's calm enough to just pant a lot and need to be next to me, no trembling or whining. Last night I gave him a melatonin as well and he calmly settled and went to sleep; not a drugged sleep he was just exhausted and finally calm enough to get some rest.

I think doing anything that undermines the dogs trust in it's owner should not be done no matter how clingy the dog is acting.  Ignoring anxious behaviour is something else, the dog can be reassured by your presence while you remain unphased by what is worrying them, so studied ignoring of the dog trying to climb on your lap by standing up etc would have been my choice, or distraction onto doing something else, some training and reward exercises if the dog is sufficiently with it.

I thought I would explain myself further in case you think I'm just having a go at you for no reason. If it were a human you could explain your actions and while they might not agree or appreciate your idea of help they would be able to comprehend the action or see sense as you say. Dogs aren't human and don't think like us. Your girl didn't think, "whoa, mum smacked me. I must have been acting a bit silly. I'll stop, thanks mum." They're not capable of that kind of reasoning. They know is it safe, is it dangerous, is it good for a dog, is it something I don't like. All she could take away from that was don't crawl all over mum when your frightened, that's not safe. You may have stopped the action but not because she feels safer. If anything she'll probably be more stressed than before.

Hi Lori...I actually know that some dogs are more intelligent than others. Gsps are almost human ~when my girl is in such a state I would do anything to help her...When I smacked her she did know that she needed to stop what she was doing~& she did!!!
She's not in any way fearful of me (because I smacked her) She'd get more of a bashing in a romp with the local dogs in the park! Last night she was a lot better as I said she just lay on my feet wrapped in a blanket...She didn't go into panic mode because she knew that I was there to help her but that if she tried it on too much she wouldn't get any comfort from me!
Thanks for your input I didnt think you were "having a go" at me -----BUT I just knew I had "opened a new can of worms" by actually saying I'd smacked her...I don't suppose you are going to be the only person to comment!
All I know is at the time a smack was what was needed...& in this case did the trick..

My lot have been fine, actually been outside most of the evening 'watching them' - no sense no feeling! :rolleyes: But I know many, many dogs that are terrified of them and I really feel for all of you that have dogs affected.
I can't say I'm surprised, there have been some absolute whoppers going up this evening - from peoples gardens, the streets are littered with the bits that have come down.. in fact some are very long sharp sticks with an empty rocket attached - I would imagine that'd hurt if you were standing underneath it when it fell.
They've got bigger (must be cheaper to buy) and definately louder - I've been jumping more than the dogs have!
Too much, something must be done to stop the pyromaniacs with no experience setting these things off in their back gardens in residential areas with no thought for their neighbours and their pets.

I have got to say - there have been lots of fireworks but so far so good.  It has been a lot better than other years.  I hope that the fact that this year the 5th is on Monday - everyone has spread out over the weekend rather than concentrating on one evening.  I have my son to dogsit tomorrow but he will be wondering what I am making a fuss about. 

My one and only neighbour (500yds away) came to me tonight to tell me he was holding a small fireworks display.. as he did last year... I loved the display.. cant say the same for all my dogs though.. they slept right through it.. including the 9week old pups... BUT.. it was probably quite quiet for them.. our shoot has been going strong for the past 2 weekends with 12 bores going off less that 30ft from them... but I did wonder if the whizzing sounds would be upsetting..

I cant imagine what it is like for those who suffer badly at this time of year... animals as well as humans...

Lindsay - I think you are right about the vibrations.  We didn't have anything really close by last night and Meg was absolutely fine.  That means desensitising with a CD is not going to be an answer to my problems.  I put her to bed last night and we only had a gentle complaint for a while and the night before she was settled fairly quickly.  Don't like to count my chickens though. 
Christine

well after last night I'm beginning to change my views on how fear should be dealt with...

my 5 1/2 yr old stafford (Tess) has always been frightened of fireworks and I am truly convinced that we have helped toward reinforcing her fear....
however...
I now also have a 16 month old stafford (Alf) who is not afraid of fireworks at all (bold, fearless and totally reliable!! lol)...

I decided from last year that we would not act in the same way toward Alf and that when Tess started showing signs of being scared, to completely ignore her and act is if nothing different was happening...
So I'm pleased to report that this year, Tess was an absolute dream, no shaking, no whining, no trying to dig under the sofa's, no trying to jump on my lap, no trying to hide... SO much better.... I have a feeling it's the combination of us changing OUR behaviour and the positive influence from our male dog....

That is the standard advice when dogs show fear not to sympathise, you must act/react as if all is normal jolly hockey sticks. 

Dogs take their cues from the bravest in their company, so confidence and ignoring things from you tells her there is nothing to worry about.

What did you used to do?

completely reinforced her behaviour by saying the usual, sort of, there there everything will be alright and letting her jump on our laps and cuddling her - i.e. trying to calm her down, but actually it was just making her think her behaviour was correct

I did the same thing with my girls just acted like it was normal,nothing to worry about, it really works!! they haven't even barked at the really loud bangs.

My IW was prescribed diazapam from the vet and he was allowed to have up to 14 a day. We got by on no more than 5. They worked a treat for him and he settled down to sleep. I did what you were doing to and carried on as normal before the diazapam and he was still a quivering wreck. Made no difference to him. But at least I know he will cope better when the next lot start which will be New Year. We actually had loads going off past 2 nights.

Yep loads here to.  Until about tuesday my youngest ahdn't been bothered by them at all, but when a very loud one went off she has become a bit reluctant on lead listening out for them and lagging on our evenign walks.  Be glad when we get a break from them.

I'm not even trying evening walks.  We've not had fireworks here nearby since a couple days after Nov 5th, although I have seen some going off on the other side of town, but Remy's still not keen on going out in the garden after dark - I just don't want to take the risk of him being frightened by a pillock.

Dog knows how I'll manage when I'm working full time - long walks at the crack of dawn I suppose!  :rolleyes: Roll on summer, early dawn makes life so much easier.

We have been lucky around here.
Usually it it like a war zone for weeks. This year it only happened the main 4 nights!!!
Unless Gemma is going deaf as well as everything else so doesnt hear them!!(she barks the house down at them!!!)
Lea :) :)