[Zeblar]

I need a little advice! It's Bonfire night for us UKers and there are a lot of fireworks going off! Needless to say Odin is terrified and stressed out.

Now Odin has never taken to his crate and basically won't go in it whatever is happening! He has come up on the couch and cuddled up to me! So I am going to leave him be for the time being but the fireworks are going to get worse as the night goes on!

Does anyone know what I can do to help Odin out a little??

 

[Amelia_]

Happy fireworks day! My boys dont seem to have noticed them, they're fast asleep.

The dogs trust post some great tips, heres the link:

http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/factsheets09/factsheetfireworks10.pdf


//Edit: Also park bench has some good ones:

• Make sure your dog cannot harm themself if they should become scared. Even the most placid of pets can occasionally bolt for cover.

• Try to keep your dog somewhere with few windows (to r...emove the flashing light/rattling windows aspect of the fear) and either try to black out or heavily curtain the windows that there are.

• Provide plenty of familiar toys, but change them often so there is lots to interest your dog at this time.

• If at all possible, make sure your dog isn’t alone so they don’t have the stress of being ‘abandoned’ while they're stressed. However, try not to reassure your dog when they're showing the fearful behaviour by cuddling them as you may inadvertently reinforce this behaviour.

• As a family try to act as you would do any other day. Try to involve your dog in some form of active game – playing with toys, tossing a ball about, so he can choose to join in, but only if they want to.

• Exercise – your dog will often be much more relaxed if they’ve had a good walk and a bit of quality time during the day. However, make sure you have returned home before dark so that their ‘relaxing walk’ doesn’t accidently become a traumatic experience.

• Pheromones are natural chemicals that help to induce feelings of relaxation and security for them. They work really well for some animals and are definitely worth a try. Talk to your local vet about the various preparations available and see which may best suit your situation.

• Feeding – we all know that indulgent sleepy feeling we get after a big lunch or dinner and by giving our dogs a nice big early evening dinner we can help relax them with a full stomach.

 

[Chelse]

Zac is not afraid of fireworks however I found with previous dogs I would just hang in the same room with them (where they are most comfortable) and snuggle...but Im not sure if thats what you are supposed to do...I feel like you should get them used to it in some way not baby them.

 

[Toby'shuman]

During the summer we have fireworks going off just about every weekend and my dogs dont like them one bit. Luckily I am some distance from my village, the way I help my dogs get over the night is to collect them up and keep them indoors, I play soft music or we watch a nice relaxing film. (of course the dogs don't watch it, but I find if I am relaxed and don't react to the fireworks it helps them)

If your Odin really suffers this time around I would go to see your vet in plenty of time for next years Bonfire Night and maybe he can give you something to help keep him calm.

Good luck.

 

[Horsy]

I have a DAP collar and a thundershirt on Diesel this year and he is still unhappy! He doesn't try and hide, he barks and tries to run at the windows. I let him bark a couple of times then tell him thankyou, if he settles down and comes and looks at me I ask for a quick sit or some trick to get his focus then treat him. I have bags of treats around the room, but he's food motivated and it seems to be working for him. Can get him settled alot quicker now instead of charging around the house like a growling maniac. Also last night I turned on all the appliances in the house for some more background noise. Washer, dryer, dishwasher, TV on loud, did a bit of hoovering, that helped a little.

 

[Zeblar]

Thanks everyone! It's always good to find out how other people deal with the same situation to see if you can try something new that will work.

 

[nikirushka]

A bit late now maybe (although we have more displays here tomorrow, oh joy), but I do this for Remy:

> a bolthole - somewhere covered up and small and as dark as possible that he can take himself to if needed. He's not so keen on crates - bit big - so I just clear a little gap somewhere, give him a soft bed and hang a sleeping bag over the top. In between chairs works quite well.

> everything up loud - rock music works well cos it's constant and 'busy', TV wise I've had Nightmare Before Christmas playing over and over for the last few hours because it has a constant music score so there's no break in the sound that bangs can be heard through.

> valerian! made the world of difference a few years ago, I tried the scullcap & valerian tablets and they helped but I've since tried him on valerian tincture - I get mine from Holland & Barrett (considerably cheaper than Dorwest I find and of course they have their random sales), 1ml is about the same dose for his size as the tablets. This year went a bit wrong - Soli was on huge doses of it for her stress before she died so I ran out of it much quicker and my local H&B had sold out so he's been on valerian root. Nowhere near as potent/effective, he's had nearly 3 times the dose of those to help him tonight but it has helped still.

> a big bowl of pasta, about an hour after dinner - this helps to raise the serotonin levels and the dog feels full so it helps calm them down (just like us, feeling sleepy after a big meal).

> reassurance. The old adage is to completely ignore the dog - rubbish. Any animal or person in a state of fear needs something familiar and reassuring, and it helps. Not lots of 'good boy's and treats of course, just a good cuddle or gentle stroking helps to keep them calm.

There are other things, some have been mentioned already - a thundershirt (tight fitting t-shirt works well if the dog responds to pressure comfort), Bach rescue remedy, Serene-Ums, Calmex, Kalm Aid, diazepam for some dogs - it's all what suits. Some people have good improvement by putting cotton wool balls in the ears, although it didn't help Remy. Horses for courses!

Also once the fireworks are over, now is the time to begin a desensitisation/counterconditioning program ready for next year - the longer you give it the better.


Next year my plan is a one-step approach: going on holiday to the middle of nowhere!

 

[Horsy]

Nikirushka what a brilliant detailed post! I will have to go and look for that valerian tincture.

I've just found something that keeps Diesel silent! Baking some dog treats lol he's always very attentive when I do it so I bought some ingredients in and have just had half an hour of total silence while he watches me and waits for little bits of cookie dough to accidentally "fall" infront of him And a filled bone got me about 45minutes of peace... and a kong with melted peanut butter another half an hour or so... 10pm now, they will hopefully start winding down soon, not long to wait!

(Oh and I've also hoovered the house and mopped some floors to keep us both busy, the house has never been so clean as this weekend :lol: )

 

[Sherryh]

My dog is scared to death of fireworks..............she shakes and hides behind me or my husband where ever we are couch, chair, dining table. She also hates thunder storms...........

 

[Sherryh]

A bit late now maybe (although we have more displays here tomorrow, oh joy), but I do this for Remy:

> a bolthole - somewhere covered up and small and as dark as possible that he can take himself to if needed. He's not so keen on crates - bit big - so I just clear a little gap somewhere, give him a soft bed and hang a sleeping bag over the top. In between chairs works quite well.

> everything up loud - rock music works well cos it's constant and 'busy', TV wise I've had Nightmare Before Christmas playing over and over for the last few hours because it has a constant music score so there's no break in the sound that bangs can be heard through.

> valerian! made the world of difference a few years ago, I tried the scullcap & valerian tablets and they helped but I've since tried him on valerian tincture - I get mine from Holland & Barrett (considerably cheaper than Dorwest I find and of course they have their random sales), 1ml is about the same dose for his size as the tablets. This year went a bit wrong - Soli was on huge doses of it for her stress before she died so I ran out of it much quicker and my local H&B had sold out so he's been on valerian root. Nowhere near as potent/effective, he's had nearly 3 times the dose of those to help him tonight but it has helped still.

> a big bowl of pasta, about an hour after dinner - this helps to raise the serotonin levels and the dog feels full so it helps calm them down (just like us, feeling sleepy after a big meal).

> reassurance. The old adage is to completely ignore the dog - rubbish. Any animal or person in a state of fear needs something familiar and reassuring, and it helps. Not lots of 'good boy's and treats of course, just a good cuddle or gentle stroking helps to keep them calm.

There are other things, some have been mentioned already - a thundershirt (tight fitting t-shirt works well if the dog responds to pressure comfort), Bach rescue remedy, Serene-Ums, Calmex, Kalm Aid, diazepam for some dogs - it's all what suits. Some people have good improvement by putting cotton wool balls in the ears, although it didn't help Remy. Horses for courses!

Also once the fireworks are over, now is the time to begin a desensitisation/counterconditioning program ready for next year - the longer you give it the better.


Next year my plan is a one-step approach: going on holiday to the middle of nowhere!

Your dogs are beautiful but I have to ask do they live inside? Do you find you're walking on them at all?

 

[Zeblar]

What do you mean do they live inside? Your comment doesn't make any sense to this thread?! :-S

 

[Toby'shuman]

What do you mean do they live inside? Your comment doesn't make any sense to this thread?! :-S

I think they are confusing you with Nikirushka.

By the way, my dogs live outside during the summer, their choice, too hot inside the house and inside during the winter. I don't think there is a problem with that, hope no one else does.