Reminder- 4th of July is coming- pet safety.

borzoimom · 06-16-2007, 10:32 AM

Its that time of year coming- fireworks, bbq's etc.. Almost time to get your preparations in order- and I do not mean just for the picnics.
With fireworks, the noise etc some dogs have already shown signs of being afraid or worried- even flat out panicked. Remember a dog that never showed signs before could react in a way you would not expect- jumping through a window- a screen- off a deck, over a fence etc. Prevention is worth a pound of cure... Put on music in the room the dog is at- protecting from open windows, screens etc. There are also plug-ins that easy anxiety- now is a good time to get one.
Remember- with the added noise etc, dogs may also be more sensitive towards strangers- take this into account. Dogs can associate strangers with the noise and worry- .. With a young puppy- this is a not a social time, as later the pup could think strangers mean noise, fireworks etc.
Watch your fireworks- not just for putting out sparklers etc- but also the " explosive" in the objects themselves- both before and after ...
And of course- food at a bbq- taking a hot " burger" off a grill, bones discarded improperly etc. As well as even alcoholic drinks left out, cig. butts, etc..
All of this also applies to cats as well.. If outdoors- just put them in for the night..

GreyhoundGirl · 06-16-2007, 11:03 AM

I remember reading a terrifying story about a greyhound who was very trustworthy off his leash, so he went off lead with his owners everywhere. He had never shown any fears before, so his owners thought it would be fine to bring him with them to this 4th of July thing. Well he got spooked by the fireworks and took off. They found his body the next morning.

Please, keep your pets inside during the fireworks and other celebrations.

Great thread, Michelle... (hey Michelle... 1st of July is coming too

)

DogAdvocat · 06-16-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borzoimom

There are also plug-ins that easy anxiety- now is a good time to get one.

Thank you for posting this thread. Far too many animals end up hurt, killed, or in the animal shelter during this time of year. Could you explain the plug-ins you speak of?

You mentioned putting a radio on in the room where the dog is. I take it a step further. I usually have 2 or 3 sound sources. A radio and a television competing against each other is much more likely to diminish outside sounds, and I add a fan for good measure.

One other problem that might be discussed is that the sounds of the fireworks aren't usually just on July 4th. In my area, fireworks are illegal, but we still have people firing them off a couple of weeks early and late. This makes it particularly hard on anyone with a phobic dog because it's not practical to keep the dog in a soundproof room for a month straight, without ever going outside for potty, play, and exercise.

If a dog is going to be retrained to cure the phobia, it may not be too late to start it. Playing a recording of thunder or fireworks at an increasingly higher level while working on obedience lessons in the house, or while giving a massage, is advised, but I've never been able to find such a recording. Amazon doesn't seem to have it - can anyone advise where to find such an item?

Amaya-Mazie-Marley · 06-16-2007, 01:11 PM

I am always very careful on the 4th. Of course I go out and have a good time for my birthday but my dogs never come. Mazie is terrified of thunderstorms, so I'm sure that the 4th is going to be oh so fun. Mazie has gone clear through a window and not even out of fear out of excitement. Didn't break the glass, but popped the whole window out of the frame. It was porch level so she was okay, but we have to really really watch her now.

tirluc · 06-16-2007, 08:06 PM

great post.....i wish the 4th of July was "around the corner".....here in my neighborhood it's here and has been on and off for the past 1 1/2 wks.....and will remain (unless we can get them "shut down") till mid Aug.....luckily (said w/ tongue in cheek and

) our reactive one is losing his hearing (almost 11) and they don't seem to be bothering him as bad this yr (t-storms, either)......so, this yr, maybe we can make it thru w/out any trouble......FINGERS CROSSED, EVERYONE

........

Inga · 06-16-2007, 09:04 PM

Ha Ha, I have noticed the change in my 12 year old girl too. So there is one thing that is good about old age. She had been shot before I got her and has always been so afraid of thunder and lightning and any other loud noise. Who could blame her?? I hate when I see people with there dogs around fireworks. Even if the dog is not afraid it can still get hurt by them. The humane societies are ussually packed with strays at this time of year.

Kaitee · 06-16-2007, 10:35 PM

My dog, Bonny, gets scared when the fireworks go off. My mom stays with her though and I go outside to hang out. But Bonny isn't the only thing we worry about on the 4th... we worry about our house. Where I live there is a lot of wind so we are afraid that a firework spark or something will land on our house and start a fire... now that would be horrible.

borzoimom · 06-17-2007, 08:24 AM

The problem we have up here is that since we can see 4 town/city areas from this mountain top, although the fireworks up here is fun for us to see- the dogs ( I guess) think its lightening.. Something that worries Hottie. The last 4 years I just put him in a back room- closing the curtains, and turn on a music channel for him..

borzoimom · 06-28-2007, 07:33 AM

just a reminder- its coming..

Jen D · 06-28-2007, 09:04 AM

This is going to be the first year without my antique lab who pasted away at almost 16yrs. When she was young she was fine with the noise but as she got older she would get into the tub and just dig. That was a great reminder!

Durbkat · 06-28-2007, 06:09 PM

Well in our neighborhood we have people shooting big ones off weeks after the holiday. I know I did, I was shooting bottle rockets off weeks after july 4th. Last year I tied the wicks of 25 bottle rockets together, it was awesome.

Well as I posted in the fireworks topic, here is a link to a vid where some very loud fireworks are going off as they aim them at this guy. http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fusea...oid=1126481131

Janice O. · 06-29-2007, 12:43 AM

Any other suggestions?? It is about a week before the 4th and the fireworks in my neighborhood have already started and my dog, Maggie, is going nuts & driving me nuts in the process. This happens every year. Last year we tried tranquilizers for the vet but she had a bad reaction and almost killed one of our other dogs, so that's obviously out. We close up the house, put the air conditioning on and turn on the music on the 4th but we can't do that for a month. Aren't there any alternatives out there besides drugs? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Cheetah · 06-29-2007, 03:16 AM

Eevee used to be pretty terrified... now she just gets nervous. I just set up the crate, put a doggy bed inside, cover it like a den, and give her a happy pill (a calmative tablet made of valerian, lavender, chamomile, and other naturally calming herbs). The crate is left open so she can run inside it if she wishes.

Shippo has no reaction to fireworks so far, and will be coming to my mom's with me because they'll probably be barbecueing. He'll be on a leash, with a martingale, so if he spooks, he won't be able to bolt, and I can just put him inside with a happy pill as well lol...

dogs_rox · 06-29-2007, 05:29 PM

hmm. thanx for the reminder. its best to leave the dogs indoors on that day. my dog though not overtly afraid of crackers and loud noises, prefers to snuggle under our bed and sleeps tight throughout. so, its quite easy