# It's that time of year again



## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

I let the dogs out onto the garden and almost immediately a huge firework went off directly overhead.Both dogs ran into the house and are now in an agitated state.

Ky is keeping close to me and Meg is trembling under the computer desk.

Seems like most folks are having private bonfire parties- it's like a war zone round here.I have closed all the blinds to try and calm the dogs but they are still very agitated.

I wonder if this is a big problem or whether my 2 are just over sensitive.My last dog,a minauture schnauzer was not bothered at all.We could take him to a fireworks display and he wouldn't bat an eye,however I do think that fireworks are more powerful nowadays.

I look forward to the day when fireworks are only sold for public displays and are let off on the day only.


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

I have to say, this is nothing new, it is the 5th, what were you expecting ?


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi Steve 

Our two are OK...............not nervous but on edge and barking every few minutes, it was the same the other night on Trick or Treat.

Must admit this month isn't my favourite, but hey ho tomorrow they will be switching on the Xmas lights in some parts of the country..........I can't understand why myself, surely the 1st Dec would be early enough...............all that wasted electricity LOL.

By the way I agree fireworks should be Nov 5th only, this year I think it will go on until at least next Monday.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

We've got fireworks going off around us. I've got a dog sleeping on my foot. She doesn't seem that bothered.

One cat gets a bit freaked. The other cat goes and sits on the garage roof so he can get a better look 8O 

Hope Ky and Meg manage to settle down.

Gerald


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

This is probably too little and much too late but here goes.

If your dog reacts to a bang or flash then it is very important not to react yourself.

Dogs being pack animals are very sensitive to the emotions of those around them. This means that, in some cases, even a look from an owner can lead the dog to believe that we too are worried about the bang/flash.

By far the best strategy is to totally ignore the dog/s. The dog must be allowed to retreat to its favoured bolt hole and left completely alone. Any intervention will be seen as a fear response (on our part) by the dog and, therefore, make the dog worse.

On the day of the fireworks do try to keep to a routine and not do anything that your dog may see as your reaction to the bangs and flashes. 

Once a dog has a fear it is very very difficult to treat. By far the best way forward is prevention which means never paying any attention to a dog's fearful reaction.

If you need help with a dog already fearful then look for a behaviourist that belongs to either COAPE or the APBC. Start this year and you may have made some progress by next year because it takes a very long time to cure, if it is possible at all  

Most owners find the treatment almost impossible to follow through because they feel wicked ignoring a fearful dog. We must remember that dogs think like dogs not humans. 

There a lots of minor things that help a bit but nothing that really cures all on its own (unless you are strong enough to follow a full behaviour plan through).

Sedation can make things worse as the dog feels unable to "flee" and therefore experiences panic.

To reassure a fearful dog is to reinforce its fear.


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

This is the first time Floyd has experienced fireworks and was a bit unsettled at the wooooooooooooooshy ones. He is quite happy now though and is lying sleeping ditto Neo.


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## PlanetGen (Feb 12, 2009)

I have attached Rodneys actions to Fireworks, he is laying in front of the fire dead to the world!


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

1) Get a gundog
2) Ignore the fireworks

Dave


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Ah, Dave, but we wish that it were true that gundogs do not show fear of fireworks.

One of the worst cases I ever saw was an ex gundog that had destroyed two kennels and then, when brought into the house, destroyed two internal doors in his attempt to escape from the bangs. It turned out that he was trying to get under the bed but his ex gamekeeper owner thought it inappropriate for a gundog to be in the house let alone under the bed!

We did get a cure but it took drugs combined with nearly a year of behaviour modification, followed to the letter by the wonderful owner, to effect.

Noise Phobia is no respecter of breed or age I am afraid


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Ah, but if you bought a gundog and it can't cope with bangs you can return it under the Sale of Goods Act as it's not fit for purpose.

Dave
(Yes, I'm joking)


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Jenny*

Fortunately, Jenny did not give a monkeys about fireworks, thunder and so on.

We are at the CCC Oswestry and there are very few fireworks to be heard though.

Russell


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## Tezmcd (Aug 3, 2009)

Our black lab doesnt get bothered at all, however as a concerned owner who felt sorry for her we gave her a Dentastick treat whilst we popped to the shops for 5 mins.

Seems she dropped the dentastick and it rolled under the leather sofa, so when we returned we found her trying to dig her way to it by way of going through the sofa!

One very scratched sofa (dark brown leather shows its light brown scratch marks so well!) 

If she had been a proper scaredy cat we would never have left her, sometimes you just cant win eh?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Wouldn't be so bad I don't think if it was just the one day. I expect we will get them again tomorrow and then again on Saturday and Sunday. 

Really gets my goat that on top of being banned from beaches in the summer us dog owners have to put up with our views being ignored over fireworks too. We are obviously the wrong kind of minority :roll:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

one rough collie in hiding and in a state.
two shelties quivering and two older shelties daef as door posts.

Dave p


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## dannimac (Jun 8, 2008)

I agree that there are more and louder fireworks this year. Seems to be a lot of big booming ones.

Our old collie couldn't give a monkeys about fireworks. However last year was our first fireworks with Misty and she was absolutely catatonic with fear - she wouldn't even move for food and that dog will do anything for food.

This year, we've been using the Sounds Scary CD, we've got a DAP diffuser and she's on some herbal tranquilisers. Plus she had a good pasta meal tonight to help calm her down. She still doesn't want to go out tonight but she ate her dinner and was relatively calm rather than curled up in a ball in the fartherst corner of the farthest bedroom.

I'm with others - I wouldn't mind if it was for one night for a few hours but it's for nearly a fortnight and from 4.30 through to midnight.

Hohum - hopefully none will go off during the night this time. Last year, Misty ended up curled round the top of my head when that happened.

D


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Just had a thought :roll: 

If Dave could get his money back if his gundog was afraid of bangs, could I get my money back if my lurcher doesn't lurch? :lol: 

What about if my poodle doesn't poo?

My pointer doesn't point?

Spinone doesn't spin?

Sorry - off topic.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

We were congratulating ourselves that we hadn't had too many fireworks so far this year (recession effect?) and after the torrential rain at 4pm thought that the 5th might stay quiet as well.

No it was horrendous almost like being at war with our windows shaking and rattling with the sound of the explosions. Still the preprep we had taken with our dogs, and by trying to ignore it (we put Phantom of the Opera on the TV very loudly) worked to some extent.

One dog more or less ignored it the other was alert but unworried until about 9pm when there seemed to be more of the screamer type of firework. I mangaged to get both into the garden to have their last wee at a reasonable time (last year had to wait until 1am).


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Charlie wasn't as bad this year as he has been in the past. That's old age starting I expect. We've had a month of fireworks in Leicester though as we start with Divali.

It's always better if we put the TV on very loud and have loud music in other rooms. I also groom him. The brushing relaxes him and takes his mind off the fireworks. It is also a regular thing rather than a special fuss.

He did sleep under our bed for a long time though. I thought there were not meant to fireworks after 11:30 p.m. They seemed to go on far into the night. Don't those children have school today?

Lesley


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## mandyandandy (Oct 1, 2006)

We were only commenting last night at a group meeting I was at that none of us had heard a firework this year until the night when we expected them. 

Even then not that many, the dog of the house just wandered around and laid down and slept. 

I think most places will have them on Saturday night judging by the amount of posters around here. 

Mandy


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

All quiet on the western front this morning,Meg went out in the garden and just kept barking at nothing in particular,she probably remembered the rpg that exploded over the house last night :roll: 

After checking the local press we have a lot of organised displays for the next 3 nights so it's not over by a long way.It's mainly the private displays that cause the problem for us though,they are very close and some of the explosions last night were huge.


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