Dogs and fireworks...
Discussion
I suppose this applies equally to other pets, but dogs are the noisiest...
Our dog is scared of everything, and I mean everything. The hairdryer, the vacuum cleaner, passing lorries, explosions on tv... He's pathetic
The problem is, when he's scared, instead of hiding in a corner and quivering, he barks. And a big dog has a big bark. During the day it's just annoying, but last night the local chavs started letting off fireworks around 10pm, and he went berserk, barking solidly for nearly an hour until they stopped again. We'd just gone to bed and he woke us up. Woke the neighbours up. Luckily the kids are with the grandparents for a couple of days or they'd have been awake too.
Apparently he's always been like this around firework night, but there must be something we can do? This is going to be a problem from October when they start selling fireworks before Halloween, right through November for then endless official and unofficial firework displays, and then over Christmas and New Year, so for a good few months. It can't be nice for him to be scared all the time, and it's not fair on us, the kids or the neighbours if he's barking the house down all night.
The OH has tried every OTC anxiety remedy available, and none has made the slightest difference. Is there something available on prescription that will calm him down (and realistically I mean sedate him to the point where he can't be bothered to shout at the loud noises)?
We will obviously take him to the vet, I just wanted to be pre-armed with as much information as possible before we go. I don't want to have to make a dozen trips, with the vet giving him the weakest stuff possible each time, when we know it won't work.
Thanks in advance
Our dog is scared of everything, and I mean everything. The hairdryer, the vacuum cleaner, passing lorries, explosions on tv... He's pathetic
The problem is, when he's scared, instead of hiding in a corner and quivering, he barks. And a big dog has a big bark. During the day it's just annoying, but last night the local chavs started letting off fireworks around 10pm, and he went berserk, barking solidly for nearly an hour until they stopped again. We'd just gone to bed and he woke us up. Woke the neighbours up. Luckily the kids are with the grandparents for a couple of days or they'd have been awake too.
Apparently he's always been like this around firework night, but there must be something we can do? This is going to be a problem from October when they start selling fireworks before Halloween, right through November for then endless official and unofficial firework displays, and then over Christmas and New Year, so for a good few months. It can't be nice for him to be scared all the time, and it's not fair on us, the kids or the neighbours if he's barking the house down all night.
The OH has tried every OTC anxiety remedy available, and none has made the slightest difference. Is there something available on prescription that will calm him down (and realistically I mean sedate him to the point where he can't be bothered to shout at the loud noises)?
We will obviously take him to the vet, I just wanted to be pre-armed with as much information as possible before we go. I don't want to have to make a dozen trips, with the vet giving him the weakest stuff possible each time, when we know it won't work.
Thanks in advance
You can try a thundershirt. You can also try small things to help, when we got our puppy she was fed from the hoover, it was off first, then she was fed near the on hoover, then on the switched on hoover. So she doesn't give a hoot about storms/fireworks etc. You can also buy CDs with such noises on them and can play them in the background for a while so the dog gets used to it, though this is something your breeder should have done IMHO. There are also natural products which you can put on the dog's ears which can help calm them.
Ideally you should have started s desensitization process months ago. It is probably still worth making a start. What would be really useful is if you have a nurse or vet at your practice that is Upto date with advice etc. The vets will prob be able to advise on more effective natural products and how to use them (a combination of Zylkene, Kalmaid, DAP collars, plug ins. Soundz Scary CD's and possibly valium but there are mixed thoughts on that)
Avoid the use of ACP sedation. It's old school and whilst it may render your dog incapable of barking he will still be able too hear it all and it could increase his fear next time.
Hope that's a useful starting point. Dogs trust usually have useful advice sheets and google Soundz Scary look for their web page.
Avoid the use of ACP sedation. It's old school and whilst it may render your dog incapable of barking he will still be able too hear it all and it could increase his fear next time.
Hope that's a useful starting point. Dogs trust usually have useful advice sheets and google Soundz Scary look for their web page.
The place I used to go to puppy classes would play a fireworks/ noises cd in the background during lessons so the dogs got used to random pops n bangs etc. Mine is pretty good with fireworks now. She was scared of the hoover at first but now you nearly have to bash it into her before she will get up and move.
She bloody hates my RC cars though barks and snarls at them like they were cats.
She bloody hates my RC cars though barks and snarls at them like they were cats.
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