I am sitting on the sofa with a dog draped around my shoulders like a scarf, pressing herself as tightly to me as she can.  The poor thing is absolutely terrified and has refused to eat her dinner.  I can't believe how many fireworks there are - and it will probably be worse tomorrow.  We are moving house to a tiny village soon, so hopefully it won't be anywhere near as bad next year.

I'm so so so sick of the racket tonight both outside with fireworks and inside with the dogs barking at them. I wish it was all over cos I'm losing it, I really am.

Dawn R.

I am so annoyed and upset I was dreading all the fireworks as I have all the animals in my house are new this year except my cat mac who was fine with the fireworks last year I also have a friends kitten here so was concerned about everyones reaction everything was fine most of the evening no one really bothered but about an hour ago the people who live directly behind us started their firework party My dogs were fine as were the kitten but then a really loud one went off and my Mac went balistic I must admit it scared me but it was followed by more of the same lots of whistling and big bangs poor Mac went flying all round the house totally petrified and there was nothing I could do to calm him down.  It did sound like the back door was being kicked in at one point I am so MAD how thoughtless can people be there is no need for that amount of sound.

They've been going non-stop since 4:30 this afternoon. I'm sick of them and we've now shoved Milo under the covers with the OH (who was asleep on the floor anyway) so all a little calmer now. I'm on wee duty so I can take the boy out as soon at it stops. Ought to be around 2am if last night is any indication. Poor guy usually goes out a couple of times in an evening - his back teeth will be floating! All you voters get them banned please. us foreigners don't get any say

theres some corkers going off here-have been since about 6. Bu's not too phased-the loud ones wake him up and he looks a bit unsure, but he just goes back to sleep. Teka's laid across her dad at the mo panting like a good 'un. The skakes are about over, until you look at her or touch her. Rich feels awful because i've told him to ignore her, but she's much calmer when being ignored-she even goes to sleep eventually. The twits at the end of the road with more money than sense (renting a 3 bed detached while their "self build mansion" gets finished, are letting of huge banging fireworks. Rich was outside having a ciggy and one of the sticks came down and nearly hit him! I'm hoping that as tomorrow's a school night that there'll be less going off, or that everyone will venture to the display close by (luckily not close enough for us to see or hear anything). Hopefully the next round will result in a shower of sticks on their personal plated BMW & Range Rover (and not my citroen :D)

Yup we got tons too!
Jack gets very bolshie and barks like mad at them, but when they waken him he is just as loud but more worried with it somehow.:rolleyes:

i've just been out with Bu (Teka went and hid in the downstairs loo!), and he wasn't fussed about the bangs and cracks, yet we went past a house with balloons tied to the fence, and he swapped sides, and gave them a good lead plus arms lengh wide berth. Balloons :rolleyes:

I went down to my mums earlier, bonfire and fireworks. Her dog went absolutely bonkers at them, not so much scared but wants to chase them! We kept him indoors on a lead. My two stayed here with the radio on and were still fast asleep when we came home. Even now as the loudest firework you've ever heard has just gone off out the back, neither of them batted an eyelid :) Me? I nearly jumped outta my skin
I hate balloons popping as well but again these two love playing with them, so christmas and parties are fun - not. Missie, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck, she hates all loud noises bless her.

Our terrified dog started off the evening pacing and running all over the house in a blind panic. We usually ignore him  when he does this but when a 15 month old GR leaps up onto your lap in fright it's almost impossible to not take any notice of him.

So we tried something that a veterinary nurse advised us might help - namely putting  wrung out dampened cotton wool in his ears ( carefully and not pushed in ) and then put a pair of tights over his head to hold it all in place. This worked really well for all but the very loudest of bangs - he fairly quickly lay down and went to sleep as the noise was muted. Will definitely do the same tomorrow although I don't think the "Ena Sharples" look will start a new fashion trend :D

I'm fed up too. I believed none of my dogs were bothered, until I noticed that Rufus the Cavalier would not go outside (indoors he's fine) and if you really encouraged him, he wouldn't wee but just pressed himself against the door trying to get back in again -even if it was quiet outside. The other dogs didn't mind at all. It's been impossible to keep them indoors ALL the time as they DO have to go out sometimes and the fireworks didn't stop for hours and hours on end. It's scared me a LOT because with Rufus' heart as bad as it is, and him having had two bad attacks recently when he nearly died, all we need is him to get a big scare from fireworks...... NOT looking forward to tomorrow.

I think I replied to you on another thread goldmali, so sorry if I'm repeating....

My two were outside, doing the biz when a ginormous firework went overhead.  I had Douggie (also the cavalier) produce a fantastic wee trail through the house.  He's just literally been out for another, so luckily, no real harm done! :-)

Mine all seem ok, ive got my friends cockers at the moment and they have been barking at the really loud ones.  The fireworks in my village have only started tonight there have been some bigguns though, I went to a display down my local tonight so left Radio 1 on for the dogs extra loud so they wouldnt take much notice of the fireworks (bet my neighbours were well chuffed )

Well you can probs all guess that mine is a complete wreck. We now have to sedate her into a sleep stage (not just a little bit to calm her) as other wise she gets so panicked that her muscles go into spasm from her hyperventilating (think it is called titany or something). I feel so useless cos i am 200miles away from her and I just want to be with her. Hope they stop soon.
The vizsla on the other hand couldn't care less. She has been licking PEsto to try and calm her apparently. Wish i could see it.
I miss them so much.

Well, it's half past midnight and they're still going on.  So much for the new laws...

They were going here from 4.30pm till 2.45am this morning non stop and very close.  Milo my JRT was fine but poor Shady was terrified.  I have had her on Valrian tablets this week and then topped her up with some valarian liquid, turned the tele up and she did settle for a couple of hours.
Couldn't get them out in the garden to the loo as they were conatantly whizzing overhead banging and screeching.  Had to in the end just let them go to the loo indoors and mop it up.
I'm hoping tonight won't be as bad and that most people done them last night as kids have to get up for school tomorrow.  But I won't hold my breath on that one.:rolleyes:

Don't know whether it was a wind up, but there was a letter on teletext yesterday from someone saying after a year of walking round dog mess on the pavements and putting up with barking dogs, he had his big box of fireworks ready for 'payback time'.   Even if he had serious complaints, it hardly justifies punishing the poor dogs for their inconsiderate and unsociable owners. :(

People like this make the justification for banning the sale of fireworks to the general public even stronger.

But it is not just dogs that are punished my poor cat and there are children who are scared of all the bangs my Nan also use to hate the bangs.

I don't understand WHY it can be legal to set them off in your own back garden. Hubby has just come in saying he's not going out there again as he keeps getting hit by sticks from fireworks! And it's all very well and good to say on the radio etc that pets sould be kept indoors, but what about those that need to go out to wee, like puppies that can't hold it as long as adults?

Reading all the posts I hope I managed to nip the fear in the bud with the new puppy-- she was out doing a wee last night when a big bang went off just above us. luckily I was there and she came running to me, ears flat and tail between her legs. I sat outside cuddling her and oohing and aahing for about five minutes  then she was off running round the garden in the dark not taking any notice. She's in her bed at the moment and not bothered about the bangs outside--- hope she remembers that it was all ok last night when I take her out in a bit!

You were lucky hamster because by cuddling and making a fuss you actually reinforced she had reason to be scared and that usually makes things worse. Always best to take a jolly attitude instead to show the pup it's nothing to be bothered about. :)

well luckily it seemed to work cos we've just been out in the back and she ran around totally ignoring the bangs. Unfortunately though when I was reading the comments and typing my last posting she weed on the carpet when I wasn't watching-- that'll teach me!
ps-- the cuddling and oohs and aahs were more really sticking it out and watching all the bright lights in the sky with her rather than enforcing the fear if you see what I mean. I try to confront her with things that frighten her in a sort of secure way--- not sure if that makes sense how i've written it or not!

As I type this poor Alfie is quivering under the table:rolleyes: I don't know how I will get him outside for a wee tonight, he is terrified and the bangs are continuous so no hope of getting out during a lull, there aren't any!

I took mine for a walk at 3.30 and they won't go out now until they stop, Kelly won't go anyway if I do take him out so he is better off staying in. Yesterday they started at 4.30 and went on until about 11.00. They were mostly very nice "pretty" ones with hardly any bangs at all. Great I thought, maybe it won't be so bad this year......... no such luck! Tonight it is bang, bang, bang deef is asleep in his basket next to me and Sol is asleep on the floor next to my chair. Neither of them give a stuff, deef wouldn't lower himself:rolleyes: Kelly on the other hand is in my bed wearing a T-shirt and snuggled under the quilt fast asleep apart from when the really loud ones go off (with the TV on LOUD) courtesy of an extra dose of valerian. He really doesn't like them but last night he was fairly relaxed cos they weren't so loud although it has to be said that he is not as bad this year as he was last. He never used to bother at all until the neighbours put an end to that! Yesterday the people across the road were letting them off in the their garden. The casings were landing on my roof! I am so sick of morons like this being able to get hold of explosives. It is about time they were banned from public sale. I feel so sorry for those of you whose dogs are really terrified by them, I can't think of anything worse. I only have to deal with a dog that is mildly stressed by it all, if they go off during the day when we are out on a walk he just comes straight back to me, there is no blind panic thankfully!

2 years ago the sticks went through my conservatory roof, it was a big job, but if it can damage my roof what can they do to people and animals.  Oh and a big insurance claim

I had one go through my roof last year and it looks like that wasn't the first time. I couldn't believe fireworks like that were legal!

It's been like World War Three here the last couple of nights :rolleyes: The sky is lit up by flashes, and there's been a  bang every couple of seconds (calmed down now tho). Fcr is fairly sanguine - especially since he's found if he comes to the back door with me to watch fireworks he gets treats :D Gsp used to be fine, but last couple of years has started to object (and I SWEAR fireworks have got louder in the last 2 years, I hate it, they were never that bad when I was young - feel like an old crone now ). He's fine as long as I pretend he doesn't exist, but he starts to shake if I look at him or speak to him... Oddly enough, he's fine on walks if a firework goes off - just doesn't like the noise invading home. Sometimes he heads for his 'bunker' under the kitchen table - and sometimes I feel like joining him there!! Could there not just be QUIET fireworks?

Yes that's what I keep saiyng! Surely they can invent QUIET fireworks!

My dogs are mad.....Took them to a fireworks display earlier and they loved it 

Mine haven't heard fireworks since Millenium night when there was a big fireworks display and bonfire at the farm. My lot must be as mad as yours because they all came to the party and seemed to have a great time! :D

Well I've written to my MP incouraging him to vote to ban them in today's debate. I hope something comes of it.

Edited to add, anyone who would like to wrtie to their MP can do so here. No names so I hope this post is OK admin. If not I apologize profusely.

GRRRRRR it's now the 6th and they've just started up again!! And I was just about to let the dogs out as well!

Yup, here too. :(

>>GRRRRRR it's now the 6th and they've just started up again!! And I was just about to let the dogs out as well!<<

Well I was delivering in Cardiff at around 6pm and it was thick fog and guess what? Yep, fireworks going off:rolleyes: Now that really is stupid as you can't see them once they have gone up.

Only one of my four gets upset at the fireworks and we use Show Off and that seems to calm her slightly.  However, in my opinion fireworks are far too noisy and now have become far too dangerous.  Also they are now used my yobs.  At 3am Sat morning a firework was set off, at 3.30 Sunday morning and then at 12.30 this morning. Wish I could catch them!!!! Wouldn't mind but I live in what was a fairly quiet Village which has now expenaded but is still fairly small.

If you thinks it's hard trying to calm dogs, you want to try horses. It's an absolute nightmare. My daughter didn't want to put them away too soon, but the fireworks were particularly bad round here from about 4 pm. on Saturday. Some local people (who obviously just don't give a toss about animals....sorry) were letting the biggest rockets off that you have ever heard in your life. They were going the full length of our almost 2 acre field & then exploding right over the stables. The horses were absolutely wet through with sweat from galloping round the field. They were no better off in the stable. I have come to the conclusion that people who let fire-works off can't possibly love animals. Mind you you can't tell me that small children & toddlers would enjoy that racket. It was just like being in Beirut. The explosions & bangs get worse evey year. We have a local MP (Bob Laxton) who is lobbying parliament to get them banned. I don't thinks that this is realistic, but something has to be done about the noise.

We had a bad Saturday night with our Goldie, he has been frightened since last year when he went out for a wee and a big banger went off directly overhead.  He spent Saturday night on my bed with my OH with the lights dimmed and the fan on.

Last night they started again so we tried a new approach, we kept giving him his favourite toy and playing with him quite noisily and kept his attention for as long as we could.

This seemed to work quite well.

The homeopathic tablets that we have had him on for about a month did very little to calm him.

I was at a training class tonight - it is in a riding school so basically outdoors (and cold!) and there were fireworks going off in the distance. Some of the dogs were terrified and had to sit out of training :(
My pup was scared by a firework going off a month or so ago. Luckily it doesn't seem to have had a lasting effect *phew* he doesn't pay any attention to them when he's indoors - he does notice them when he's outdoors but he doesn't seem scared and is easily distracted from them! I'm quite pleased as I was very worried for a while that I would end up with a firework-phobic dog.
I hate fireworks... ok so they can be pretty, but the bangs just aren't necessary, they are dangerous and they just cause so much trouble.

we had some in our garden last night and they hardly made any noise at all. One or two popped and crackled a bit but no screeching or loud bangs. There were some over the park from us and they were LOUD . Mostly Rockets I think - which I hate cause they are the ones you have no control over. Remember nearly setting the roof of the next villa on fire in Florida with a rocket - won't do that again :D . Our girls completely ignored them and were more upset at being locked in the house while we were in the garden than by the noise :rolleyes:

I have been so relieved to read this thread. All of my dogs have been fine with fireworks, etc, but my youngster is absolutely terrified. She won't go outside and is shaking violently at every noise. Reading these postings, i realise that this is not unusual and some of the tips on here have helped, so thanks to everyone, it's nice to sit here and know you're not the only one worrying.

Well our cotton wool ear plugs have worked a treat again tonight but I decided not to go to training class as I didn't want to blow his "street cred" - he looks like Mother Theresa with the tights over his head keeping the cotton wool in place :D

Phew hope it is all over for the year!  I was walking Meg at 5 before it got dark last night but somebody was starting early.  Bumped into my neighbour who let off the megaton blast in the summer. Glad she saw my dog. After careful handling last November it all went to pot after their unexpected blast.  I was able to tell her about Meg weeing on my hall carpet because she was too terrified to go outside. 
  I thought the Dap wasn't working (the diffuser that is not what folks round here call the dap - plimsoll, pumps, gym shoes that is) but left on her own for a while in the kitchen last night she actually managed to sleep.  I was very grateful that folks packed up early unlike Saturday night.