that has just had a litter.

At the moment we have LOTS of fireworks going off close by, previous years my bitch has jumped up at the first few and then settled down not really bothering about them but it is a different story today. She is wild eyed and extremely stressed out, pacing in and out of the whelping box not caring that she treads on her pups and she keeps trying to hide behind the tv/furniture. Ive got music on to try and drown out the noise and im trying ym best not to reinforce the behaviour but its so hard...her pups are hungry, she keeps trying to go and feed them but then another firework goes off and she is gone.
Ive never seen her like this and really not sure what to do.

Is her area covered? could you put a radio on for her? A DAP plug in maybe. Easy for me to say but try not to get stressed out yourself, your in  for a long night. Hope the fireworks finish soon, obviously tomorrow will probably be much the same :-(

I don't have a DAP plug in as none of my dogs have never been bothered by them before. Her area is covered and i have music playing which is drowning them out to some degree. They have stopped for the time being, but i'm sure they will restart later.

Poor love; have you a tight tee shirt she could wear? Thundershirts are meant to work well as they touch on pressure points, like swaddling a baby/

The BEST way to help with this is roll up some cotton wool and place well into her ears, she wont mind.

Secondly go and write on a big piece of paper.." cotton wool in ears"...so easy to forget...but it works!

Could you try rescue remedy to calm her or maybe take her babies to her where she wants to hide (if possible).  Hope she's a little more used to it for tomorrow night for you.

Thats true, google mikuti body wrap, im sure you could make it out of a crape bandage as a temporary measure, obviously taking it off when fireworks are over .

sorry i spelt it wrong http://www.mekuti.co.uk/bodywraps.htm

Tooolz, I totally agree! :-D

Since Eve has had so many ear problems, she seems a bit more sensitive to loud noises.....and wind blowing strongly when out walking on blustery days! We pop a wad of cotton wool in and she's fine - no more head shaking from the wind, no more jumping when the fireworks go off!

In some cases the simplest things are the best. :-)

They are indeed. I stuffed her ears full of cotton wool and she settled down with her babies :)

So pleased you managed to get her, not as much as you I'm sure.  Is to do with the hormones do you think or being protective to her babies.

Im so glad, its such a worrying time. Who needs more stress? :-)

Dont forget the reminder, its so easy to forget when they are calm and contented once more.

Yes when I let her out for last wees late last night I called her in and she didnt come...took me a few seconds to realise she couldnt hear me calling!

:-D Bless, so pleased she has settled again, poor girl.    Well done Tooolz.

Thats so good to hear :)

I have a dog balaclava that a friend knitted for my dog. It holds the cotton wool in really well but he does look a bit like Mother Theresa when he is wearing it.

I wish I hadn't been taking a swig of wine as I read that.  I think I have shorted out my keybo.......

ROFLMAO!!   :-)  :-)  :-)

> They are indeed. I stuffed her ears full of cotton wool and she settled down with her babies :-)

I was going to suggest this as it is what a friend does with the horses for fireworks and for when the hunt meet at the bottom of her property and it winds her horses up.

> I have a dog balaclava that a friend knitted for my dog

Now THAT made me laugh!!!  :-)

> he does look a bit like Mother Theresa when he is wearing it.

Hahaha!

I have just taken Merlin to a small nearby (dark, empty, firework-free) park for a run-about, and even with various booms and crackles going off in the distance, he wasn't a bit bothered and hasn't been doped up today. Somehow he gets more upset hearing them from within the sanctuary of his own home & garden.

My rescue dog on the other hand, jumps and spins in fear at the slightest bang no matter how far away, as I discovered last weekend when a few premature fireworks were let off.

MsTemeraire, my male goes nuts when we have fireworks running around the house all macho barking his head off ripping up his toys and blankets but he was out in the garden yesterday wehn some started going off, I ran to get him in and he was fine playing with toys nicely!?

So shocked!?! But I left him to it rather than bring him in incase that upset him. Im not sure whether he feels safer out there where he can see them maybe, or that we have a very new litter that he can sense/smell and has calmed him? Whatever it is it was so nice to see him not panic :)

Mine are better out where they can see what's happening, but I am blowed if I am going walking all night.

I think it makes sense about dogs being able to see what is going on.

I remember years ago when we had a particularly spectacular storm - thunder and lightening was awesome.  I had the curtains open, and it was after dark, but the night sky was lit up, and looking as stunning as a firework display.  My eldest Beardie stood on the back of a settee to get the best view.  She was most definitely watching the sky being lit up, as her head and ear movements were a sight to see.

Well my girl didnt need cotton wool shoved in her ears after the first night, she was back to her normal self by saturday even though there were even more fireworks going off. Dogs are strange sometimes!

yes they are LOL...maybe after the 1st night of fireworks she knew nothing was going to harm her babbies so she stettled ...glad to hear all is well now x