Dogs and the 4th of July

Raised By Wolves · 07-03-2005, 06:52 AM

Well, time for big celebrations for people and a lot of noise, burnt sulfur smells, and chaos for our dogs, and other pets.

I usually spend my 4th at home, with my dog, rather than down at the beach with the rest of my family. There's a great display at the Space Needle, in the Seattle center, set to music. Each year they do a better job, than the year before. Since this is televised, on several of our local channels, this suits me just fine.

I have a new rehab dog this year. So far, she hasn't shown much concern over the random firecrackers which have been going off for the past few days. I think she'll do just fine.

How do your pups manage and does anybody know how to make this day a little easier for them?

Schwe · 07-03-2005, 07:50 AM

Luckily, my girl is not phased by anything-- firecrackers, thunder, sirens, etc. so I just go about things like normal. I have never made a big deal out of these loud noises.

For dogs that are sensitive to these sounds... I would not coddle a frightened dog. Simply go about your daily routine like normal. Take the dog's mind off of the sounds by doing some tricks or playing some games with your dog. Be upbeat and act like the noise is no big deal at all-- there are far more exciting things to be concerned with!

Something to consider with a frightened dog, is buying a CD that has fireworks, thunder, etc. on it (they sell these online) and playing it low during the day and slowly turning up the volume over time, desensitizing them to the sounds.

Pugdawg1 · 07-03-2005, 10:09 AM

Mine don't seem bothered by it, but I still choose to stay home, rather than go with others, and I keep them inside quite a bit. I can stand in the driveway and see them very well, they are not far away. One time I was standing out there and a terrified border collie raced by as fast as he could go, so scared, poor thing. I had no chance of catching that one. Was here and gone in a blink of an eye.

oc_spirit · 07-03-2005, 11:24 AM

OC doesn't bother with them, sometimes he accompanies us to the festivities and we go back to the car (parked a few km away from the fireworks) to watch the display so it's not as loud.

***Carrie*** · 07-03-2005, 02:32 PM

My dogs aren't bothered by them. I have always thrown them a little party while the fireworks are going off.....games, treats and lots of silly business. When it gets dark, I leave them at home, maybe with the TV on and go on down to the lake to watch the show.

Ritz459 · 07-03-2005, 02:57 PM

Well, Blackie is completely unfazed by the loud noises, but Rose is terrified of them. But luckly, we live out in the country, so the few fireworks/crakers/blackcats/whatever that do go off are normally far away. Last night we had some odd-end fireworks and fire crackers going off from somewhere, but she did just fine.
And then when my brother wants to shoot off bottle rockets or blackcats and such (right by the kennel, of course) I just take the dogs out, and walk them so they won't be by the noise.

flyndog · 07-03-2005, 04:36 PM

Dogs just don’t have any idea where that noise and smell is coming from! They can become so panicked that they run away. If you have to keep your dog at home, let him be in his crate or some other place where he feels safe.
If you are at home and setting off your own fireworks, keep your dog at a distance so the fireworks aren’t so loud, but let him see who is doing it. Treats or games can help some in distracting him from the scariness. You can *very slowly* move closer to the person with the fireworks, but if try to get too close too fast, your dog will be afraid. Your dog won’t want to be very close to the person with the fireworks, anyway. Remember that dogs can hear and smell much better than we do and fireworks are louder and smellier to them.
And don’t think that you can expose your puppy to fireworks his first year and that will keep him from being afraid of them the next year. Be prepared to re-train.
Kit

Pippinislove · 07-03-2005, 04:44 PM

My dogs are fine with fireworks. I watch them down at the river with them, and they enjoy being outside on the river and night exploring.

Bambi · 07-03-2005, 09:36 PM

My dog Jack is scared to death of Fireworks and Thunderstorms. Here is a pic of him hiding in my closet during last year's festivities

Here is Jack under my PC...no leg room...when the first fireworks went off the other night.

Barrett · 07-03-2005, 10:02 PM

I live very close to a gun range. My dogs aren't afraid of fireworks at all. They probably just think it's the same old noise they hear every weekend. They both bark during thunderstorms but they don't act scared. The barking is very annoying but we don't get enough thunderstorms to really train them out of it. We get about 2-3 a year that make any noise and they only last for a few minutes usually.

07-03-2005, 06:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Raised By Wolves Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,523 Rep Power: 125	Dogs and the 4th of July Well, time for big celebrations for people and a lot of noise, burnt sulfur smells, and chaos for our dogs, and other pets. I usually spend my 4th at home, with my dog, rather than down at the beach with the rest of my family. There's a great display at the Space Needle, in the Seattle center, set to music. Each year they do a better job, than the year before. Since this is televised, on several of our local channels, this suits me just fine. I have a new rehab dog this year. So far, she hasn't shown much concern over the random firecrackers which have been going off for the past few days. I think she'll do just fine. How do your pups manage and does anybody know how to make this day a little easier for them?
	Last edited by Raised By Wolves : 07-03-2005 at 06:55 AM. Reason: spelling

07-03-2005, 10:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
Pugdawg1 Pug Mom Join Date: May 2004 Location: Elko, Nevada Posts: 2,418 Rep Power: 133	Mine don't seem bothered by it, but I still choose to stay home, rather than go with others, and I keep them inside quite a bit. I can stand in the driveway and see them very well, they are not far away. One time I was standing out there and a terrified border collie raced by as fast as he could go, so scared, poor thing. I had no chance of catching that one. Was here and gone in a blink of an eye.
	__________________ www.PugSavers.com

07-03-2005, 11:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
oc_spirit Snow Girl Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,612 Rep Power: 142	OC doesn't bother with them, sometimes he accompanies us to the festivities and we go back to the car (parked a few km away from the fireworks) to watch the display so it's not as loud.
	__________________ My dogs WORK, what do yours do? Even the quietest whisper can be heard over the loudest gunshot. When? When it speaks the truth! I shall stand by your side and fight! Together we shall prevail through all life's adversities!

07-03-2005, 02:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
*Carrie* Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: north panhandle of Idaho Posts: 7,412 Rep Power: 283	My dogs aren't bothered by them. I have always thrown them a little party while the fireworks are going off.....games, treats and lots of silly business. When it gets dark, I leave them at home, maybe with the TV on and go on down to the lake to watch the show.
	__________________ Get more out of Global Paw. Check out these great features. Global Paw Book Club -- Art Classes -- Woof Review As a member of Global paw staff my opinions are not necessarily those of the website or the owner.

07-03-2005, 02:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ritz459 Fuzzbutt attack Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 5,421 Blog Entries: 3 Rep Power: 219	Well, Blackie is completely unfazed by the loud noises, but Rose is terrified of them. But luckly, we live out in the country, so the few fireworks/crakers/blackcats/whatever that do go off are normally far away. Last night we had some odd-end fireworks and fire crackers going off from somewhere, but she did just fine. And then when my brother wants to shoot off bottle rockets or blackcats and such (right by the kennel, of course) I just take the dogs out, and walk them so they won't be by the noise.
	__________________ ~Blackie, Rose, Chloe (dogs), Pheobe (cat), Casey, Dameon (ferrets), Joey ('Tiel), Dot, Louie (cavies), Pickachu (hamster), Rush (R.I.P. 15yrs), Lucy (R.I.P. 4yrs)~

07-03-2005, 07:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
Schwe American Bulldog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Schenectady, NY Posts: 427 Rep Power: 73	Luckily, my girl is not phased by anything-- firecrackers, thunder, sirens, etc. so I just go about things like normal. I have never made a big deal out of these loud noises. For dogs that are sensitive to these sounds... I would not coddle a frightened dog. Simply go about your daily routine like normal. Take the dog's mind off of the sounds by doing some tricks or playing some games with your dog. Be upbeat and act like the noise is no big deal at all-- there are far more exciting things to be concerned with! Something to consider with a frightened dog, is buying a CD that has fireworks, thunder, etc. on it (they sell these online) and playing it low during the day and slowly turning up the volume over time, desensitizing them to the sounds.

07-03-2005, 04:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
flyndog Unleash The Possibilities Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Marfa, TX Posts: 3,969 Rep Power: 180	Dogs just don’t have any idea where that noise and smell is coming from! They can become so panicked that they run away. If you have to keep your dog at home, let him be in his crate or some other place where he feels safe. If you are at home and setting off your own fireworks, keep your dog at a distance so the fireworks aren’t so loud, but let him see who is doing it. Treats or games can help some in distracting him from the scariness. You can very slowly move closer to the person with the fireworks, but if try to get too close too fast, your dog will be afraid. Your dog won’t want to be very close to the person with the fireworks, anyway. Remember that dogs can hear and smell much better than we do and fireworks are louder and smellier to them. And don’t think that you can expose your puppy to fireworks his first year and that will keep him from being afraid of them the next year. Be prepared to re-train. Kit
	__________________ mARFa Dog Training and Behavior

07-03-2005, 04:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
Pippinislove My best friend is a DOG. Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Computer chair Posts: 333 Rep Power: 72	My dogs are fine with fireworks. I watch them down at the river with them, and they enjoy being outside on the river and night exploring.

07-03-2005, 09:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
Bambi Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Abingdon, Maryland Posts: 62 Rep Power: 0	My dog Jack is scared to death of Fireworks and Thunderstorms. Here is a pic of him hiding in my closet during last year's festivities Here is Jack under my PC...no leg room...when the first fireworks went off the other night.

07-03-2005, 10:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Barrett dachshund Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 2,758 Rep Power: 154	I live very close to a gun range. My dogs aren't afraid of fireworks at all. They probably just think it's the same old noise they hear every weekend. They both bark during thunderstorms but they don't act scared. The barking is very annoying but we don't get enough thunderstorms to really train them out of it. We get about 2-3 a year that make any noise and they only last for a few minutes usually.

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