does anyone have dogs that are terrified of fireworks?

what do you do to try and keep them calm? my 3 dogs get really scared at this time of year, I have tried the d.a.p. diffuser and herbal tablets and they seem to work to some extent but one of my dogs in particular is a nervous wreck. any suggestions would be appreciated.

We have one

We have a Pitt bull that does that.....What we have to do is put her in the house.

keep them indoors. it's very scary for them, because they have no clue what's going on. Put them in a room that is kind of sound proof...aka the basement, walk in closet, etc.

We used to have a do that was afraid of fire works. I think this is actually quite common amongst dogs. I do not know any way to get them not to be scared. You would also be afraid of fireworks if you had no idea what the big noise was about.

I ave an english bull terrier that is terrified. We have a cupboard under the stairs and open the door where she can lay under a blanket. We pet her alot during the fireworks, and reassure her her that she is safe.........she is much better now than she was 5 years ago. Reassurance and lots of cuddles seems to work. It has made a massive difference to her. Good Luck

Its a bit late for this now but you could try it for next year. You can buy cds of firework noises and you play it quietly in the background when the dog is doing something fun eg eating or playing. Gradually you turn the volume up and they get used to the noise. You can buy them in vets surgeries. The only thing you can do now is create a safe place for your dogs to hide and perhaps try and drown out the noise with a loud tv.

No, but my cats don't like them. My old dog who is now sadly no longer with us, used to hate them too. Not a lot you can do, just reassure them. If it was up to me, I'd ban fireworks, particularly those which are just let off randomly right outside your house. Organised displays are ok because they only occur once a year. Bah humbug!

If you have a basement, put the dog down there - it may provide some sound proofing. Also, the vet can give you a drug that will calm him and make him understand that he is not in danger.

You can get sedation from the vet but obviously you cant do this every night (and I know fireworks are a nightly problem at the moment). All you can do is stay in with the dogs, put a radio or TV on quite loud to drown the noise. Pull the curtains to black out the flashes as much as possible and whatever you do, when the dog gets scared DO NOT make a fuss of it/them. By doing that you are saying to the dog that it is right and okay to be scared and that you are scared too. Carry on as normal throughout the fireworks with just the odd reassuring word and the dogs will be fine. It may take a few days but they will get used to it. xx

we keep our dog,a blue heeler, in the house. When she has to go outside to use the potty, we put her on a leash, otherwise she would run right back in the house.

MY DOG USED TO BE LIKE THAT AS WELL. SHE'D HIDDEN IN THE BATHROOM AND WAS REALLY SCARED AT TIMES LIKE THAT. BUT I NEVER GAVE HER ANYTHING.

Check this video. I think dogs can overcome their fears...

Most animals are scared of loud noises and the sight of fireworks. All animals should be kept in, with you while you do what you usually do, like watch TV perhaps and turn the sound up high to try and drown outside noise, close curtains so you don't see the flashes and make a fuss of your pet.

I have a lab. and he is terrified of fire works..The tranqs. the vet gives us don't really work either...But, we still give it to him, and put him in the bathroom...its more quiet than the living room and if you have a bathroom with no windows, even better...hope that helps..

my wife is no idea about my other dogs

had that problem too... my dog once actually jumped into the bathtub... what did help if I cuddle him it seemed to soothe him a bit...

Keep using the therapies you're currently using, since they are having some effect, but also remember that you dogs will be taking their cues from you. Naturally, you see them getting stressed, so you start to make a fuss to make them feel better. Trouble is, they hear you voice sounding worried, and can tell from your body language that something is wrong. Try to make your body language as relaxed as possible, and keep your voice happy. One little trick that I've found quite useful is wait for the dog to make eye contact with you when they're nervous, then yawn really widely and slowly, and let your eyes drift away from them - maybe even stretch a little as you do it. Basically, it gives the dog the idea that you're so relaxed and unconcerned that you're almost falling asleep, so there can't be anything to worry about! Little guestures like that can make a lot of difference.You could also try finding a favourite toy (a ball, or teddy bear for example) and only trow it for them whenever a firework goes off. Not sure how well it would work on an older dog, but basically it gives the dog the idea that when a firework goes off, something good will happen. (Worked great on my collie when she was a pup - now she barks when she hears them because she's waiting for her ball!). Favourite treats might work as well, but you'd want to get the dog to sit, or earn it somehow when the firework went off, or you'd end up rewarding them for acting scared, and generally reinforce the idea that they should be afraid of fireworks. Good luck, hope it works out for you.

just keep em in side and comfort them

No, sorry I don't have any afraid of fireworks.. Why you ask?? Cause I socialize them to loud noises etc from the time they are very very little, and more open to learning about new and different things.. They aren't afraid of lightening and thunder either.