Hi,
Has anyone got anyadvice on dealing with dogs and fireworks?
It's coming up to our first bonfire night and the fireworks have already started!!! Fortunately, Kassie seems to be okay with them so far, she notices and has a good luck round, but I make fun of it, asking her what it was, and she does seem alright, I am however a bit worried about it, as it draws closer they are becoming a bit more regular, and she can be quite nervous at times,

Any tips would be appreciated, or any kind words to say that i'm doing the right thing!!!!lol?

Thanks,

lots of love Kayley and Kassie
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

P.S. My thoughts are with all of you whose four legged friends are petrified of them!!

Hi Kayley

I think you are doing the right thing!!! My two are absolutely fine with fireworks, and don't bat an eyelid at them, but the dog I had before my boys suffered terribly in the ever lengthening run up to Bonfire night and it was a nightmare having to watch him shivering in terror, scratching at doors to escape etc. Unfortunately it was in the days before Champdogs so we never did find a way to make it much better for him!

So I'm with you Kayley, my heart goes out to those who have dogs who suffer at this time of year.

Lesley

If your dog is crate trained you could pop him/her in there with a blanket over it for the evening. Placing the crate in the living room with the TV on a couple of notches higher may help. Does for my mates ridgeback bitch!
Alternateively there are mild sedatives obtainable from the vet, a sort of doggie valium to keep them smiling throughout the night! :-)
I also know someone with a collie dog who actually uses a quarter of a prozac tablet. He has always been fine but i wouldn't recommend that, too risky lol.
There are herbal remedies, i'm not too sure about them. Try checking other threads by using the search option at the top of the screen, maby you'll find something!
Good luck
Caz xxx

The herbal remedy recommended is Valerian supplement , I got mine from Dorwest Herbs , but you can actually by them at a chemist , they don't work as a sedative but a calmative . Or you could locate a sound CD from either a dog trainer or vets , this has fireworks recorded onto it , but plays the sounds from extremeky quiet until a little lounder which is said to de-sensitise dogs when played very often especially around the build up to bonfire night ,
Andrea

my dog is petrified of fireworks . what dose do you give the dogs of valerian supplement.

thanks alison

Hi Kayley,
I think you're doing the right thing by making fun of it. Bess had her first bonfire night just after we got her as a pup and we walked her round the village talking in a happy way to her, like it was fun and she loves them now.

I agree with the others, Valerian is good if you think she needs to take anything, though I'd say that it's better to work by her (and your) reaction to the noise than tablets if possible.

We had a dog who hated any loud bangs,so around fireworks night we got into the habit of walking her earlier,as most bangs happened later in the evenings.I also tried not to make a lot of fuss about the bangs, because dogs easily pick up on your feelings,but I will definately try out some of these herbal remedies for our next dog,if she shows any sign of stress.
Pepper and I used to curl up together with curtains drawn and the tele on a bit louder in October/November!
hope it all goes o.k. for all of you,I believe all sales of fireworks should be kept strictly for authorised shows only,at least that way we could limit the number of nights they were 'set off!' but maybe that's for another type of board?!;)

hi...i'm dreading the fireworks as my dog jake hates them he is so frighted of them he wont sit still and just sits panting like mad his eye's are wide like there going to pop out of his head bless him and he starts cocking his leg in the house we had'nt had this problem with him untill last year when the noises seemed to be so loud they made me flinch!
I think i'm going to have to go to the vets and get him something poor jakey.
I also have a 1year old dog dont no how he will react to them i do think he will be to worried unless he react's to jake's strange behavour?
damn things and they go on for weeks!!
staffymad

i'm worried about my 1yr old too - he was such a baby last year it didn't bother him. It wouldn't be too bad if it was just for a couple of hours on specific dates but it goes on for hour after hour every weekend (and during the week sometimes) from middle Oct to end Nov and then again Xmas and New Year. I do love bonfire night but it's ridiculous!

Some people use DAP diffusers when their dogs are frightened. I think it's something that plugs in and mimics the pheromones given off by lactating bitches and calms them. I've never used one but they seem to get good reports.

If you do a search on here or on Google you should find some info.

Kath.

Unless your garden is totally escape proof, I'd put your dog on a lead when letting her out in the garden in the evening. Our pup seemed at home with the bangs, until one evening when near neighbours left off a really big one to start their party (I didn't know it was going on). She shot off and jumped a gate that we didn't think she could (this year the gate is much higher) :( Fortunately she only ran into the field next door and we managed to rescue her, but she could have gone straight over the road.

Daisy

My BSD was brought up by her breeder on a firework tape by Gwen bailey from the Blue cross, at 5 weeks she heard them and for 2 fireworks nights has been so chilled out, thanks to her breeder's forethought.

However, i have been lapse in not keeping up bangs and crashes round the house, and she was frightend yesterday by some stupid kids with loud bangers at midday!!! Grrr! and for the first time was trembling. I am afraid i completely lost it and went outside and really shouted, but not even sure if the kids heard me as they were a road or two away :(

I was so cross, i rang Tesco (who have received lots of calls against their selling them), and their head office, and the police (Twice) and the environmental health!!!!!

I have also orderd a great CD from Sounds Scary (www.soundsscary.com); it is for gradual de-sensitisation so a bit late for this year, but it may help.

I have ordered a DAP diffuser from myvet too, i will let you all know how it goes :) The vet nurse said aprox. 86 per cent of owners find it helps thier dogs, not just with fireworks but separation anxiety too.

There's an article in Dogs Today about fireworks, DAP diffusers and CDs.

Good luck all who have trouble with these damn fireworks.

Lindsay

Had a terrible time last night with the fireworks! - my older dog is really frightend by them......so I spent the night on the settee with them!
I looked at my watch at 4.30am this morning and I could STILL hear fireworks going off! - and this morning we set out for a walk at around 10am - and guess what could be heard? - blinking fireworks again, so we turned around and headed straight back home:( - something really has to be done about this doesn't it, I'm fed up with it!

My 9 year old was chased by 2 little lads brandishing a firework yesterday so any joy I ever had in the things is gone. Despite police stings and later stocking of fireworks by big supermarkets the little horrors still get them. Our dog isnt bothered by them when were out but Im planning on heavy curtains and background noise on the 5th, and keeping him on lead after dark in case.

We lost a little bitch 2 years ago when she paniced at fireworks and hung herself in the garden, now none of the dogs wear collars at home. As fireworks are going of at the moment have just brought all 3 in and put the TV on very loud. They have all gone to sleep so seem ok. My oldest bitch was with the little one when she died, up untill then she loved fireworks and would lay in the garden watching them, now she is scared stiff and has passed this fear on to her pup.
They should all be BANNED except for organised events.

God that's awful, your poor dog and poor you.

I'm also someone who would ban them from sale to the public. Unfortunately, many of the fireworks let off by kids (and here, it goes on from September onwards - and they chuck them in postboxes, telephone boxes, in and at cars, you name it) are sold illegally at car boot sales, etc. These small bombs should just be banned, full stop, and anyone caught in possession should go to prison, forever (only half joking here!).

DAP diffusers are great, but they need 2 weeks to saturate the environment so it might be a bit late for this year:(

Wendy

Oh poo, i'm a bit late then Wendy!

I am hoping the DAP will help Banya - i have been treating her every time a firework goes off which has calmed her to an extent.

Does the DAP have to be in a small room, Wendy? Only we have the one long room downstairs apart from hall and kitchen.....

Lindsay

No they don't need to be in a small room, they will do for an average size house. I have one in my downstairs, my house is sort of open plan and it seems to do Chelsea fine:)

Wendy

Excellent - well, i've just plugged mine in so we shall see how Banya reacts :) Thanks Wendy :)

Lindsay
X

Hi,
A friend of mine has a good way of teaching the dogs not to be afraid of fireworks and gunshots - she teaches them to bark at them (not in a panicky way). When one goes off all the dogs jump up and get really excited and barky, although in some ways it isn't ideal to have 10 dogs barking as loud as possible, it does stop them being afraid.
Char123

lol charl123 lol, bet your neighbours love you!!!

Thankfully pup Sal does not seem to mind the fireworks at all. Occasionally a really loud one will make her bark but she doesn't seem to be afraid of them at all. And she's kept on the lead when being walked after dark. And will be kept on the lead all through the school half term just in case.

The two cats who are 21 don' seem to mind them either. In fact Oscar sits and watches them from the back bedroom window :D Again only the really loud ones seem to bother them and then they just retreat to the bedroom wher the curtains are shut and windows closed and telly/radio left on to try and block ou the noise.

But I wish they would ban them from public sale or reduce the "noise"

Karen

My dogs don't do it, my friends do, my dogs aren't too affected by them although they (and me!) sometimes jump when a huge bang goes off nearby. The oldest collie can get a bit nervy when there are loads and loads of them going off but around where we live generally isn't too bad, and tends to save them all for halloween, x mas day, and new years eve.
Char123

Bess does that already, self taught! On Millenium night she went racing round our field ( nowhere near a road!) barking at them, she loved it.

I don't think fireworks will affect my pup too much. We were out in the garden the other night because he needed a poo and a banger went off right in the middle of his sitting. He stopped what he was doing, looked around, moved about 3 paces further up the garden and carried on!