Helping dogs with fireworks

SAujla

SAujla

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Whilst I do not have a dog yet (actively looking for one ready for after Christmas) I have heard the continuous fireworks going off recently and wondered how people cope. I have never given much thought to them before but they are incredibly loud for human ears so for dogs it must be terrifying given they probably do not know what is happening, where the sound is coming from and when will it stop, and obviously they will crop up again at New Years. Are there any events in West Midlands like the one mentioned near Glasgow in the story below?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50316320
 
My parent's dog has always been very nervous, and yet is fine with fireworks.

Generally if you're not silly about them, dogs are okay.

Go outside and make a big fuss of them, say in your 'good dog' tone oh aren't they pretty etc. If they're still nervous make sure you're happy and confident, not flinching. Be practical, put them into their safe place (crate/room/blanket over them) with no fuss, stick some music on quite loud and carry on.
 
I honestly believe the best thing you can do to help a dog with fireworks is nothing. Do not react to the fireworks or the dog, just give the impression to your dog that this is an every day occurrence, even though it isn’t.

Don’t be tempted to comfort the dog. It just re-inforces this is not ‘normal’ and I should be worried.

I’ve had a couple of dogs that have barked at the noise but none that have been scared. New girl Willow was a bit put out last night but because I didn’t react to her confusion and the other two dogs showed no reaction, she was fast asleep by 7.30pm, even though the display at the end of the road was still going full belt!
 
it depends on the temperament of the dog in my experience. i have had 2 lurchers who were really frightened and nothing seemed to work to calm them down. all of my other dogs have been ok but i am always careful to make sure they are walked early before it is dark and then have the tv or radio on louder than normal...it is a good idea to have a safe place for your dog, maybe a crate with blankets all round except for the entry door so its like a den. a good idea is to get a cd with fireworks and storm noise and play it from when they are puppies so they are used to the sound. you can also get a plug in which is supposed to calm them or there is also a collar impregnated with the same stuff. there is also a wrap around coat which is supposed to calm them. i tried all of these on my lurchers and none of them worked. the one thing which did help was giving them zylkene before the fireworks started which thesedays is not easy as fireworks are being set off for weeks at a time...
 
A friend found this worked really well with her Cavalier, no idea why but it does seem to - from pacing and barking he settled and went to sleep once she had wrapped him


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splashgirl45 said:
it depends on the temperament of the dog in my experience. i have had 2 lurchers who were really frightened and nothing seemed to work to calm them down. all of my other dogs have been ok but i am always careful to make sure they are walked early before it is dark and then have the tv or radio on louder than normal...it is a good idea to have a safe place for your dog, maybe a crate with blankets all round except for the entry door so its like a den. a good idea is to get a cd with fireworks and storm noise and play it from when they are puppies so they are used to the sound. you can also get a plug in which is supposed to calm them or there is also a collar impregnated with the same stuff. there is also a wrap around coat which is supposed to calm them. i tried all of these on my lurchers and none of them worked. the one thing which did help was giving them zylkene before the fireworks started which thesedays is not easy as fireworks are being set off for weeks at a time...
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I think the idea of CD with some loud noises on it is a good one I will try, especially during the 8-14 week socialisation period
 
Stuck record alert lol...environmental sensitivities including noise are generally genetic.
Mine all have to be neutral to gunshots and other loud noises, working or breeding from anything noise sensitive is regarded as a big no-no, I imagine it is the same for gundog breeders. If you're going for a well bred lab, the breeder will take all that into account and yes, desensitisation to loud noises in puppyhood on top of that is certainly worthwhile.
 
We have two 'couldn't care less about loud noises' dogs and two 'help what is that' ones. The fearful ones are now ok as long as they can sit on our laps being held and stroked. All our dogs run to us if something scares them, I am afraid I have never subscribed to the idea you can reinforce fear but work to instil the idea we can keep our dogs safe. Calm reassurance works for us.
 
CorvusCorax said:
Stuck record alert lol...environmental sensitivities including noise are generally genetic.
Mine all have to be neutral to gunshots and other loud noises, working or breeding from anything noise sensitive is regarded as a big no-no, I imagine it is the same for gundog breeders. If you're going for a well bred lab, the breeder will take all that into account and yes, desensitisation to loud noises in puppyhood on top of that is certainly worthwhile.
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Yes, for people breeding from working gundog lines; not necessarily for those breeding show or pet pups. :(
 
When the whippet was a puppy, I bought the 'Sounds Scary' CD, and played it every day for about 30 mins at a level he wasnt bothered by, and gradually increasing the volume as long as he didnt react to it.

If we went walking and gunshots/crow scarerers went off, I didnt react even though I could feel him staring at me for what to do. During fireworks weeks, long walks in the daylight to wear him out, fed early in case of stress vomiting, and turned the tv up loud, with cosy places for him to go.

And for years he was fine, slept through them. Then the neighbours had the longest, noisest session of fireworks and didn't think to mention beforehand, and it upset him. He's not bad now, isn't thrilled, but hides on my bed and shakes a bit if they're too noisy. He must be about coping cos we just got in last night and fireworks started but he was still keen for his supper and a chew- if he's really stressed he won't eat.

I used to not reassure him, to avoid reinforcing it was a thing to be worried about, but to be honest, he is worried and a bit upset, so recently I've been giving him a big cuddle (in a way I know he likes) , and rubbed his ears which he loves and relaxes him. This stops the shaking, and he goes back to sleep quicker. I'll get the CD again, and restart the desensitiation and maybe try the wrap in future. He couldnt give a stuff about gun noises or thunder.
 
TBH, unless a Lab has a bad experience with something relevant which scares it, they are almost all oblivious to firework or other noises.
Our current pups were a bit wary of car engines on a walk but soon found that they were nothing to worry about. They haven't been worried by fireworks but they haven't been outside the garden after dark and our garden is quite secluded.
We did have one who got caught in a sudden thunderstorm, when on a walk with her sister and at least 4 adult dogs, as a pup. The adults were all completely unfazed by the storm and her sister grew up to not care about loud noises but unfortunately that pup never did get over her fear and Bonfire Night was upsetting for her for the rest of her life.

It certainly is a good idea to bring them up to be used to noises of all kinds from a very young age; vacuum cleaners, power tools, loud bangs, whatever you can think of to introduce them to.
 
This is interesting because our old retriver (well bred from working stock) wqas incredibly gun shy. We have put it down to mismanagement (ours) in the secondary fear stage.

Whereas my GSD again from excellent stock is completely confident and oblivious to noise - as of course he should be - which has made it so easy to train him to be used to fireworks/chainsaws/tractors etc because he's naturally unbothered by it all!

So maybe a mix of both?
 
Ranyhyn said:
This is interesting because our old retriver (well bred from working stock) wqas incredibly gun shy. We have put it down to mismanagement (ours) in the secondary fear stage.

Whereas my GSD again from excellent stock is completely confident and oblivious to noise - as of course he should be - which has made it so easy to train him to be used to fireworks/chainsaws/tractors etc because he's naturally unbothered by it all!

So maybe a mix of both?
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Is the secondary fear stage the time after the initial 8-14 week socialisation stage?
 
Don't try to avoid noise with the pup. Ours like, for instance, to parade around with their bowls in the mouths after eating and then drop them on the flagstones. The noise is hideous.
We are a pretty noisy house anyway and our dogs have always been immune to any unexpected bangs. They get used to dropped things, doors banging, people shouting and a general hubbub.
Try to not react to things yourself and they think thats the way to go.
 
The university of Lincoln did research and training programmes to prevent or cure noise phobia. I am not sure if or where it was published
I found cds and tv didnt have much effect on my dog she be content with artificial sounds but in full panic mode with the real thing
 
Clodagh said:
Don't try to avoid noise with the pup. Ours like, for instance, to parade around with their bowls in the mouths after eating and then drop them on the flagstones. The noise is hideous.
We are a pretty noisy house anyway and our dogs have always been immune to any unexpected bangs. They get used to dropped things, doors banging, people shouting and a general hubbub.
Try to not react to things yourself and they think thats the way to go.
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Keys in a saucepan is one that my trainer used when assessing pups!
 
CorvusCorax said:
Keys in a saucepan is one that my trainer used when assessing pups!
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The not reacting part is something I'm already definitely going to use when dealing with our noisy neighbour dogs but I'll do the same with fireworks. I won't be getting a pup until after the new year so I'll miss the fireworks there and assume bonfire night will be the first time I encounter them, don't recall fireworks going off constantly before early November
 
I have Battle of the Commandos on in the background this afternoon, hard not to react to all the gunfire myself :o
I have a saved copy of a puppy assessment guide somewhere, with likely outcomes, if you want me to PM you a link. Not a failsafe in my own personal experience, but pretty interesting to read.
 
CorvusCorax said:
I have Battle of the Commandos on in the background this afternoon, hard not to react to all the gunfire myself :eek:
I have a saved copy of a puppy assessment guide somewhere, with likely outcomes, if you want me to PM you a link. Not a failsafe in my own personal experience, but pretty interesting to read.
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Yes that would be great thank you, no reason I'd turn down advice if I feel its coming from a good place!
 
Sukhpreet Aujla said:
The not reacting part is something I'm already definitely going to use when dealing with our noisy neighbour dogs but I'll do the same with fireworks. I won't be getting a pup until after the new year so I'll miss the fireworks there and assume bonfire night will be the first time I encounter them, don't recall fireworks going off constantly before early November
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where are you? we have fireworks going from early october to the middle of november and then again at new year....
 
splashgirl45 said:
where are you? we have fireworks going from early october to the middle of november and then again at new year....
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In the West Midlands, I first noticed fireworks the weekend before bonfires night. I would add that I work evenings and often have headphones in when at home so perhaps I might be wrong with the timing
 
I am a big believer in managing your response to noise in order to promote calm behaviour in your dog.
As has already been said, don’t react.


If you think of The stimuli your dog,as a puppy,has to cope with and adjust to Say for example the TV, you don’t make a fuss, over compensate or even acknowledge a fear response probably. So the pup thinks, hmm ok clearly nothing to worry about.
This ethos just needs to be applied to all stimuli, without carrying your human preconception of the fear of fireworks/traffic/gun fire into the equation.
Controlled, calm exposure is the way forward and always being honest enough to question YOUR response and adjust accordingly if required :)
 
Please don't feel guilty if you have a dog who reacts to fireworks. It is not due to anything you did or failed to do.

I am not frightened of fireworks and have never shown any fear of them.

If you have a dog who does not react then it is down to luck/genetics. Innate fear cannot be reinforced.

CC nailed it in post #7.

I have had 7 dogs who did not have any reaction at all. 1 dog who used to hide in the shower cubicle, another attached herself to me and a 3rd would bark and then retreat behind a chair. Dog number 11, nearly 50 kg, barks hysterically, runs around frantically with her tail between her legs, get up on her hind legs and pummels at the door or window trying to escape.

Please don't suggest densensitisation CDs, covered crates (she is now trained to go in one) , playing loud music, shutting curtains, plugs-ins, neutraceuticals, Happy Hoodie or any other nonsense. I have all this set up for her.

She has needed medication from the vet for the period of the fireworks which will now take nearly a month to tail off and by then we will have fireworks at New Year to look forward to.

Dogs who shake and hide are suffering no less than my dog and I am sure it is nothing at all to do with the attitude of the owner.

Dogs who are frightened by fireworks get worse, not due to age but due to the fact that every time they have to live through an event the neural pathway gets reinforced.

If you have a dog who is badly affected then please ask your vet for a drug with a memory erasure effect. It pays to sort this in good time. The first one did not suit my dog - it made her hyperexcited, the second one needed the dose doubling to give her any sort of relief.

Do not waste your money on a behaviourist. She told me to lock her in the crate during an event. To desensitise her she recommended playing the CD all the way through on repeat. Both seriously bad advice.
 
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agree SD, i have no problem with fireworks and of all the dogs i have had the 2 that reacted badly were both lurchers, both whippet crosses, one with a border collie and bedlington and one with a bearded collie and bedlington. my current border collie cross has no reaction and nor have any terriers i have owned including the one i have got now. i also tried the noise cd, adaptil plug ins, adaptil collar, thundershirt, making a den, closing all curtains and having the tv up loud, with a radio on in the kitchen as well.......nothing worked !!!!!!!l and my last lurcher got worse each year. i tried zylkene for last couple of years and that did calm her a bit, she stopped crying and panting but still paced.....
 
splashgirl45 said:
agree SD, i have no problem with fireworks and of all the dogs i have had the 2 that reacted badly were both lurchers, both whippet crosses, one with a border collie and bedlington and one with a bearded collie and bedlington. my current border collie cross has no reaction and nor have any terriers i have owned including the one i have got now. i also tried the noise cd, adaptil plug ins, adaptil collar, thundershirt, making a den, closing all curtains and having the tv up loud, with a radio on in the kitchen as well.......nothing worked !!!!!!!l and my last lurcher got worse each year. i tried zylkene for last couple of years and that did calm her a bit, she stopped crying and panting but still paced.....
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Oh, yes Splashgirl. Thank you for reminding me about the useless thundershirt.

I forgot to add that when she was calmer (due to medication) to stop her panting and pacing, I also tried Lickimats, training games, snuffle mats, nose work, chews and canine enrichment. Without the fireworks, on this dose, she is serenely calm.

But of course the fault is ours, we just have the wrong attitude.
 
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I think you’ve misread my post on account of the emotion you feel for your poor dog. I won’t elucidate further because I’ve been here long enough to know this is how the forum works but feel sure, that’s not what I meant.
 
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