Where we live we don't get to see any fireworks - just hear them. The neighbors fire off some but they aren't the kind that make a show in the sky - just noise. Mostly Tibbe barks at the noise so I laugh a lot, tell him to "sick that big noise" and things like that to amp up his prey drive over his fear and keep him distracted should he act nervous. I never, never coddle him or say things like "it's okay" if he's got big eyes, shakes, hides or acts scared, which experts say can reinforce the cowed behavior as acceptable to us in the dog's mind. Tibbe loves playing chase with him running from me with his chew bone in his mouth so if he starts acting worried over odd noises, we play chase and hide games and I get him involved in searching for treats I "hide" right before his eyes. He loves to do that. I also will take up his toys and bait him with them until his prey drive is engaged.
To Tibbe, thunderstorms and fireworks aren't scary but let a science fiction show come on TV with some weird new-age sound effect coming out of the sound system and sometimes still he backs away from the TV, will try to leave the room! Funny little guy.
__________________  Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis |