Dogs Reactions To Fireworks

[Zenith]

My BC didn't react, which is great as we have been desensitising him to storms/thunder and it seems to have worked with the fireworks. Our Mini Schnauzer cross on the other hand is gunshot phobic and really didn't like the fireworks - she was fine with those let off in a sequence, but the idiots that were letting them off randomly within a few kms away on their property when we were outside doing the horses, upset her more. Thankfully she's fine inside, just pants a bit, then she calmed down and went to sleep. We have a CD coming so we can desensitise her to gunshots etc too - its a little hard to do it without the help of some sound recordings when our neighbours go shooting randomly at all times of the day/night. All our horses are used to our neighbours shooting, so they were pretty good during the fireworks!

Unfortunately as we are rural so very very quiet, but surrounded by suburbia on 3 sides we can here the big fireworks from Sydney, Penrith, Silverdale, Camden and Campbelltown!

Edited December 31, 2010 by Zenith

[Monah]

We are away on holidays for NYE but our 18 month old lab is being minded by a very good doggie minder (been away less than 24 hours, miss him terribly already!). He has never seen/heard fireworks before but not bothered at all by storms etc. The doggie-sitter was just going to put him in his kitchen as we discussed/agreed before we left.

I noticed that two people posting in here with labs mentioned they don't react - I doubt fear of this type of stuff would be a breed thing but you never know ?? Maybe it's just that labs like sleeping so much that CBF taking any notice of the fireworks.

Labs are gundogs and a good Lab should be genetically sound to fireworks. Labs, Golden Retrievers etc scared of fireworks are the result of dogs in their ancestories that shouldn't have been bred essentially.

My two gundogs love loud stuff storms, fireworks, anything!!

My worse dogs for 'fear' with noise were terriers (Lakelands). poor things would shake, dribble, pace, in sheer terror. Nothing would help. :D

[Agility Dogs]

Mine lie on the deck and watch them! :D

We had mum and dad over and they just couldn't believe that the dogs were wandering around like nothing was going on.

[laeral]

I was at a river at my friends house for BBQ and drinks etc.

Some friends of his from Melb brought some fireworks, dont know wherer they got them?

My GSD lay at my feet with me watching them go off. She fell asleep by the 4th one

[dunnwarren]

My sister bought a thundercoat for her beagle who is petrified of just about any loud noise and strange people. We didn't have fireworks here but she tried the coat on the dog last time we had thunder, absolutely amazing reaction! Dog was calm, with no barking or panic.

[Animal Lover]

My dog is a Lab mix and she normally a little stressed with the firework, different story when they were next door though, she was incrediably panicy.

[Teebs]

I am so lucky, my pets do not care one bit about them - Just talked to neighbour, she said she popped her head over the fence when she heard fireworks, to find Atlas chewing on a toy, and kaos laying on her back fast asleep!

[MsKatie]

My kelpie is pretty nervy anyway so really didn't like the fireworks - races up and down the fence at the back - this in turn hypes up the bloodhound who chases her trying to get her to play with him - which in turn means she gets annoyed and snaps at him. Going to work on desensitisation this year as we are going out next year.

[Rebanne]

I took my dogs outside and gave them a pigs ear when the 1st lot of fireworks was on and we were all tucked up in bed and asleep when the next lot was done at midnight. I never heard a thing and the dogs mustn't have reacted as they didn't disturb me

[Rozzie]

My poor Belgian was a quivering heap. We didn't have pretty fireworks courtesy of the clowns down the hill, we had canons. The little guy thought he was tough and barked at them. Old Columbus slept through it all since he is deaf as a post.

My biggest concern were the horses who were thundering around the paddock.

What rocket surgeon lets off fireworks in the middle of the bush?

[mish13]

Missy has been given valium but is hasn't worked.

I'm going to stick a t-shirt on her now and see if it helps.

Crackers are still going off but seem to be getting less so hopefully they stop soon.

My seven year old standard poodle Oscar is terrified of any strange noises, he even freaks when a smoke detector goes off. One thing is I never pat him or try to console him when he is in a panicked state. Everything I have read says that would reinforce his need to panic.I find the best thing is to give him somewhere that he can hide, he especially loves my walk in wardrobe. He gets in under the cloths and hides.

I have even thrown a sheet over my ironing board and he sits in there like a cubby. As long as he can hide he seems to settle better, I did try drugging him but found it quite cruel to see him struggling to walk.

Thank god the fire works are mainly once a year or we would never be able to go out.

[juice]

Well i gave my dally 'xanox' from the vet for the first time last night, and it had no effect whatsover :D

Is it valium or ace?

We had them going off really close last night, him and my cattle were petrified, so i brought them in with me to watch braveheart .

My new bt girl was fast asleep outside on her bed, legs in air , not at all fazed

The other 2 stayed in all night, but one cowered and panted, and my dally paced and barked.

[mish13]

Well i gave my dally 'xanox' from the vet for the first time last night, and it had no effect whatsover :D

Is it valium or ace?

We had them going off really close last night, him and my cattle were petrified, so i brought them in with me to watch braveheart .

My new bt girl was fast asleep outside on her bed, legs in air , not at all fazed

The other 2 stayed in all night, but one cowered and panted, and my dally paced and barked.

You brought your cattle in?????

[wuffles]

One of mine gets stressed, paces and pants and tries to get in small spaces. Poor boy was a bit upset last night.

The other one didn't even wake up. Someone blew up a letterbox down the road and THAT woke her up, but she was asleep again 30 seconds later!

[Aidan3]

Is it valium or ace?

Hopefully valium. Ace doesn't stop the anxiety.

[ridgiemum]

My ridgeback Holly doesn't mind the fireworks, unless they are really close, we had neighbours letting of ones that sounded like canons, she was just sticking close & would not really settle.

[tarope]

Mine hate them and won't go outside for hours after, poor dogs.

Edited December 31, 2010 by tarope

[koalathebear]

Our two are fine in thunderstorms now (Elbie used to look a bit stressed during thunder storms) so I was curious about how they'd be around fireworks - they haven't experienced them before.

In the yard where they could hear the fireworks loudly, Elbie barked a bit. After we let them into the house, Elbie barked once or twice - Hoover barked once in sympathy but was unfussed by the fireworks. Then they settled down and were fine. We have a LOT of dogs in the neighbourhood so there were a lot of distressed dogs barking last night.

Edited December 31, 2010 by koalathebear

[DaisyDog]

My old boy is terrified of them. Mostly due to some darling children shooting fireworks at him a few years back. But this is Darwin. Morons stockpile the fireworks they can legally buy on July 1, and let them off just about every single night of the year (when it's illegal).

[Dova]

Last night Izzi was going to do her first jumping trial & 5 mins before we were due to go in the fireworks went off & that was the end of her trial. Poor little thing if I had let her off the lead she would have bolted, lucky she was in a crate, scared but not panicking. JC was a bit scared, Delta not to bad & Pebbles couldn't care less.