Fireworks Nightmare: Pet Support Thread 🤬

Whitewavemark2

How do those pets cope in a war torn area?

The fortunate few adjust better to civilian life again than most humans. Remember the touching incident at the end of the sequel to No News from the Western Front? A German shepherd dog born and reared in the trenches sees his first flock of sheep in post-war Germany (1919) and immediately starts rounding them up. While his master stands a shaking mass of nerves at the edge of the field.

That said the sad reality is that those that manage to survive in Ukraine are either incurably gun-shy now and for the rest of their lives, or may be so dangerous that they wil have to be put down.

The really lucky ones are refugees with the women and children who have come to us - for weeks cat carriers and dogs on leads were as common a sight as babies and toddlers with their mothers or grandparents every time a train drew in to our station, which is Padborg - the most southernly of Demark's railway stations, 800 metres from the German border.

ExperiencedNotOld

We have gundogs. When they’re around 12 weeks old we start exposing them to all kinds of noise. When our kids were small we.d get then to hammer a wooden box next to a puppy cage. Result is rock solid non-reactive dog.
Most dogs that do have stress issues have learnt to react to the owner worrying about the dog reacting.

Not always the case. Our old Lab was gundog bred and wouldn't bat an eyelid at shooting, could walk past a bird scarer without blinking, nothing fazed him at all - but fireworks reduced him to a quivering wreck. He had been exposed to all kinds of noises since he was a puppy - there was no explanation for his fear of fireworks, but it was horrible to see him so distressed.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202301/medium-955462-20221208-180556.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202301/medium-46379-20221212-163354.jpg

Finaly, they have stopped fireing off fireworks legal and quite obviously illegal ones.

My exhausted Trubel is sound asleep after three days of flitting from pillar to post like the wee Black Bogle I call her when she disappears into the shadows, scared to death of the fireworks.

Fortunately, her brother is not as scared as she, so she did manage forty winks now and then cuddled up beside him.

I suspect Tigger in a previous incarnation served as an artillery officer, as he likes watching the fireworks from the safety of my arm.

My rescue can't cope at all with fireworks, her first day home the TV even freaked her out. I then introduced the hoover a couple of days later and she was a quivering wreck. I used sit with her beside it on to show her it was fine, she now attacks it and chases it around the house. Fireworks have had no such luck, even when they are on the TV she can't cope. I don't know her past as she was a stray, but being a fox terrier could of been used to hunting or something because she was definitely an outside dog when I first got her. It's her seizures that are my biggest worry for her with the fireworks.

Over the years I've had many dogs of various breeds usually 2 or 3 at a time and yet have never had a single one remotely bothered by fireworks. I've had a few who loved to stand outside and watch them going off.

I believe in exposing them to noises from day 1. My current blue roan aged 4 and 2 year old lab sleep through or ignore the fireworks
There’s a good firework noise app you can download. Play it regularly over a few weeks, at increasing volume. Don’t fuss or reassure

IrishDancing

My (long gone) German Shepherd always wanted to get into bed with me during fireworks (yes I let her …)
But I have even more sympathy for war veterans with PTSD when they hear those bangs …

Indeed, as do I.

My (long gone) German Shepherd always wanted to get into bed with me during fireworks (yes I let her …)
But I have even more sympathy for war veterans with PTSD when they hear those bangs …

Two of our three were upset, one slept through. They are funny dogs, one Alpha and 2 followers. All was well by 4am.

The two dogs and I were long asleep when the neighbours' fireworks started.

The younger one, 9, was a Romanian street dog when I adopted him five years ago, and he was very scared. Eventually jumped off the bed and hid under it, his new happy place.

The older one, 15, had spent his whole life in Romanian rescue kennels when I adopted him two years ago. Minus a back leg, he's too unwieldy to get on or under the bed, so he came and stood next to it and me and shook for a bit. He didn't use to be bothered by fireworks or storms but the younger one has made him scared.

We were all fast asleep by 12:30, peace having been restored by heavy rain.

They started here at 5.30pm and continued until 2.30am. This is the first year that our old boy hasn't reacted as unfortunately he has lost his hearing in the past year.
He use to be just like your boy WWM2, sorry to hear he had such a bad night along with all the others that suffered.

Oh my goodness yes WWM, must be terrifying for them.
I ‘rescued’ two wire haired pointers, sisters from the same litter. One because she was injured as a pup and missed out on gun dog training and the second a year later because she turned out to be gun shy. She, needless to say was a nervous wreck at fireworks times. Her sister was fine as is my current dog who watches firework displays at the bedroom window.

How do those pets cope in a war torn area?

Well a close neighbour started fireworks at midnight and they went on for 3/4 hr. Huge bangs.

Our dog was in a terrible state. He is still sound asleep now through sheer exhaustion I think.

Our darling girl hates fireworks but doesn't shake and shiver she just wants to go in the garden and BARK at them! Things weren't too bad here last night - we have the tv on really loudly! But some jokers decided to break into the nearby park before 6 am this morning and let off lots of really loud bl**dy fireworks. Mr R remarked that if he had his way the idiots would have a firework shoved where the sun don't shine and wouldn't be able to sit down for a week!!

kittylester

They have cancelled the fireworks in Scarborough for the sake of the walrus.

Wonderful news!

Mollygo

Our last dog hated them, but she died before NY fireworks were fashionable for which I’m grateful.
Current dog is a cocker (will I now be inundated with adverts about food for dogs) and is unmoved. It’s hard if it bothers them.

Our last dog hated them, but she died before NY fireworks were fashionable for which I’m grateful.

Yes, you made me realise - there was a time when fireworks weren't a "thing" at New Year.

As the clock struck midnight, our local church started to ring the bells (we actually have bell-ringers) and then everyone began letting off those fireworks that sound like bombs going off. I'd have preferred just the bells.

Our last dog hated them, but she died before NY fireworks were fashionable for which I’m grateful.
Current dog is a cocker (will I now be inundated with adverts about food for dogs) and is unmoved. It’s hard if it bothers them.

Milo and Ripley, my two cats, will be allowed to sleep on my bed all night.

So far, so good here.
It's horrible for pets of a nervous disposition though. Our second dog used to shake and wee with fear.

rubysong

I believe Thor, the walrus, has already left. He probably got fed up of all the cameras flashing. Will the fireworks be back on, I wonder.

Oh, he probably heard about the fireworks and scarpered!

That did my heart good , kittylester

Pouring with rain and blowing a gale here in Sussex - no fireworks so far! I hope the ships in the harbour sound their horns though.
My terrier used to get very excited by fireworks, racing around in circles. It wasn't the noise so much as the flashing and bright lights that set her off so we invested in some extra-heavy duty curtains for one of the bedrooms and then she was fine.

I believe Thor, the walrus, has already left. He probably got fed up of all the cameras flashing. Will the fireworks be back on, I wonder.

kittylester

They have cancelled the fireworks in Scarborough for the sake of the walrus.

👏👏👏