Our dog a 4 yr old Spinone absolutely hates fireworks. We brought him home as an 8 week old on July 2. Our neighborhood is like a war zone for weeks before and after the 4th, so that is probably the cause of his anxiety. Does anyone give their pets anything to alleviate this? Pills? CBD? Clear or dark liquor?
OT: Dogs and Fireworks
- Thread starter wb95thebeav
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It sounds counterintuitive but you have to correct them when then get nervous. You have to let them know that being afraid is not allowed. If you comfort them you are actually telling them that they are doing the right thing by being terrified, and it actually makes it worse for them. It feels very strange to do, but you are actually doing them a favor.
They sell these "thunder coat" things that might help.
Some pets are calmed by benadryl (be careful with appropriate dose based on dog's weight), but for others it can actually make them more anxious.
My golden gets scared, but if I hang out with her in the basement/man cave, she is OK. Just don't leave your guy alone during all the scary booming.
Geez don’t ever get a job working with kids! Correct a central nervous system reaction? Wow! Do a little reading on fight or flight.
Sorry, but that is dumb as hell. We have a smaller dog and when he meets bigger dogs the first time that are much bigger and jumping around like maniacs with excitement, he is scared as hell...and it is understandable and natural. We work to comfort him until the other dogs calm down and then work on the interaction and socialization, in a gradual process. According to you it sounds like we should just let the other dogs jump all over him and tell him to just deal with it.
Now my scenario is much different but there are times to comfort when they are terrified.
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Yeah in his defense, I’ve done reading on similar things with dogs because I have a dog that’s got her issues.. when you console them and give them attention, you are reenforcing their behavior
Our mini schnauzer freaks at t-storms and fireworks. We put her in a thunder shirt which helps tremendously, especially if we put it on in advance of the event.
My young Border Collie just runs around barking at them. Truth is, I feel like doing the same. Now that they are legal in PA that's all you hear for weeks prior and after the 4th. Bunch of middle aged jerks setting them off, acting like 14 year old kids. I love summer, but I've grown to hate July 4th because of this.
Where do you live that people are so in love with fireworks?
At the risk of generalizing, poor people love fireworks (my neighbors included).
A Vet can give you doggy downers ........which makes them stoned to bejeezus......which can help take them on a long strange trip indeed to take the edge off.
Plan B is to turn the stereo on and get the Led out. The music covers up the random thunder and pops. I am aware that loud music isn't the best for an animal.....but at least she wasn't trying to dig a hole in the wall to take shelter.
I had a Shepherd Collie mix that would freak at thunder, fireworks or gun fire. She was a very obedient Sweetheart of a dog. There is no way I was going to change her behavior with commands. Doggy downers made her docile and far out.
Thunder/lightning, fireworks, neither faze The Fonz.....he’s too busy BARKING FOR BARKLEY!
I’m not wb95, but my town in Montana sounds like a war zone right now. Tomorrow will be worse. Everyone with dogs (we have five) just has to ride it out until the blasters run out of ammo. Two of our dogs are hunters who as puppies were carefully and progressively introduced to loud noises to avoid gun shy. They love gunfire. They still hate fireworks. Go figure.
Neighbors 3 doors up started setting mortars at 2pm and stopped around 10:30pm. Now personally I think it’s a waste to set off any aerials before it’s at least dusk unless it’s a bottle rocket.
The bigger annoyance imo is the fact that many of my neighbors have purchased what I would have previously considered commercial sized speakers for their back yards since they have become cheap items at places like costco. Now instead of them using personal small Bluetooth speakers the entire neighborhood is subjected to their chosen music for hours on end multiple times per week from spring through fall.
The bigger annoyance imo is the fact that many of my neighbors have purchased what I would have previously considered commercial sized speakers for their back yards since they have become cheap items at places like costco. Now instead of them using personal small Bluetooth speakers the entire neighborhood is subjected to their chosen music for hours on end multiple times per week from spring through fall.
Our last pooch was a Doberman Pincher “NERO” (12/06-4/13). Yep he only lived 6 years, died of a major heart attack. Anyway, during 4th of July festivities we would bring his cage (Open) and toys down to the basement around 3ish. My neighbors loud music and fireworks would drive him crazy. The next day he was back upstairs hanging out with his pack.
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Hopefully you don't ever have a dog. Fight or Flight can be trained, and it should in a dog.
You want to train dogs to not be scared, when a dog is scared of anything is when they could potentially bite.
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I am not a dog person at all. But it seems like you are and thank god you have acknowledged that a dog might bite. I always get, “Don’t worry, she won’t bite.” And I’m always like, “Bullshit, you don’t know what that dog is thinking. Hell, make me uncomfortable enough to feel threatened and I’ll bite.”
Your first mistake is (unintentionally) equating dogs with kids. They are not even remotely the same. Kids continue to grow intellectually and can learn to understand nebulous concepts. While bright and able to understand a multitude of words, dogs are still very limited from a cognitive standpoint.
I have a sister who used to drug her dog whenever they took long trips in the car. The dog actually started to build up a tolerance to it, so the vet had to up the dosage. That poor dog was drooling profusely and so loopy, I felt genuinely bad for it. She refused to get it a simple car seat belt (special dog harness), which not only calms them in the car (since they can't move as much), but is so much safer for them for a multitude of reasons. That dog was her kid. I would never treat any kid like that. My wife had a dog when we first started dating who was spastic as hell when the dog got in the car. My wife was furious when I got the dog seat belt because she couldn't hold and comfort her, until she saw the dog actually calm down.
My point is, dogs are not actually kids. They require different training, and if you're not willing to learn and apply it you are actually doing them a disservice.
It's all about knowing your dog. There is a right and wrong way to greet a dog, especially one that has its tail between its legs. I've had many big dogs, some bullies as well. It's all on how you train the dog, it once took me 6 months to break a dog of their scared aggression. Now it's the most gentle dog in the world, despite looking like a chiseled weapon.
Dogs and kids are the same neurologically. If you have a child whose Central Nervous System is over-reactive and gee maybe they actually have a real anxiety disorder, then telling them to stop being anxious or reprimanding them for it does not actually address anything. Some kids, adults, and dogs do need meds to help them calm. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are standard in most mammals. Dogs and kids also need to be reassured and comforted when they are severely stressed. Learning can occur, I am well trained in behavior analysis as I work in the human services field, but, you can do all the Skinnerian behavior management you want, but an over reactive CNS may need more. I am not disagreeing with you about learning but it is more complicated than that.
If fight or flight can totally be learned to be controlled then we would never have the need for prescription meds for anxiety. Learning helps, but in some dogs and some people, medications help take the edge off and enhance the learning potential. Again, it is more complicated in some situations.
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You really think prescription meds are what fix anxiety? Sure they can help short term, but they're a band aide for a bigger issue.
Did I said meds fix anxiety,? No, don’t think so, I said they help some people and pets. And for some folks they help long term too.
You said if it could be learned or controlled we wouldn't need prescription meds. Prescription meds are NOT NEEDED for anxiety, they are used when people do not want to tackle the real issue at hand.
I’m neither a human or a canine psychologist, but I know that our minds work differently. I would never correct my dog for being afraid, but comforting them is the worst thing to do. It reinforces that their fears are justified. I just try to ignore however they are acting out their fear. I also avoid fireworks like the plague.
Wow, well I can see that you have a very restricted view of the world. So sorry for your ignorance!
Just read that exercising the dog vigorously beforehand also helps as it tires them out.
First, go back in time and buy a dog with better genes that won't be afraid. 
Honestly though, two things I would suggest: (1) Exercise them a lot beforehand, dogs will be less anxious if they are physically and mentally worn out; and (2) try Vetriscience Composure. It's an all-natural means of helping to calm them.
However, please don't correct the dog. If a dog already has a fear or anxiety, the best means of overcoming it is to associate that occurrence with something positive, like giving it treats, etc. Associating it with something else negative only solidifies its belief that it should be afraid and that the noise and pain go hand in hand.
Honestly though, two things I would suggest: (1) Exercise them a lot beforehand, dogs will be less anxious if they are physically and mentally worn out; and (2) try Vetriscience Composure. It's an all-natural means of helping to calm them.
However, please don't correct the dog. If a dog already has a fear or anxiety, the best means of overcoming it is to associate that occurrence with something positive, like giving it treats, etc. Associating it with something else negative only solidifies its belief that it should be afraid and that the noise and pain go hand in hand.
I'm going way out on a limb and guessing you are not a psychiatrist.
What tips do you have on breaking a dog of their scared aggression? I have a 75 pound boxer, who if you know her, is the most friendly and lovable dog. But, shes very fearful of strangers, gets leash aggression, and also very protective of the house. She’s been going to doggy daycare every week to play off some energy for her whole life, and she’s never had an issue. sank a bunch of money on a trainer who used the shock collar and prong collar, and it worked at first, but I don’t think that’s the final solution.
Good thing he was a bad shot!
Your technique is, in concept, what I have used with scores of bird dogs. Never had one that did not result loving the shotgun. Have two now that went through the protocol as young dogs. One older setter has always been stressed out bigtime by even distant fireworks. Wants to hide under things. A younger dog is not as freaked, but clearly dislikes fireworks and thunder. Can’t tell you why in either case. July 4 and New Years periods are a pain.
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