FIREWORKS

[Goya]

may I start a debate re fireworks. The blooming firework "season" is almost upon us.
One of my dogs becomes a quivering wreck when fireworks start going off. I've tried calmers. These help a little but I have to start now to build up in her system. this then affects her daily life.
Does anyone have any bright ideas?

 

[brightmount]

Don't start me on fireworks. I don't think they should be banned, but a week either side of November 5th would be quite enough, rather than September-Christmas, and well into the small hours of the morning.

One of my dogs couldn't care less, but the other starts yapping in competition with the noise of the fireworks, which does make getting to sleep rather difficult

It's got to be worse for dogs like yours OP that are clearly terrified. I was told in dog training not to make a fuss of a terrified dog as they get the message there is something really frightening that even the owner is alarmed about, but to go about your business in a calm manner as if the fireworks were not going on, same with thunderstorms. I don't know if that will help much in extreme cases.

Likewise, having the TV on loud and curtains closed may help a bit, but dogs do have an extra sense of outside noises, be it fireworks or fox fight.

Taking the dog out for the last pee before bed time is where it usually goes pear shaped. If you're not lucky with a break in pyrotechnics then you may just have to resign yourself to taking the dog out in the middle of the night, or a puddle in the morning

I lost my dog once when fireworks were going off. It was Hallowe'en. She ran off and crossed a busy road. She ended up in someone's fish pond and scared the bejeezus out of their cat. Fortunately they brought her in and contacted the police so we were reunited.

Hate fireworks

 

[RLF]

my dog (alsation) hates them too, squeezes her big body under my bed

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Sorry I can't help more, but by chance I have a pack of Sherley's serenity tablets in front of me, they say they take one and a half hours to take effect, so maybe you could try them before firework night (and then somehow make loads of noise) to see if they work?

 

[Goya]

Thanks for your replies. Jess runs under my bed and I know not to make a fuss of her as brightmount says. My real conern is how much her quality of life deteriorates for almost 3 months of the year. I have to keep her on a lead at all times when out and to make sure her collar is quite tight, otherwise she will slip it if a firework goes off. also if she hears one near her dinner time she will not eat.
It really is not fair on her.
I have another dog, a lab, and she is as calm as you like.
I would like to see a ban on the sale of fireworks other than for organised and publicized events. We owners then know when we can go for walks etc.
would love to know other opinions and also any help for my dog.

 

[suzyseymour]

Mine are both firework proof, thank goodness. But I know you can get CDs with the noise of fireworks, to desensitize them.

 

[Nando]

The vets can prescribe mild calmers/sedatives which work quite well (my parents use them for the JR's since one of them ate through an internal door in a panic!)

If you don't want to use the vets, Rescue Remedy is also quite effective - I use it on one of our big dogs and it just makes her a bit sleepy which makes the effects of the fireworks less intense! Word of warning tho, whilst RR is herbal it does contain a small dose of alcohol so don't overdose!!

 

[unicornleather]

I have a lurcher who is terrified of thunder, fireworks, guns, bird scarers (gas guns) and low flying RAF Tornados!
As fireworks go off all year round here (weekends up to 3 am in the summer) then gather intensity from sept through to Jan the following year and bird scarers go off from 5 am to after dark for 6 months of the year and thunder can be at any time I am fighting a losing battle!
I have tried the cd's with noises on (Sounds Scary)_ she KNOWS the difference and ignores the cd but reacts to the real thing, I have used the D.A P. diffuser to some degree of success but to use it all year is excessively expensive. I use Serene-Um, that is good but I think her system is getting used to it so I am trying a new product (also natural) called Zylkene (vetuk.co.uk is the cheapest) try it it does seem to work. I have used Bach's flower ready too (rescue remedy) I will try most things to see if it makes a difference but the main thing is trying to get the government to realise there is a real problem with anti social behaviour and fireworks, they have introduced new laws in the last few years to help cut it down but we all know it doesn't as it is not enforcable, what policeman can catch idiots letting them off at 2 am when no one knows where they are?
I have petitioned for a while now to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public and only allow organised displays, I do like fireworks but at a time when I know it will happen and can take steps to protect my dog.
Bird scarers round here going off all day and into the night 7 days a week are my other main issue, 27 loud BANGS an hour starting at 5 am (even sundays) and going on till after dark in the summer is not acceptable.
Oz

 

[Daffodil]

I hate hate hate the damned things. I don't even find them pretty to watch and never feel the need to look out of the window when they're going off nearby. My YO lost a foal after what we think was a firework related accident last year and we've had dogs having nervous breakdowns at the first bang. I don't see the attraction.