hi everyone, as you have all been so good with the advice you have given previously i have a new question to ask! I know about dogs and cats and fireworks so i have been waiting for this to come but today she had her first experience and it didnt go too well. took her out for a wee, she didnt actually want to go, she just sat there enjoying the air, next thing there is a firework let off about 6 houses down. The second it went off she was racing up the end of the garden yelping like she had been shot, ran back into the house yelping all the way, i followed her in and closed the door and just said its ok, ignoring her, she was under the table where we were playing monopoly. i told the kids to ignore her so she didnt think it was ok to be like this (not sure if right thing to do) and about 5 mins later i had to give her a hug and she just fell asleep. obviously now im stressing there is going to be an accident in the house tonight lol. i have tried to lure her outside, she took one step out to get a treat but cameback in straight away (the fireworks had stopped) so i just left her. do i carry on with what i am doing?

I'M  NOT SAYING WE SHOULDNT HAVE FIRE WORKS OR OUT LIKE THAT BUT WHY DO THEY HAVE TO SELL THEM SO DAM EARLY.

I CAN REMBER AS A CHILD TAKING MY GERMAN SHEPERD FOR A WALK WHEN SOME LADS LET OF A FIREWORK NEAR ME AND MY DOG DRAGED ME ACROSS A ROAD.I STILL HAVE SCARS ON MY KNEES.

AND IS IT ME OR ARE THEY GETTING EARLYER EVERY YEAR.
JUST WHEN ARE YOU MENT TO KEEP YOUR PETS IN  FROM SEPTEMBER:(

I think fireworks should only be allowed at organised venues.  I dont think they should be sold to individuals be them adults or children.  I hate fireworks. 

im glad you have said that LeanneK, they are too dangerous, esp when people use them in built up areas hoping they will go in the direction they want but ending up inches from my daughters bedroom window. that was before they put it in a tube and aimed it at someones roof. not only will it go on every night it will go on through the day aswell, just because kids arnt allowed to buy them they still get hold of them. whats more is that organised venues will be so much better than the one massive £25 firework, a few catherine wheels and those really annoying screeching ones (ok there nice if they screech and have sparkly glitter falling from them!) people get impressed by at home. its an explosive, it really shouldnt be on sale to the general public.

DITTO! They're so dangerous and cause numerous accidental injuries to people (and deliberate ones to animals - some sickos out there) every year. So why sell them? I love fireworks too, but I'd far rahter pay a fiver and see a few grand's worth of fireworks set off than faff about with a piddling £25 box of them. I'm all for freedom of action, but for starters, bangers have no other purpose but to frighten people. They've banned firearms, but how come it's okay to sell explosives to anybody who claims to be over 18? It's medieval.

My first dog was petrified of fireworks and nothing worked to conquer her fear. She did have a banger thrown at her by a group of teeage lads once, but luckily she was a good few feet away from it. Must admit it was one lad in the group and all the others were disgusted with him and called him stupid. We even tried ACP from the vets and all that did was make her dopey but still scared. Her andmy poor little shar-pei that died in March had to spend 3 months of the year a bag of nerves. Several dogs I've had couldn't care less and so far my TM puppy has been okay with bangs and thunder, so fingers crossed.

i agree joanna123, i can guarentee we will have them every night now until the 5th and then for a good few weeks after. the kids get fed up with it too, when its 10 at night and they have school the next day.

Hi, try this website it has firework sound effects, play it very quietly to begin with, while feeding your dog, playing etc and as she gets used to the noise slowly increase the volume.

My 7 month old pup doesn't react at all even at full volume, but the real test is yet to come!

http://members.farmline.com/stress/sounds.htm

excellent suggestion caz3536, will start trying that tom

newowner,

I also absolutely hate fireworks and especially the noisy ones :( :(

But you can use the fireworks as a way of noise training ;)  :) :)

You can do this using a clicker :)

Buy a clicker, arrange some really high value treats, things your dog will sell its soul for, and break/cut them up into little fingernail sizes.  Start by clicking and treating, carry on until clicking means that your dog looks for the treat (this may take more than one session) once your dog knows that the click means a treat is coming, you are ready for the next step :)

Take your pup into the garden on a lead, as soon as a firework goes off, click and treat (I did this as a reflex to a really loud firework when I was waiting for my dog to 'be quick' )  hopefully there will be more fireworks to help you train your dog to accept loud noises.  I've done this with my dogs and they get quite excited now looking for the treats :D

Hope this helps
Dill

newowner,

I also absolutely hate fireworks and especially the noisy ones :( :(

But you can use the fireworks as a way of noise training ;)  :) :)

You can do this using a clicker :)

Buy a clicker, arrange some really high value treats, things your dog will sell its soul for, and break/cut them up into little fingernail sizes.  Start by clicking and treating, carry on until clicking means that your dog looks for the treat (this may take more than one session) once your dog knows that the click means a treat is coming, you are ready for the next step :)

Take your pup into the garden on a lead, as soon as a firework goes off, click and treat (I did this as a reflex to a really loud firework when I was waiting for my dog to 'be quick' )  hopefully there will be more fireworks to help you train your dog to accept loud noises.  I've done this with my dogs and they get quite excited now looking for the treats :D

I love fireworks bangs and all - in the right place at the right time!

We have had them going off for a few weeks now, but the most annoying part is that is dark from 7/7.30-ish and they wait until 10 o'clock to let them off, Jed didn't seem bothered by them over the weekend, but the ones that were going off were a fair way away, so the real test is yet to come.

I agree, they should stick to the organised events and keep those just on the weekends nearest Bonfire Night. I like fireworks but not the ones that are nothing but bangs. Depraved idiots can cause so much damage with fireworks - and it's not just dogs that are scared, I have a friend whose 5 year old is absolutely petrified and screams whenever fireworks go off. :-(

We are lucky as Abby watches them out the window(strange dog), they go on sale her on Sat so for the next four weeks we will have them going on until 1 in the morning. The dog next door has to be sedated for the whole time bless him he is so scared.
Mary

Im dreading it.

Ive heard a few fireworks go off so far, mostly during the DAY (why!!!)....

The problem here is, whilst it upsets all the dogs, Dill is TERRIFIED, he thinks the world is going to end, he tries to hide under the sofa (there ISNT any 'under' my sofa, its right down to the floor!)....

And he will not toilet outside for MONTHS on end when the fireworks start, he is already phobic about using my garden (Sniper GSD bitch when he was young, used to leap on his head when he was mid poo), so we go elsewhere.

But when fireworks are raining down from the sky i CANT go elsewhere, so every year, my efforts to get Dill to go outside to toilet are RUINED for several months (cos first its bonfire night, then its new years...).... is it any wonder the dog is 3 and STILL prefers to crap under the kitchen table???

Grr.

I cannot understand, with the current fear of terrorism, how the laws on selling and using EXPLOSIVES is so flaming lax.... yes you cant blow up all of london with a few quids worth of fireworkds, but why is it still acceptable and amusing to recreate a warzone for nigh on three months of every year???

Fireworkds are SO dangerous, so easily misused and cause lots of injuries -- yet you can buy them so long as you are over 18.
Considering that SEMTEX is a safer (albeit more destructive) explosive, yet you need a licence for THAT, dont we think tahts a bit ridiculous

Em

That sounds terrible, i didn't have my dog last bonfire night so i don't know how he will react, i just hope i don't pass on my fears as i am petrified of them, i really wish they would be banned so many accidents caused each year for the sake of a few pretty lights

I hate halloween, for one reason only, FIREWORKS! i remember 3 years ago whenever i bought one of my pups, she was only 9 weeks and the neighbours were having a party for their grand children ( and they have alot of grand children ) and they were letting off all sorts of fireworks, rockets, whislers and those ones that spin around very fast and display all colours and not only were they firing fireworks but people out in the street. My poor pup was terrified, she had to stay with me all that day and night and everytime i left her she would cry with fright :(

And everytime its halloween shes still abit afraid :(

A car wash has opened across the road from my house (needless to say Im fighting tooth and nail to get it shut down) 2 days ago a huge banner appeared advertising Fireworks for sale.  I was mortified I have since contacted the council and the local fire brigade. They are also selling quad bikes but thats another issue.  All the little "children" round here are now buying fireworks from this place and it sounds like a war zone at night.

We're quite lucky here in that people don't bother with fireworks for Hallowe'en. Guy Fawkes' Night's another matter though. :(

As I'm reading this, I am playing my fireworks CD in the background, and the dogs are snoozing through it! My GSD pup was terrified when in AUGUST a firework went off two doors down, right over our head when we were chilling in the garden. He was petrified - it almost seemed to go right off on our heads. I was damn furious, it was the last thing I was expecting on a warm August night. So I decided I must get a CD and try and desensitise him to it before November. He seems to be ignoring it, even when it's on really loud now, but the real thing will be the proof of the pudding.
Kat

We don't really have fireworks for halloween as such, but it seems as though as soon as they come out in the shops people have to buy them so it's not just a one day thing. Which is bad for me as i normally lock myself away and tape up the letterbox!!!