Worried about 4th of July madness with my babies

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

4am last night I hear BOOM BOOM. Grrr, Cooper woke up and barked for a while. I had to put the tv on and put the a/c up high to drown out the sound.

Really? at 4 am? I guess the 4th couldn't come quick enough for some. I did hear some *pop pop pop* last night. Kaji growled. I hope tonight goes similarly. I'd be ok if he barks and growls, as long as he isn't completely freaked out.

[evab]

Originally Posted by kionini

and worried about how to handle their fear of the noise and chaos. Some people say "comfort them", others say "no, don't comfort them", yet others say "act normal, like nothing's going on."
Last year they were losing their minds with all the firecrackers and people making noise. I can't "act normal" when my babies are under stress, it stresses me.

What has worked for you? What happens if I comfort them? I've comfort them in the heavy rain and lightning and they're not as scared of it as they used to be. Any thoughts??
Thank you

Hi, I lived in a fab little village in spain, who had two fiesta's with fireworks a year!
One of the huge firework displays was set up outside my apartment! and went on for hours! my William went crazy! The following year, I went to stay at my friends on the otherside of the village, not soo noisey, I played baby sitter to other friends dogs too...we had our own party,I put the blinds down, we played our own games, danced to music and had a fab time.... but it didn't go on all day and night?

I use lavender oil on myself and my dogs, it helps sooth our nerves when we are stressed out and we sleep sounder too.

[NalasMommy]

It doesn't seem to both my pup too much. I took her out to the park w me last yr and will take her out ths yr as well. I just swaddle her in a blankt, hug her tight and cover her ears during the show. I c other dogs out too. She has fun. I heard u should keep their leash on real tight too if u take them out bc some get scared and run away.

[kionini]

and we could go out and watch the fireworks tonight. Otherwise, we'll stay in and I'll put the a/c and tv up (sounds like a great idea). I don't like to give them tranquilizers, even organic, they mess up their stomachs and aren't much help anyway. It's so sad and troublesome for me to see them scared and drugged on top of it
I read somewhere that when they are pups, their canine moms teaches them something's not a big deal by yawning. It works with Nicky most of the time (except with trucks). When he gets scared he usually looks at me first, I give a big yawn and he relaxes. I hope it works again tonight. But, nothing works with Nini. She makes a huge deal out of everything and gets Nicky nervous.
Thanks for all of your suggestions, I'll try everything till I find what works for my little ones

[kionini]

Originally Posted by NalasMommy

It doesn't seem to both my pup too much. I took her out to the park w me last yr and will take her out ths yr as well. I just swaddle her in a blankt, hug her tight and cover her ears during the show. I c other dogs out too. She has fun. I heard u should keep their leash on real tight too if u take them out bc some get scared and run away.

I got a visual image of my babies running away, (I'm in the mountains) so dark, I'll never find them On second thought about maybe going out...na, we'll stay in.
Thanks for the heads-up

[ArmaniMan]

Fireworks will be right outside my window over the hudson river this year, I think I am going to go downstairs and watch from the street.

I am planning to shut all the windows (run the air obviously!) and play music or the tv in my room to drown out as much of the noise as possible for the kiddos.

I think the more normal you act, the better for the dogs.

Hope everyone has a safe night!

[kionini]

Originally Posted by evab

Hi, I lived in a fab little village in spain, who had two fiesta's with fireworks a year!
One of the huge firework displays was set up outside my apartment! and went on for hours! my William went crazy! The following year, I went to stay at my friends on the otherside of the village, not soo noisey, I played baby sitter to other friends dogs too...we had our own party,I put the blinds down, we played our own games, danced to music and had a fab time.... but it didn't go on all day and night?

I use lavender oil on myself and my dogs, it helps sooth our nerves when we are stressed out and we sleep sounder too.

I buy the oil and put drops of it in my perfumes bottles (the oil makes the perfume aroma last longer). I could probably even burn it like poppori?

Spain? My mother land. I hear from relatives who say the fireworks are beautiful and the fiestas are unbelievably fun. I've never been there, I 'm hoping to visit one day

[Cha Cha]

Our county started allwong fireworks starting on the 1st, so we've been hearing them for several days now. My dogs have been going outdoors and the noise doesn't seem to be bothering them. We'll see how that may change tonight when they get a little bigger and lounder, but so far so good. LOL, I have a gas water heater that is loud and sounds like fireworks all year long, maybe that has desensitized them somewhat.

[charmed239]

Riley used to be very sensitive to any thing out of the ordinary, Noises, people. you name it..he would shake, and crouch and hide. well my vet told me, if I know that there will be a situation coming that he is going to be nervous or scared, to give him 1 Dramamine. the same stuff that use for carsickness. and I did try it when we had a big anniversary party that year..and it worked like a charm. he was his usual self minus the stress, and fear. he did not shake, he was social. and he actually looked like he was relieved to not be anxious and stressed, he seemed to enjoy the day, and the visitors, and that never happened before.. and the vet assured me that if it is only on occasion it is completely safe.. and he was not the least bet groggy or sleepy. just calm.

[DvlshAngel985]

Great. So the *pop pop pop* has started, it's only 2 pm!!!! Kaji's not a happy camper. He growled and stopped playing. He's just sitting next to me looking out the window almost as if he's waiting for the next series of pops to start.

[RoxyLuv]

Roxy was startled when fireworks went off behind us about a mile away. I went outside with her & sat with her on my lap. I only held her around the chest to steady her. I "'oooooww, aaaahhhed, isn't that pretty" with a happy voice while she calmed down. After a bit, she started looking everywhere but the sky. She jumped down and decided it was time to go back inside. She wasn't impressed anymore. Did that with her last year too. She was fine with it after.

Thunder: 1st storm she was scared. I sat with her on my lap. Didn't pet her or say anything at all. After a bit, she was fine & her heart rate slowed up a lot. Now she is fine with it as soon as she figures out what it is. Sometimes there's a real loud clash of thunder that scares her. She'll run to me & I repeat what I did before. Then she's fine. I'm not frightened of storms at all & maybe that helps. I'm sure she would react to fear if I was afraid.

[littlewhip]

Fireworks and thunderstorms are the worse here for my karleigh she shakes and drools, wont let me put her down for a second, me and hub take
turns holding her untill its over, Thanks for some on the sugesstions given.
there about to start her soon so i know i will be up all nite ~

[AllDogBoots]

I have some idea what to do but getting a little nervous. I'd better go put long pants on and a sweater on Cooper because the a/c is going to have to be put on freezing to drown out the sound.

I know the CHAT ROOM is usually very quiet (well, always). I was thinking of going in there and hopefully other people could follow so we can try help each other and offer advice tonight.

Maybe like a YT July 4th Scaredy Dog Pawty


(or maybe I'm just a total dork)

[orlnurse]

My 2 are dozing on the couch..I have the TV on the Macy's 4th of July fireworks show so hopefully if they hear any noise from outside they'll just think its the TV

[kionini]

Originally Posted by charmed239

Riley used to be very sensitive to any thing out of the ordinary, Noises, people. you name it..he would shake, and crouch and hide. well my vet told me, if I know that there will be a situation coming that he is going to be nervous or scared, to give him 1 Dramamine. the same stuff that use for carsickness. and I did try it when we had a big anniversary party that year..and it worked like a charm. he was his usual self minus the stress, and fear. he did not shake, he was social. and he actually looked like he was relieved to not be anxious and stressed, he seemed to enjoy the day, and the visitors, and that never happened before.. and the vet assured me that if it is only on occasion it is completely safe.. and he was not the least bet groggy or sleepy. just calm.

but I'm afraid to even try. We've tried several meds for when we travel and nothing has calmed them down, mostly Nini which is my hysterical one. I can't remember the name of the first drug I gave them, but the experience scared me half way to a heart attack. I decided to try it first at home to see how they would react to it and if any complications, we're minutes away from the hospital.

Well, they were, how should I put it? High...very high, like sloppy, drunken people! They were still nervous and jumpy. The only difference was their slower reaction time and that they were walking sideways to their left and falling. I felt so guilty and scared, it made me cry. The vet suggested a lesser dosage, but that didn't work either.

Last time I gave them meds was in April to get on a plane...didn't work for them, especially for my girl

The not sleepy or groggy just calm, tempts me to ask the vet for our next trip. Calmness would be great