# Fireworks and things that go bump in the night



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Hi all you dog lovers

My dog who is as brave as a Lion is afraid of fireworks and thunder,
does anyone know of a product that will calm her down ? being close to Fawkes night the local yobs have started letting fireworks off and our little town now has a firework shop. God knows why

Loddy


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## ThursdaysChild (Aug 2, 2008)

Does letting off a firework make you a yob ?


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

We used tranquilisers from the vets. Waste of money. Dogs were worse and kept awake longer.
All the rough collies we have had, six in all have been terrified of any sort of bang. Even though we live in th ecountryside and hear guns going off they have all been bad.

The shelties, some have beeen worried and barked, shivered and hid.
Now the two 14 year old ones are as deaf as a post so no problems with those.

We did have limited success with a herbal potion, But now we get them all in the MH and have a drive to Clumber park . Have a brew and a short walk. After 8:30 we return home to peace.

dave p


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Get some Benylin from the chemist but make sure it is the original stuff. The non-drowsy kind is no good. Put it in warm milk or similar and it works quite quickly.

I agree with DTP, doggy remedies are pretty useless.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I can never understand why we celebrate a failure.

Dave p


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## The-Cookies (Nov 28, 2010)

some loud music or TV on loud perhaps to dull the sound a little.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

The old collie feels the vibrations.

Dave p


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

Meg(Boxer) loves fireworks, she stands most of the night on the settee looking out the window at the aerial display, and on Saturday we have a family bonfire and fireworks, and she will be by my side as i light all the fireworks.

She loves them !!


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## Rasta (Jul 20, 2011)

there is a product called serene-um its available over the counter. It is very effective in our(dogs) experience! Its not a sedative as such it contains the building blocks for seratonin (brains happy dopy chemical) and has a calming effect. It needs to be given for a couple of days to build up a bit, check it out online, sorry i cant remember the manufacturer off hand..


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## patnles (Oct 26, 2006)

Izzy, our lab is scared of most sudden noises but is fine with fireworks. As she came from a working kennel she had been shot over as a young pup so wasn't totally freaked out. 
Last year she was about 5 months old when the fireworks started and she was a bit jumpy and wanted to hide. Fortunately she is ball possessed, so I took her out in the garden when the fireworks started and played with the ball and treated her when she ignored the bangs. It didn't take her long to just ignore them because she is very focused on her retreiving toys. Now when she hears fireworks she wants to go out to play. :roll:
That may not work for everyone but if the dog has a ball or squeaky toy or maybe just some tasty liver that he/she is nuts about it may work but it would depend on the level of fear. 
One thing you shouldn't do is make a fuss of them when they're fearful. It's best to just ignore them.

Our old lab (avatar) loved fireworks and used to sit in the garden watching them.
Lesley


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

ThursdaysChild said:


> Does letting off a firework make you a yob ?


In my opinion letting off fireworks not on a celebration day is done by yobs, so yes, why should our animals have to be scared ****less by brainless individuals.

Thanks to the rest of you for the information

Loddy


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

loddy said:


> ThursdaysChild said:
> 
> 
> > Does letting off a firework make you a yob ?
> ...


No, letting off firework does not make you a yob !!

Fireworks have been let off on other days other than 5th Nov, for donkey's years.

Hope I never forget what its like to be young.

God forbid that anyone should enjoy themselves


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Good advice patnles. It is called counter conditioning and involves the dog associating good things with the fear stimulus.

Sedation can make the dog worse as the dog feels trapped in a body that can not respond to all the adrenaline.

Bit late now but providing the dog with a den helps. It must be of the dog's choosing so decide where the dog likes to go and make it as comfy as possible. A DAP difuser can help with some dogs and can be plugged in near the den.
Do not interact with the dog but go about your normal business. This if very comforting to a dog if things are as "normal" as possible.

Make a note to deal with the issue before New Year comes! The best way is to book a one-to-one session with a qualified behaviourist preferably with the COAPE diploma. They will go through a programme with you that can be put in place for the next lot!


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

I have been to the vet and as usual it's too late to condition her but he did give me a CD and flog me a collar (smells like a nursing bitch) and some pills to put in her food, we shall see if makes a difference

Loddy


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## Andysam (May 10, 2005)

I've an ESS and have taken her shooting a few times (quick- tree huggers line up here to whinge) and my problem with her is that she is fine in the house but when outside and she hears a bang she runs off towards it to see what the result is!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

You don't shoot trees do you? Alan.


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

patnles said:


> One thing you shouldn't do is make a fuss of them when they're fearful. It's best to just ignore them.
> Lesley


But that is so hard to do, heartless almost, one of our dogs will face up to any threat she can *see* and *touch* (or bite :roll: ) but anything that she can't see makes her very frightened and it's the only time she is pawing the door to come inside.

I can't see how 'ignoring' her will improve matters and anyway she's part of the familly *so has a right to some comforting*.


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## Losos (Oct 28, 2009)

loddy said:


> I have been to the vet and as usual it's too late to condition her but he did give me a CD and flog me a collar (smells like a nursing bitch) and some pills to put in her food, we shall see if makes a difference
> Loddy


I hope it does Loddy, I've been told the CD can work 'tho not with every dog, *but please let her know she's safe with you *and give her a hug now and again while these noises are going on around you.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Losos
very true it's hard to ignore them, being the dog that saved my life I want to protect her.

She is at present trying to dig holes in the sofa whilst the firework display continues half a mile away.

Loddy


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## patnles (Oct 26, 2006)

Losos said:


> patnles said:
> 
> 
> > One thing you shouldn't do is make a fuss of them when they're fearful. It's best to just ignore them.
> ...


I know exactly what you mean Losos. Pat will tell you there's not many as soft as me with dogs, but I really had to help Izzy get over the fear, so it had to be done, no matter how hard I found it. 
If you react to a fearful dog it just confirms in the dogs mind, that there's something to be fearful of. *You* might feel bad for ignoring him but he wont think any less of you.
I have an 18 month old labrador at the moment who was afraid of all sorts of everyday things when she came to us at 5 months. She wouldn't walk through a door unless it was wide open. She wouldn't walk past the car. She wouldn't go in the car. She ran and hid when anyone came to the house, when we tried to get her to go in the van and when we tried to put a lead on her. She didn't want to go for a walk because she was petrified of traffic, even bicycles. I had to buy her a harness as I was so afraid she may slip her collar in panic when a car went past. She stayed in her crate most of the day. 
I could easily have spent all day comforting her but I wanted her to be able to relax and enjoy her life to the full, which she's starting to do now. 
She's still fearful of lots of things and it's been really hard work, but we're getting there and she loves going for walks now and loves the van. She's still not keen on the car but will jump in when asked and fireworks are just an excuse to go out in the garden to play ball. I wouldn't let her out in the garden on her own when there's fireworks around, not at this stage, anyway.
Izzy is at this moment sitting on my knee and because she's too big to fit on properly, I have to hold her and so I'm typing this with one hand. She's not spoilt at all, oh no she's not. She's also very much a part of our family.
Lesley


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

loddy said:


> My dog who is as brave as a Lion...


Give over!! She's a WOOSE!! :lol:



loddy said:


> does anyone know of a product that will calm her down?


This'll work 



loddy said:


> She is at present trying to dig holes in the sofa


A change at least from the mozzy screen_*S*_ she jumped through over here, eh? :roll:

You know we love Lily. 

Dougie.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Doug

Ive past that on to Lily so you better watch your ankles

:wink:


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