Other Let's talk fireworks....

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,988
4,201
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Cubby (Frenchie) Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
I get a newsletter from a training site and thought many of you my benefit from these little tips:

Let's Talk Fireworks!

Oh boy, July 4th fireworks are coming soon! What fun, hey? That is, if you are a human. Not so much if you are a dog. We may all be best friends, but keep in mind that we don’t share everything. People don’t like to roll in cow pies or dead fish, and dogs don’t enjoy fireworks, so consider these important tips before the July 4th festivities begin:

1. First and foremost, don’t take your dog out to a July 4th celebration! Period. Even super stable dogs who appear oblivious to loud sounds can be affected by just one especially loud boom. Sometimes you won’t see the symptoms until long after the event, so don’t assume a dog who looks ā€œjust fineā€ isn’t being affected by loud noises.

2. Better safe than sorry: Be sure that your dog has identification on at all times. Even the most responsible of owners can end up with a dog who slips its collar and runs away (or goes out of a window) during an especially loud burst of sound. Many dogs are lost during firework displays and thunderstorms; don’t let it be one of yours.

3. If you know that your dog is sound sensitive, plan ahead. Stay home if you can, keep your dog in a quiet place as far away from exterior walls and windows as possible, and consider a range of tools to help a fearful dog cope, from body wraps like ā€œThundershirtsā€ to soothing music to medication for truly serious cases.


4. Be aware that ā€œthunder phobiaā€ and ā€œfear of fireworksā€ are similar conditions. Both are caused by dogs being startled by abrupt, loud noises.



5. If you’re having house guests over for the holidays and your dog enjoys socializing, remember to still give her some alone time in a quiet place. Even the life of the party gets tired after awhile.
 
:2thumbs:

HRH has more phobias than you can shake a stick at and is VERY noise sensitive. Little Miss Amelia is showing herself to be somewhat OCD about things out of place. Just tonight we had gone grocery shopping and I was trying to get her outside to potty before getting everything put away. The bag of potatoes that was by the door was surely going to eat her!!!
 
Great information!!

Otis wasn't a problem last year but I have no idea what Tanker or Athena will do. Roxy has a heart murmur, we always have to sedate her for the 4th.
 
:2thumbs:

HRH has more phobias than you can shake a stick at and is VERY noise sensitive. Little Miss Amelia is showing herself to be somewhat OCD about things out of place. Just tonight we had gone grocery shopping and I was trying to get her outside to potty before getting everything put away. The bag of potatoes that was by the door was surely going to eat her!!!


nasty potatoes!!!
 
This is super advice, for all dogs and situations that include noise, large crowds, or parties, where a dog may be overwhelmed, or skittish. Thanks for sharing this.
 
Last night, we had a "trail run" with Mr. and Mrs. I Hate Loud Noises of Any Kind. Barricaded (via puppy gate) into the master bedroom with me, box fan on high, TV turned up ridiculously loud on a boring panel talking program, windows shut - we did pretty good. Thankfully it wasn't super hot last night. I disagreed with any raucous barking --- growls of displeasure didn't get correction --- and I promptly feel asleep. So we must have done pretty good all in all. :D Tonight is the true test. That dude behind me was just getting warmed up last night...........bastard. LOL
 
@ LariP
I'm cracking up at the potatoes... My Bella was weird about anything on the floor too, including the vacuum & brooms!

I hate the Fourth, living here in TN they can purchase it constantly. We here stuff going off all the time, and it really gets old... Between my dogs who get nervous & my hubby who has PTSD we are DONE. At least today it's raining!!! ; )


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Ok so I realize that there are folks that like to hear things blow up especially if the initiated it. But really @ 10:00 pm and later? What happened to decency? So there will be a big annual fireworks by the lake in the middle of downtown or uptown as the case may be. [ I look forward to not going again this year ] You would think that would be enough but oh no after that some folks will scamper back home and try their own mini versions. And folks that didn't buy any fireworks would usually grab their firearms and shoot several rounds, but with the high price of ammo this year it may curtail some of that but I ain't betting on it. Why not just buy a case of beer and watch a rerun of the Patriot or Saving Ryan's privates?
 
I have the radio ready to go, I think we will start off with the TV though. I have stuffed hooves and marrow bones in the freezer. Plus we will go for a nice long walk around 6 or 7. The loud noises on TV don't bother her, just the ones outside. She does very well with all the thunderstorms down here. Tonight will be a true test. The vet gave me some acepromazine, I don't plan on using it though.

That big bad bag of potatoes! Haha! Kiah gets the same way about stuff out of place. Once I introduce her to it, she chills out. I wish I would have recorded her first encounter with a paper bag, too funny!
 
Ok so I realize that there are folks that like to hear things blow up especially if the initiated it. But really @ 10:00 pm and later? What happened to decency? So there will be a big annual fireworks by the lake in the middle of downtown or uptown as the case may be. [ I look forward to not going again this year ] You would think that would be enough but oh no after that some folks will scamper back home and try their own mini versions. And folks that didn't buy any fireworks would usually grab their firearms and shoot several rounds, but with the high price of ammo this year it may curtail some of that but I ain't betting on it. Why not just buy a case of beer and watch a rerun of the Patriot or Saving Ryan's privates?

LOL@Saving Ryan's Privates.

For many (MANY) years, I was the drunken idiot that enjoyed fireworks displays of all sort. LIVED for them, in fact. July 4th was my favorite "holiday" and I celebrated with zeal. I can't tell you how many great fireworks displays I've passed out drunk at and never even saw. GOOD TIMES!
 
Sheldon doesn't seem to be effected by the loud noises but he freaks out if anything is out of place we redid the kitchen and for a week he stood in the kitchen and barked at the bare wall like it was going to gobble him up. I have video some where.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
For many (MANY) years, I was the drunken idiot that enjoyed fireworks displays of all sort. LIVED for them, in fact. July 4th was my favorite "holiday" and I celebrated with zeal. I can't tell you how many great fireworks displays I've passed out drunk at and never even saw. GOOD TIMES!

why, oh why, does this NOT surprise me!!!??? :laugh:
 
why, oh why, does this NOT surprise me!!!??? :laugh:

*snork* Someday I will tell you about my career traveling with the carnival. Yes. I was a "carnie" for a brief summer! But back to the matter at hand, last night was ROUGH. And I am putting it mildly. Mr. Boom Boom aimed his fireworks show my direction so the dogs had a front row seat to sound AND visual display, there in the master bedroom. Bo did better than Bea. She was fit to be tied. Bo kept looking at me like, "Make it STOP." Poor boy. I don't know how much that dude spent on fireworks but his display rivaled that of any local municipality's display. Just when I think he was "winding down" here'd come another BOOM and a glorious shower of color in the sky. Incredible. At one point, it seemed as though a neighbor down the way (directly behind my neighbor, Bob's) was attempting a "fireworks contest" of sorts with my neighbor. So that was fun.

Next year I am going to rent a cabin (hell, a shack would be fine) in the woods somewhere after I google "QUIETEST 4th" and "Prison terms for fireworks users" and most importantly, "dog friendly". There has to be somewhere to get away from these things.
 
Back
Top