Dog terrified of open fire

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LynH

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Our lab is 7 years old and has just developed a fear of the fire in our living room. She loves fireworks with a passion and is fine with guns but has started shaking if the fire spits or hisses. Her bed is on the opposite side of the room and she has been fine in our previous houses with a wood burner and a gas fire so I am assuming its the hissing rather than the actual flames or heat.
Has anyone else experienced this? Should I just ignore it, insist she comes in the room or leave her cowering in the kitchen until she decides to come in on her own accord? We gave up using the fire last winter but it's so cold atm I've had it on for the last few evenings and she is getting worse about it rather than better. I've been using coal too which doesn't spit but that irritates my lungs more than wood so not a long term solution.
Any ideas will be gratefully received :0)
 
We do have a mesh and it doesn't smoke. We have a coffe table between her and the fire so no chance she got hit by a spark.

It's so weird and unlike her. I'll have to give Mavis' Thundershirt a try or rig up something in Jet size. I gave in last night and let her up on the sofa (an extremely rare treat) and she shook and tried to sit on my chest, she's not exactly lap dog sized, so that wasn't really a solution. I've given her one of those likit type treats in an attempt to distract her but she's currently glued to the bottom of the door as far away as possible and it's not even spitting atm.
 
My little Italian Greyhound is terrified of the open fire. It's the hissing and spitting that un nerves her. We just ignore it, she goes to her place of safety and gradually comes back again. She has improved no end this year because we haven't made a fuss I think and of course the other 2 whippets take it in turns to try to get up the chimney when it's cold and they have given her confidence I think. I wouldn't make any fuss at all. Make sure he has an alternative place to go and just let him work it out by himself. It may take some time but he'll be fine I'm sure. If you don't react then gradually the penny will drop with him that there's no need to worry.

Good luck with him.
 
Our old GSP wasn't terrified of the fire but wasn't keen on the hissing or 'cracking' :-/ His massive desire to be gently cooking himself in front of it (we've always had a fireguard) overrode his fear most of the time but you'd often see him curled up in front of it,with one eye open and on it,just in case it hissed and suddenly leapt out to get him... ;)
 
It could be the noise, mine has a total fear of walking past butchers shops it totally freaks him out to the point he will try and bolt over the road. No idea why just started from about 5 months.
 
Nope won't go near a bone at all, I cut some fat of my bacon it dropped to the floor he went to it showed his teeth lol then thought he would try it to his disgust lol he is a terrier too god know what he would do to a rat.
 
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