Fireworks

[deedeebear]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

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.

Sophie loves to play chase too. She cannot run unless she has one of her toys in her mouth.
When she does get scared I act like there is nothing wrong because I have also heard that if you baby them it will reinforce their fear. She is normally a brave little girl.

[alaskayorkie]

Eddie has always struggled with fireworks. Thundershirt helps. We also use Rescue Remedy. Solution this year was to take him to the center of s friend's big house, put him on the sink and let the faucet flow. He's finally relaxed!

[Juliealfies mum]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Eddie has always struggled with fireworks. Thundershirt helps. We also use Rescue Remedy. Solution this year was to take him to the center of s friend's big house, put him on the sink and let the faucet flow. He's finally relaxed!

That's funny, it must soothe him somehow. Lol

[yorkietalkjilly]

Tibbe gets an AAA+++ - slept through the fireworks last night. Now if I can just get him to sleep through the sound of the doorbell on the TV show "Frasier", we'll really be home free!

[joyce evans]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Eddie has always struggled with fireworks. Thundershirt helps. We also use Rescue Remedy. Solution this year was to take him to the center of s friend's big house, put him on the sink and let the faucet flow. He's finally relaxed!

Poor little Eddie!

[joyce evans]

Well all 7 of my girls did great last night. They relaxed by the warm fireplace most of the evening with the exception of barking at my neighbors oversized dog. Poor guy he was scared because there were fireworks going off all around us. He is extremely large but such a gentle giant. I checked on him several times and after midnight I sat with him on my porch and we bonded for a while. I would have let him in but he likes to hike his leg..alot! He said thanks (I know he did) and he wondered off in the dark to go home. His family was having an outdoor celebration and he wanted no part of it so he stayed at my house until the party was over. Poor Lobo!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by joyce evans

Well all 7 of my girls did great last night. They relaxed by the warm fireplace most of the evening with the exception of barking at my neighbors oversized dog. Poor guy he was scared because there were fireworks going off all around us. He is extremely large but such a gentle giant. I checked on him several times and after midnight I sat with him on my porch and we bonded for a while. I would have let him in but he likes to hike his leg..alot! He said thanks (I know he did) and he wondered off in the dark to go home. His family was having an outdoor celebration and he wanted no part of it so he stayed at my house until the party was over. Poor Lobo!

I can't help but feel sorry for the outside dogs who are scared and have no place to go to get away from those sudden, loud, shocking noises that just appear out of no where. I'm sure your big neighbor's dog so very much appreciated someone just to sit with him and help him feel less on his own when the scary stuff was happening and afterward, until he felt things were safe again.

[Britster]

It sucks when you feel there is not much you can do. Jackson is very noise sensitive - gun shots, fireworks, thunder really bother him and send him into a panic. He does NOT like to be held or comforted though and he also usually won't take treats or food when in that state of mind so I haven't figured out a good solution and it's been 6 years. The problem with pills/medicine/etc is that I can't always predict when a noise is going to occur, unless maybe I know a storm is coming or something.

[alaskayorkie]

If it was just one day, I MIGHT be able to tolerate it a little better. But it's a week before and a week after! My wife just called me at work and said people 3 houses away are firing them off again tonight! Eddie had just relaxed and is now shaking again.

[MauiGirl]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Eddie has always struggled with fireworks. Thundershirt helps. We also use Rescue Remedy. Solution this year was to take him to the center of s friend's big house, put him on the sink and let the faucet flow. He's finally relaxed!

Oh, poor Eddie. Have to say that is an unusual solution, but glad it worked.

Fireworks are really big here, although there are new laws that supposedly limit the kind and amount, and the hours they can be set off. However, none of that has kept my neighbors from setting off more tonight than last night, and Karlee is shaking.

Last night I took all 3 pups to bed, closed the windows and turned on the tv, and even had to keep Karlee under the covers. Looks like I'd better do the same tonight.

[deedeebear]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

If it was just one day, I MIGHT be able to tolerate it a little better. But it's a week before and a week after! My wife just called me at work and said people 3 houses away are firing them off again tonight! Eddie had just relaxed and is now shaking again.

Sophie made it thru New Years Eve. When the fireworks started she laid in my lap shaking. I took her to our front window so she could see what was making the noise. She was still scared and would shake on and off but she was not as bad as I thought she would be. Most of the time she would sleep in my lap. I did not baby her I just let her lay in my lap like she normally does.