Bonfire Night ~ Great fireworks, BUT my greyhound was terrified! Bach Rescue Remedy came to the rescue!

Halloween has gone, and so has Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire night). There should be a rest from fireworks for a while, at least until Xmas and New Year!
We love firework displays, but we no longer go to the public displays as we feel it is better to stay at home with our dogs.

There are usually some fireworks going off in our village, but on Bonfire night a near neighbour had a big display. It was great to watch from an upper window, but the explosions echoed loudly around our house.
Olive, our female greyhound, was her usual calm self, but poor Boris, our male greyhound, was terrified. He lay curled up tightly in his bed and was licking his lips. His poor heart was racing and thumping loudly. At one point he got up and leaned right against my legs - I could feel his heart pounding right through them.

I turned the TV up loud and gave him some Bach Rescue Remedy. Just a few drops onto his tongue helped to calm him. He was still very frightened, but his heart beat slowed and the frantic pounding ceased.

I've used Bach Rescue Remedy for many years on lots of dogs, and I am always amazed at how effective it can be in treating shock and stress. (We used it regularly at the animal shelter where I worked). A bottle of this lasts for ages and should be part of every dog owner's medicine cabinet. (It also works for humans too!)

The poor dog needed to go to the toilet, but was too afraid to go outside. He held himself until the fireworks ended, and then would only go outside with me. (I would have gone out with him anyway, just in case he panicked). He rushed and didn't empty himself properly. I know this because he got me out of bed at 3a.m!
In fact, during the entire firework period, he got me out of bed every night in the early hours, not that I minded, of course.

Dogs have much more sensitive hearing than us, and are more aware of what is going on around them.
We took him out for a late afternoon walk (it was still daylight) and he was eager to go, but wanted to come back very soon. He even refused to go on one of his favourite routes. Later, we could see fireworks going off in that direction!
I sometimes think that dogs are psychic (see my recent post on this subject of  Fri Nov 6th )

Also see my recent post about firework phobia in dogs and what you can do about it Wed Oct 29th

Dog appeasement pheronome (DAP) can be helpful.
Sound therapy can also be very helpful

       

OR VISIT THE PET DOG STORE

Dogs and Fireworks ~ Firework Phobia ~ What You Can Do

Fear of fireworks - tips on how to help your dog.

It will soon be Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night, Diwali, then Christmas and New
Year. Not forgetting private parties! So fireworks galore!

I like fireworks - unfortunately many dogs don't!

One of my greyhounds isn't bothered, but the other is frightened of them (and other loud noises). The dogs always come first.

One year we had fireworks going off very close to our house. They started very early and we were caught unawares. They lasted until quite late. Olive was fine, but poor Boris was terrified. He curled up in his bed and SHOOK with fear.
I gave him Bach Rescue Remedy which helped him. He stopped shaking and his heart became quieter. We also had the TV on quite loud to drown out the noise.
He refused to eat until very late (well after the fireworks had finished).

The majority of dogs are frightened, and some are absolutely terrified by fireworks.
Dogs hearing is much more sensitive than ours, so the problem is magnified.
They are also very aware of preparations, so watch your dogs closely for signs of stress (see further down for a list)
Dogs and fireworks should be on different planets!

You can help your dog with Firework phobia and other loud noise fears.
This can be done with desensitisation and management methods.

So what can we do?

• Walk your dog before the fireworks start - do not take them out after they have started - your dog needs to be settled in advance. Please don't take them to a display - this will only make things worse. Make sure that he empties himself.
  
• Feed your dog early, but don't worry if food is refused.
• Make a secure, safe place for your dog. This can be done by placing his bed behind a sofa. Being in a quiet, dark corner with familiar things is very comforting to a dog.
• Make sure he cannot escape from the house. Be vigilant and careful with doors. Dogs think that the explosions are inside the house and will want to get outside to escape them! Keep his collar on with home details attached, just in case! Don't let him out on his own.
  
• Close windows doors, curtains. This will reduce noise levels and mask flashes. Play music. Classical music has been shown to have a calming effect. Or put the TV on loud.
  
• Do NOT reward your dog - No treats, reassurance, or petting! It will reassure your pet if you ignore the noises.
• Distraction. Play with your dog. This can be a good distraction. It can also help if there is a non-fearful companion animal with them.
• I've used Bach Rescue Remedy on my dogs with some success. Give just before the noise starts! Repeat as per instructions on the bottle.
• Other Herbal Remedies like Valerian (liquid or tablets) and Skullcap can help. Consult your vet if your dog is on medication.
• Desensitisation. CDs are available which help to deal with the your dog's fears.They are available for fireworks, thunder, and gunshots. The CDs come with instructions - it is a gradual method of increasing noise level. It is important that your dog doesn't show signs of fear during use.You can buy a firework phobia CD set here Sounds Scary Fireworks 2 CD Pack
  
• DAP -dog appeasment pheromone. This is a plug-in diffuser -it has a calming effect. It is also available as a spray. Start using it before the fireworks start.
• In very severe cases of fear, it could be worthwhile to consult your vet or a dog behavourist.
• Look out for signs of stress (see list below)

I've looked around and found these useful products - just click on the links to see for yourself.

Click on this link for Bach Rescue Remedy

Click on this link for DAP

Click on this link for Sounds Scary Fireworks 2 CD Pack

OR TRY THE PET DOG STORE

Look out for Signs of Stress

The following are all symptoms of distress

• trembling or shaking
• restlessness or pacing
• panting
• whining
• barking
• hiding
• destructiveness
• attention seeking
• trying to escape
• messing or urinating in the house
• refusing food

Please remember : DO NOT take your dog to a fireworks display. This will NOT cure his fear, it will only make matters worse!

Boris the lad is frightened and curls up into a ball in his bed. He looks tiny and he is a big greyhound! He also refuses food. Boris knows well before we do when the fireworks are going to start. I always watch him closely, so I have early warning!

Olive the girl is very laid back. She stretches out on the couch and goes off to sleep!

Good luck with your dog!

To find those useful products - just click on the links below.

Click on this link for Bach Rescue Remedy

Click on this link for DAP

Click on this link to for Sounds Scary Fireworks 2 CD Pack

OR VISIT THE PET DOG STORE




This is an updated version of a couple of posts that I made a year ago.

Dogs and Fireworks - One of our dogs shook with fear.

More on dogs and fireworks. See my post of Sunday October 5th on the subject.

There were fireworks going off very close to our house last night. Olive was fine, but poor Boris was terrified. He curled up in his bed and SHOOK with fear.
I gave him Bach Rescue Remedy, which helped him. He stopped shaking and his heart thumped less. We also had the TV on quite loud to drown out the noise.
He refused to eat until very late (well after the fireworks had finished).

You can help your dog with Firework phobia and other loud noise fears.
This can be done with desensitisation and management methods.
Suggestions:

• Desensitisation. CDs are available which help to deal with the your dog's fears. You can buy them from suppliers like http://www.soundsscary.com/. They are available for fireworks, thunder, and gunshots. The CDs come with instructions - it is a gradual method of increasing noise level. It is important that your dog doesn't show signs of fear during use.
• DAP -dog appeasment pheromone. This is a plug-in diffuser - it has a calming effect.
• Make a safe place for your dog
• Close windows doors, curtains. Play music.
• Do NOT reward your dog - No treats, reassurance, or petting! You ignore the noises, as if it were nothing.
• Distraction. Play with your dog. It can also help if there is a non-fearful companion animal with them.
• I find that Bach Rescue Remedy helps
• Other Herbal Remedies like Valerian (liquid or tablets) and Skullcap can help. Consult your vet if your dog is on medication.

Good luck!

Dogs and Fireworks Don't Mix! What to Do to Help Your Frightened Dog

Dogs and fireworks should be on different planets!

The majority of dogs are frightened, and some are absolutely terrified by fireworks.
Dogs hearing is much more sensitive than ours, so the problem is magnified.

Fireworks can be heard at Christmas , New Year, Diwali, private parties, etc. as well as on Guy Fawkes Night. November 5th is creeping up on us, so start preparing NOW to help your dog with its fear.

So what can we do?

• Make a secure, safe place for your dog. This can be done by placing his bed behind a sofa. Being in a quiet, dark corner with familiar things is very comforting to a dog.
• Make sure he cannot escape from the house. Be vigilant and careful with doors. Dogs think that the explosions are inside the house and will want to get outside to escape them! Keep his collar on with home details attached, just in case!
• Don't be tempted to 'comfort' your dog. This can make things worse. You ignoring the noises will give reassurance.
• Close windows and curtains to reduce noise levels, and to hide flashes.
• Have the TV or radio on. Research by Dogs Trust has shown that Classical music can have a calming effect.
• Feed your dog and take him outside to empty himself BEFORE the fireworks start. Don't let him out on his own, just in case he tries to escape.
• Don't worry if your dog refuses food.
• Play with your dog - this is a good distraction.
• I've used Bach Rescue Remedy on my dogs with some success. Give just before the noise starts! Repeat as per instructions on the bottle.
• DAP - dog appeasement pheromone - can help. It calms anxious dogs.
• In very severe cases of fear, it could be worthwhile to consult your vet or a dog behavourist.
• look out for signs of stress (see list below)

Look out for Signs of Stress

The following are all symptoms of distress

• trembling or shaking
• restlessness or pacing
• panting
• whining
• barking
• hiding
• destructiveness
• attention seeking
• trying to escape
• messing or urinating in the house
• refusing food

Please DO NOT take your dog to a fireworks display. This will NOT cure his fear, it will only make matters worse!

I love firework displays, but my dogs come first.

Boris the lad is frightened and curls up into a ball in his bed. He looks tiny and he is a big greyhound! He also refuses food. Boris knows well before we do when the fireworks are going to start. I always watch him closely, so I have early warning!

Olive the girl is very laid back. She stretches out on the couch and goes off to sleep!

Good luck with your dog!