Fireworks-Have They Started Round Your Way Yet?

[campbellking]

Bang,bang round here last night, no warning, luckily cats were in, but hence one terrified Campbell cat for rest of evening, like a little rag doll and needing lots of cuddles.

[stuey]

It's Thanksgiving here. I wonder if we'll have any later on.

[Daffy6543]

One of our nearby neighbours had a loud party with lots of teens/early 20s folks and fireworks last night, we had to keep our cats in, much to their annoyance!

[chaptazbru2]

Oh I see Talbot - fair enough !

[Zacs-Master]

Our dog is terrified of them and with 5th being Wendesday well probably have to put him in kennels (Where non can be heard) for the whole week, costing us about £90!

[chaptazbru2]

I have a friend who uses those thunder coats on her two dogs and she also puts headscarves on their heads too! Poor dogs are terrified of fireworks, but she does notice an improvement when they are dressed up thus !

[Baldric]

With our two, the Big Guy just takes himself off somewhere quiet where he can't see them, usually downstairs to the spare Bedroom on the Groundfloor and the *** just sits up against the Patio Doors watching them, doesn't look at all fussed!

[Baldric]

*** was B 1 tch, it's a Female Dog FGS!!!!!

[ladybirder]

Zacs have you tried a Thunder Shirt? They don't always work but worth a try. Cheaper than a week's kennel fees and lasts longer than a week as well:-)

[woofgang]

I use melatonin for my dogs. It works very well. Without it they go into blind deaf uncontrollable panic, with it they are panty and unhappy but much much better and they calm down again quicker as well. Displays and November 5th are comparatively easy to deal with, its the random "lets go and make some unsocial noise" brigade i would like to kill horribly.

[kvalidir]

I've been busy desensitising my new puppies to fireworks and gunfire, takes abput 20 minutes a couple of times a day - if you start them early enough they don't bother at all in the end, none of our dogs are firework afraid. The problem comes when you get rescue dogs who haven't had it done, and it's a massive market in remedial things to try to makes frightened dogs feel better instead of making it a regular part of puppy training- it's not widely advocated which I think is a shame.

[ladybirder]

How do you know what dosage to give them Woof?

[chaptazbru2]

I'm lucky with my dog, they don't bother him, but my heart bleeds for dogs and cats who are terrified.

[Zacs-Master]

LB, I was talking to a friend who works for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and she says the shirts aren't very effective. It's a tough decision too as exposure to the bangs and flashes cab make him nervous for months afterwards. Thanks for the suggestion.

[whirlyhurly]

Don't these cretins who set off these fireworks have dogs ? Or I suppose they'd think it highly amusing to see a terrified dog. I wish fireworks were all banned for personal use, along with glass bottles.

[ladybirder]

Well Zacs I know they don't help all dogs but the little Parson's JR next to me was transformed from a quivering wreck at the sound of thunder or fireworks to a peacefully snoozing mutt, with a Thunder Shirt. Can't you bandage him up in a long scarf for a start and see if there's a difference? And we'll need a picture, obviously!

[Zacs-Master]

Ha ha. No. ;-)

[woofgang]

kval we have done that with all our dogs, sadly it doesnt always work.

Zm starting dose for a small dog is 3 mg per day, medium dog, 6 mg per day, large dog 9mg per day but more may be needed plus top ups. both of mine weigh around 32kg, one is on 9mg per day if i think there is going to be a need, plus up to snother 18 mg in top ups if things get bad. . His litter brother is on 15 mg per day plus up to snother 18 mg in top ups. I dont give it every day if nothing is happening, they have been on it for the last 10 days because of the dire weather and they both get a base dose everyday from halloween to the end of november and over christmas and new year. I've been doing this for just over a year now and have noticed nonside effects except that when they have had a lot the gas gets a bit nuclear. it doesnt have any other effect other than to reduce the terror, they are still as boisterous and active as ever

[woofgang]

sorry, not zm, ladybirder. i get mine from a firm called vitasunn, just the plain capsules. i have never tried anyone . its used a lot in the US and there is a lot of info on the net about it, also i know a few people who work with dogs with fear issues who have done more research into it than i have.

[douglas9401]

People around these parts seem to have realised that it's a lot safer, quicker and less polluting to just set fire to a few £20 notes in the garden.

[wolf63]

I live in the city centre and the bonfire display is so close that I can smell it. I worried about the moronic moggies being scared, but they actually like the fireworks. I think that the double glazing and central heating make it less scary for them.

The fireworks cost a lot of money and the pleasure the kids get from them must be pretty short-lived, it seems a bit stupid to waste money in such a way.

eejits