Fireworks

[Guest badderh]

So when 4th of July comes around my boyfriend, myself, and Rocky are going up north to visit my parents while they are camping. The campground they are staying at has a firework display and I'm nervous to see how Rocky does with Fireworks. What the best way to help your hound through this? or should he just not attend the fireworks at all?

 

Since Michigan has lifted the aerial firework ban, He has experienced some booms of fireworks in the past month and they do startle him a little, I think. He kind of does a little whirl around trying to figure out what the loud noise was. I can't tell if it makes him nervous or if he is trying to figure out what the noise was.

 

Thoughts?

How did your hounds react to fireworks?

[Brindles]

Dazzle thinks fireworks are fun to bark at, but I would never risk taking him to a display. That can be scary even for the bravest of dogs. They can do really, really stupid things when they're scared (Diego has tried to jump through the window and run through solid walls) and they can be exceedingly difficult to handle during those moments of terror. I wouldn't risk it.

[gazehund]

I just can't see a dog, any dog, "enjoying" fireworks. I am sure many tolerate them but enjoy? Not so sure.

Being out with a dog in an unfamiliar place, camping, with fireworks and a dog you suspect may already be

startled by them is not something I would do. Just my opinion and your mileage may vary.

To answer your question. My two boys don't bat an eye at fireworks. My female doesn't care for them.

Fortunately fireworks are illegal in NY. We don't see too much of them.

[ShebasMom]

Sheba doesn't like them at all. She barks, runs outside through the dog door, barks, and comes back in panting. Over and over. We'll have legal fireworks on the beach and water here Monday and Tuesday, so the dog door will be blocked and we'll stay inside with the TV AND radio blaring. I'm sure other folks here will have their own illegal backyard fireworks beginning this weekend until next weekend, so I can't wait until it's all over.

[Guest maidmarcia]

I had a husky for 10 yrs and she was TERRIFIED of fireworks. Canada Day was a nightmare for her. She always seemed to have a sense when it was coming around and she would spend the entire day and night in a back room of the house, trying to crawl under a bed.

 

Licorice is absolutely fine with fireworks. Sometimes he pricks his ears up, but mostly he doesn't even notice. Just got lucky, I guess.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I would take an extremely high value treat along and use it to distract him and reward him for calm behavior, to teach him that fireworks= good things. The first summer I had Jayne, I used a couple slices of braunschweiger, but they turned out to be unnecessary. When we started our fireworks she was in my in-laws' farmhouse napping in her crate (her choice). I peeked in a window a couple times to find her roaching despite all the noise.

 

After a while she began to fuss and roo, but only because my SIL had gone in the house and Jayne now wanted to be part of the group. I leashed her up and took her outside with the treats. She ignored the fireworks, other dogs, and bonfire and was very focused on the braunschweiger. When I ran out (it's rich, so I don't give more than about 2 oz) she settled down on her blanket for yet another nap.

[FiveRoooooers]

July 4th and all of firework season seem to present an increase in the number of Amber Alerts. I wouldn't risk bringing mine to any fireworks display. JMHO

[AZGreyGirl]

Our neighborhood kids have already started them up. My husband was walking Olivia about a week ago (at night) and some kids set them off -- not in line of sight but definitely loud. She got really scared, nervous, jumpy, and bolty. It took about a week before she felt safe enough to walk in that direction again.

 

I've heard lots of stories about lost dogs & fireworks -- I wouldn't risk it.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

I will never forget attending a fireworks display where the people next to us had brought their dog. The poor thing was absolutely terrified.

 

That said, while I won't bring a dog to a display, sometimes it is unavoidable. My neighbors like to do their own display in the middle of our street. Most of my dogs have ignored it only looking around when there is an especially noisey boom. However, my current dog, Henry is terrified and is a quaking mess.I tried a Thundershirt but it didn't work, so now I drug him. My vet has no problem providing the drugs and he sleeps the evening away. I just have to remember to give it to him before he gets upset, as if he is already freaked out it only makes it worse.

[JJNg]

Just brainstorming here...if you can't avoid being close to a fireworks display, has anyone tried makeshift earplugs by putting cotton in your dog's ears? With as sensitive as their hearing is, I'd think being too close would be painful for them.

 

With a dog who doesn't already have an ingrained fear response and has only showed a brief startle from the noise, I'd definitely recommend using positive reinforcement with lots of treats and praise. Whenever you hear a boom, act really excited and happy, tell him what a good boy he is, and give him a special treat. By associating the noise with praise and excitement, hopefully he'll learn that it's a good thing.

[JAJ2010]

Are you camping in a tent, cabin, or trailer? If you were in a tent I would pack him up and take him for a drive. Other wise just keep him inside the trailer or cabin with a fan and AC running and let him sleep!

[GeorgeofNE]

Dazzle thinks fireworks are fun to bark at, but I would never risk taking him to a display. That can be scary even for the bravest of dogs. They can do really, really stupid things when they're scared (Diego has tried to jump through the window and run through solid walls) and they can be exceedingly difficult to handle during those moments of terror. I wouldn't risk it.

 

Exactly--my last dog was a mixed breed, and he was one tough city-raised boy--the only things that scared him were freaky things that I won't go into--but he had no fear of thunder or other loud stuff. So one summer I took him with the family to the Nantucket fireworks (on the beach). He HATED it. Not only was he unhappy, but frankly he ruined the evening for my family and we ended up leaving and walking home he was making such a fuss!

 

If you go ahead with the plan, PLEASE make sure your dog is strapped in to a harness. George (my Greyhound) is pretty fearless, and shocked the heck out of me one day when he freaked out over a carnival ride moving, got out of his martingale, and was inches from backing into a busy street. Now if I take him anywhere that might have unusual things like that, I have him in his harness just in case.

[Willowsmum]

However, my current dog, Henry is terrified and is a quaking mess.I tried a Thundershirt but it didn't work, so now I drug him. My vet has no problem providing the drugs and he sleeps the evening away. I just have to remember to give it to him before he gets upset, as if he is already freaked out it only makes it worse.

What do you drug your dog with?

Our Shadow is the mellowest dog ever, except for fireworks. We live close enough he can hear the boardwalk displays and the neighbors have an impressive collection of illegal fireworks. Last year we felt under siege all fourth of July weekend! We had tried ACE with our previous dog, Willow and it made her a frightened drunken sailor. We were so afraid she'd fall down the stair and break a leg, we swore we would never use it again. It was horrible.

 

For Shadow we tried benadryl, and instead of standing at attention and quaking, he sat down and shook. He has not other behavior issues, it broke my heart to see him like that. (He was fine the next day, is always fine until the next night when people shoot them off again)

 

We went to the vet and I explained I wanted a short-acting drug like valium or xanax that we could give him just for fireworks, not every day. Our vet said he didn't think those would help him, didn't seem to think anything would. He sent us home with amitriptyline, which I get home and look up, and it's a trycyclic! I took people psychopharmacology as an undergrad, Elavil has to build up in the system, and does not seem to be used as an occasional med. I am assuming it isnsimilar for dogs?

 

We gave him one tonight, and the only change we have noticed is he is a little more whiny and clingy than usual. Should we give him this drug dailiy until we are after the Fourth, or should I get another vet? Should I go with the Benadryl, since I know it is safe and calms him a little bit, even if he is still visibly scared?

 

My dad invited us to see the fireworks from his boat for the first time in 8 years, and I am so worried about leaving the dog home alone, I might have to bow out.

 

Any advice, greytalkers? I really can't bear to watch Shadow suffer, but he is a great and mellow dog 99% of the time, I feel guilty drugging him. I feel worse drugging him if it isn't even likely to help, and he could get side effects. Our vet seems otherwise capable and grey-savvy, but I feel frustrated that he didn't seem to listen to me. Does he know something I don't know, or just not seem to be up on soothing occasional anxiety in greys?

Edited June 30, 2012 by Willowsmum

[45MPHK9]

Quite a few threads have been started in the Greytalk Amber Alert forum because of fireworks. Read some of those threads. I'd never take my dogs anywhere near fireworks on the fourth. It's not worth risking their lives.

 

 

[45MPHK9]

That said, while I won't bring a dog to a display, sometimes it is unavoidable.

 

If you have a car, fireworks are avoidable. Put the dog in the car and drive away.

[Batmom]

That said, while I won't bring a dog to a display, sometimes it is unavoidable.

 

If you have a car, fireworks are avoidable. Put the dog in the car and drive away.

 

That is what I would do in this case.

[3greytjoys]

I would not expect any dog to be comfortable outside during fireworks. Maybe just my luck, but none of my dogs have ever been comfortable with fireworks (many dogs/decades).

 

A friend's Greyhound panicked during fireworks while inside the house, ran out the dog door, panicked more in fenced yard, scaled over the 6' fence, panicked while racing down the street trying to escape the noise, and was killed by a car. All within minutes before the owner could capture the hound.

 

If unable to be inside a solid walled structure, I agree with driving your hound around (far away from fireworks display), and using well fitting harness, plus a well fitting martingale (collar not loose enough for hound to back out). When fitting Martingales, good to test "fit" of Martingale at most narrow part of neck, just behind the ears. Collar should not go over head without work.

 

Others may have had better luck with cotton balls. We tried the cotton ball idea with our hounds locked safely inside the house with us, and with calming meds. (Melatonin), music, etc. Seems our hounds' hearing is too keen for cotton balls to have been very effective. We have best success with calming meds, + music + white noise (from loud room fans turned on high).

 

That said, as you can see from these posts every hound's reaction is different.

[OwnedBySummer]

Summer would absolutely freak out if I tried to take her to a fireworks display. I wouldn't recommend it if your dog is already showing a startle response. The overkill of a professional display could easily drive him from a manageable startle response to sheer terror. But that night, even if you aren't attending, whether or not you are putting some distance between you and the fireworks... I would still have the dog in both a harness and a martingale. On nights where there is fireworks, I find you never know when you are going to go across someone have a home display.

[Laur]

NO WAY

 

[JJNg]

We went to the vet and I explained I wanted a short-acting drug like valium or xanax that we could give him just for fireworks, not every day. Our vet said he didn't think those would help him, didn't seem to think anything would. He sent us home with amitriptyline, which I get home and look up, and it's a trycyclic! I took people psychopharmacology as an undergrad, Elavil has to build up in the system, and does not seem to be used as an occasional med. I am assuming it isnsimilar for dogs?

 

Valium or Xanax are the most appropriate drugs to use for situations like this. I've written and called in a number of prescriptions for Xanax for my patients this week. You're right that amitriptyline is a TCA that needs time to build up in the system - not very useful for situational anxieties. You may need to find a vet with a little more experience with behavioral meds to help you with this.

 

I always recommend a trial dose on a quiet day to see how a dog responds to medication like this for the first time, so it's best to prepare ahead of time. Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to find a dose and medication that works for a particular dog. And the occasional individual can have a paradoxical reaction and become more hyper after taking it.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

My vet gives me acepromazine for my Henry. Maybe that is what you call ACE. The label says to give 1.5-2 tabs an hour before the noise starts. That is way too much for greyhounds, Henry gets 1/2 of a tablet which would be 12.5 mg and he sleeps the evening away but is fine the next morning.

[Fruitycake]

The first year we had Monty he paid no attention, the second he startled, and after multiple years of continuing to get worse last year he was full-on terrified (last year was BAD). This year so far he's mostly OK - he has his safe spot from fireworks/thunder/the sound of rain on leaves (it's gotten bad enough that he generalizes to *any* rain, not just thunderstorms anymore) and will go and lie in the middle of the hallway in the center of our house. Fact is, it is probably one of the safest places in the house: dark, quiet, away from all windows so he doesn't get much flash from lightning and yet is close to us if we're in the livingroom or in the bedroom.

 

He tends to shut down rather than panic, but during any rain or potential fireworks we always double-check his collar for tightness. I wouldn't submit any wary/nervous dog to a fireworks display unless you were willing to deal with a dog that fast-forwards to full-on terrified of the noise. I would think the risk would be too great.

[robinw]

Don't take him. It's too risky.

[Charla]

Gracie hate fireworks, thunder, and the kid drummer up the street. She paces, pants shivers, quivers and drools. I have used Ace in the past and had a frightened hound that could barely stand and was dangerous walking. Carl mostly ignores it and sleeps

 

For the occasional pops and booms we've been having this week I've been giving Gracie 9mg Melatonin after dinner, she has a bed in the closet that she retreats to and is pretty OK. She will get up and come look at me then go back to the closet.

 

Starting tomorrow she's getting Trazadone, and will stay on it until the 5th. Dr Heidi uses it for her dogs and swears by it, NO melatonin with it as they work very similarly.

 

Our neighborhood has more profession type displays then some paid shows! Last year the kids down the street were making acetylene bombs! The fire dept does a yearly drive through ... it's NOISY. I block the doggie door, leave the AC on to keep it really cool, a fan in the bedroom, radio or TV

[JJNg]

I respect that some people have had good experiences with acepromazine, but it is definitely not my first choice due to the potential for making things worse. For dogs whose fear is bad enough to need medication, I prefer to start with a true anti-anxiety medication like Xanax or Valium. Acepromazine really doesn't provide any anxiety relief and most behaviorists these days feel that is is not appropriate for this use.

 

Here are a couple articles that explain why ace isn't the best option for anxieties:

Acepromazine for Dogs: Is Acepromazine a Good Medication for Anxiety?

Storm Phobias (info about ace on 3rd page)