Fireworks night looms - Dog going nuts already - what to do?
Discussion
As fireworks night now seems to be a month-long celebration for the little scrotes round my way, has anyone got any tips to help placate a terrified terrier? He goes bananas each time he hears a firework go off, and doesn't calm down for about 30 minutes afterwards.
On the 5th November itself we put him in the car, take some food and drink, and head for a drive into the middle of nowehere (good excuse for a drive on quiet roads), but I can't do this every night for the next few weeks!
On the 5th November itself we put him in the car, take some food and drink, and head for a drive into the middle of nowehere (good excuse for a drive on quiet roads), but I can't do this every night for the next few weeks!
There is loads you can do but you need to act now.
Get to the vets. He can be px valium, but they may well want to see him first as it is a px only drug.
They will work out a dose, you may need to alter if not quite the response on initial dose. Valium helps the dog not care about fireworks and helps them forget afterwards. Should be given before gets nervous, can be given for 2-3 days on the trot if needed.
DAP diffuser get it plugged into your house.
Zylkene, new product not a drug should help reduce stress levels.
Finally too late for this year but next yr (or maybe for new yr) gets a soundz scary cd it is a desensitization to sound cd. Takes a while but can work
DO NOT GET PRESECRIBED sedatives (eg ACP) they are old fashioned and don't help your pet long term.
Also radio up, curtains closed etc
Get to the vets. He can be px valium, but they may well want to see him first as it is a px only drug.
They will work out a dose, you may need to alter if not quite the response on initial dose. Valium helps the dog not care about fireworks and helps them forget afterwards. Should be given before gets nervous, can be given for 2-3 days on the trot if needed.
DAP diffuser get it plugged into your house.
Zylkene, new product not a drug should help reduce stress levels.
Finally too late for this year but next yr (or maybe for new yr) gets a soundz scary cd it is a desensitization to sound cd. Takes a while but can work
DO NOT GET PRESECRIBED sedatives (eg ACP) they are old fashioned and don't help your pet long term.
Also radio up, curtains closed etc
PeteG said:
Might be a little late if they've started already, but I've heard that playing a tape of fireworks sounds as you go about your daily business, gradually increasing the volume day-to-day, works...
These DO work!! my daughter brought up a black lab and it got this CD training, gunshots, cars revving, thunder and a whole bunch of other noises. The lab reacts to the first one slightly, but after that no problems..Gargamel said:
Get a gun dog instead...
Doesn't always work though.My grandad had 2 spaniels (not at the same time, one after the other) and both would literally soil themselves whenever they hear fireworks or thunder.
They were trained for hunting though and were well oiled machines during a hunt and would do their job perfectly as soon as the rabbit/bird has been gunned down. In fact they were so eager they'd nicked other hunters/dogs preys and bring them back to my grandad.
Once back at home, they'd become poofters once again.
Strange things happen in dogs' minds.
As already mentioned re Dens, if your dog has a favourite hiding place during these times, let them stay there, don't force them into the lounge if they want to be in the kitchen. My old dog used to go and hide in the bathroom, this is where she remained calmest so we'd leave her to it, the days before valium was discovered.
Luckily our whippet couldn't care less about fireworks etc
Luckily our whippet couldn't care less about fireworks etc
I feel your pain. It is a period I dread too as our dog only has to hear one and he shakes and dribbles like fury for the rest of the evening, unable to settle or relax until it all dies off late into the evening.
It all stems back to a couple of years ago when as a puppy he was out walking and some prat set off a big rocket from a garden we were walking past, which seemed to be the turning point. I wouldn't have been so upset but it was daylight still and I deliberatly decided to walk him earlier over this period before it gets dark and try to keep him indoors for the rest of the evening for this very reason.
And yes, firework sales should be limited to say one week, as people are already buying and letting them off two weeks before, and this will no doubt last for every evening deep into November. Along with the morons who think it is clever to set them off late in the evening...
It all stems back to a couple of years ago when as a puppy he was out walking and some prat set off a big rocket from a garden we were walking past, which seemed to be the turning point. I wouldn't have been so upset but it was daylight still and I deliberatly decided to walk him earlier over this period before it gets dark and try to keep him indoors for the rest of the evening for this very reason.
And yes, firework sales should be limited to say one week, as people are already buying and letting them off two weeks before, and this will no doubt last for every evening deep into November. Along with the morons who think it is clever to set them off late in the evening...
J B L said:
Gargamel said:
Get a gun dog instead...
Doesn't always work though.My grandad had 2 spaniels (not at the same time, one after the other) and both would literally soil themselves whenever they hear fireworks or thunder.
They were trained for hunting though and were well oiled machines during a hunt and would do their job perfectly as soon as the rabbit/bird has been gunned down. In fact they were so eager they'd nicked other hunters/dogs preys and bring them back to my grandad.
Once back at home, they'd become poofters once again.
Strange things happen in dogs' minds.
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