You have my sympathy. We had a dog who was terrified of fireworks and it must have been a nightmare for him. Unfortunately these days it's not just one night of the year, it happens time and time again. I think I would be inclined to try and make your own home as safe and cosy as possible for your dog as I think taking him/her somewhere unfamiliar might be worse. I don't think you will find anywhere that is completely free of fireworks anyway. A pub or hotel that is not near a residential area where fireworks may go off is going to be very hard to find, and it won't be just for that weekend anyway.
Around where I live it is normally very, very quiet, but during October and November we find that fireworks often go off. Then again over the Christmas and New Year period too.
Quote: Originally posted by samtheman on 19/9/2022
The trouble is, the town firework display is directly behind our house! We've tried all sorts, including sedating her , with no noticeable effect!
I can certainly understand that, and it would make things very difficult but I still wonder if you will actually find anywhere that is guaranteed to be firework-free. With our dog it didn't seem to matter whether it was just one bang or a full-blown display. He would freak out and be on edge for hours waiting for the next one.
The problem is that you could book yourself into a lovely quiet hotel and someone could decide to have a big firework party only yards away, quite unknown by the hotel staff. Then you would have the double-whammy of fireworks and being in a strange place. That would have driven our dog crazy! The other thing of course is that dogs have much more sensitive hearing than us. Our dog could hear fireworks (or thunder) long before we heard it. They were probably a mile or more away but he still heard them and freaked.
By contrast the last dog we had couldn't care less. The biggest reaction we got from him was one raised eye-lid, a quick look round the room, see that nothing out of the ordinary was going on, and he'd then go back to sleep. They are all so different, aren't they?
My dog has got more and more agitated by fireworks as she's got older, they never bothered her when she was young, but then we get them throughout the year, and 3 months from Guy Fawkes/Diwali is like living on the Somme in WW1 with endless 'bombardment' by house rattling mega bangs for 12 hours a day well into early hours!
We don't get much for Guy Fawkes as few English people left around here, but Diwali is hell!
Last year by sheer chance we were away for Guy Fawkes/Diwali period, on a caravan site on the outskirts of Coniston, and despite there being an organised display in the village we hardly heard a thing and the dog was totally chilled. I'm not sure they've even heard of Diwali up there, but they certainly don't indulge in it the same selfish inconsiderate way they do in London! Local Guy Fawkes display was maybe 20 mins about 7pm.
OK, doesn’t happen like that up my way, maybe because fireworks are so expensive now. Most likely at Hogmanay, at midnight on the night. (Luckily for us our rescue dog is a former gun dog, she loves fireworks.)
But what’s your advice for the OP? They can’t go to a hotel whenever there just might be fireworks.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 19/9/2022
OK, doesn’t happen like that up my way, maybe because fireworks are so expensive now. Most likely at Hogmanay, at midnight on the night. (Luckily for us our rescue dog is a former gun dog, she loves fireworks.)
But what’s your advice for the OP? They can’t go to a hotel whenever there just might be fireworks.
I think my advice would be to stay at home. Even if they go to a hotel there may be fireworks nearby that the hotel owner didn't previously know about and I think that would be worse than being at home. At least at home the dog would be in a familiar place. Then there is the risk that fireworks go off at times other than 5th November, they certainly do around here. "Firework time" around here is any time in October or November, and again at Christmas - New Year.
There is some merit in Colin's suggestion of stay home, as at least the surroundings are familiar and not stress inducing in themselves, you know when the event will occur, and in all likelihood it only lasts 15-20 minutes, you could easily be out of the frying pan into the fire with a strange venue. It's probably near impossible to guarantee no fireworks unless you are somewhere very remote indeed with no neighbours for many miles.
Couple of years back, we were holding our annual Rescued Collie Camping Rally in Aug, in a fairly remote farm based camp site, we were having a owners social evening with the dogs happily tucked up in caravans/MHs, when a hotel about 3 miles away set off a 'industrial' scale display for a private function (someone said they did it for wedding parties as a paid for 'extra'!), well most of the dogs with us were firework intolerant, so everyone scuttled off to be with and comfort their dogs, which killed our social function stone dead! Two days later, the same happened again! Last year on same campsite, once again the hotel had fireworks, but thankfully only one eve. These displays went on for at least 30 mins! Point being, we WERE remote from immediate neighbours by some miles, but that didn't save us! I think to assure peace, you would have to be 10-12 miles from ANY other habitation, which is really not quite as easy as it sounds in many parts of UK.
As to calming the dog, many people find (but not 100%, doesn't work for all dogs) 'Thunder Shirts' effective. With mine, I find simply putting her body harness on has a similar calming effect (it achieves a similar sensation of 'hugging' her as the Thunder Shirt does). Friends have tried sedatives on their dogs (even Vet prescribed ones) with limited success, reckon the Thunder Shirts have a higher success rate from what I've seen.
I sign every petition going to have fireworks restricted from the free for all that currently happens, I know countless dogs who are traumatised, and even know country folk who have lost horses and livestock who panicked and injured themselves.
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 19/9/2022
but then we get them throughout the year, and 3 months from Guy Fawkes/Diwali is like living on the Somme in WW1 with endless 'bombardment' by house rattling mega bangs for 12 hours a day well into early hours!
I never for a second put you in that age bracket Monty.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 20/9/2022
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 19/9/2022
but then we get them throughout the year, and 3 months from Guy Fawkes/Diwali is like living on the Somme in WW1 with endless 'bombardment' by house rattling mega bangs for 12 hours a day well into early hours!
I never for a second put you in that age bracket Monty.
Have you ever served behind a bar in a golf club blueexpo97!
Probably closer to that era than is truly comfortable, but rely on my long gone Granddads tales of such events!
Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 20/9/2022
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 19/9/2022
but then we get them throughout the year, and 3 months from Guy Fawkes/Diwali is like living on the Somme in WW1 with endless 'bombardment' by house rattling mega bangs for 12 hours a day well into early hours!
I never for a second put you in that age bracket Monty.
Have you ever served behind a bar in a golf club blueexpo97!
Probably closer to that era than is truly comfortable, but rely on my long gone Granddads tales of such events!
Never a golf club, but a bikers nightclub.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
This situation is so avoidable if breeders would just properly socialise their pups!
Many moons ago, we showed dogs and bred a couple of litters. We used to play a 'Scary Noises' CD daily, from the moment their ears opened (on low volume) to the moment they left us (on high volume). The noises included fireworks, traffic, trains, crowds, babies crying, construction site noises, aircraft landing etc.
We also deliberately banged pans together, dropped keys, played music and left the radio on for them, as well as imposing periods of quiet. We basically did everything we could to prepare our pups for the wider world and the dogs we kept would happily attend fireworks displays and not bat an eyelid.
Even for those adult dogs who can't tolerate fireworks, it's maybe worth playing these 'Scarey Noises' (now downloads, since the days of CDs have long gone) at very low volume and very gradually increasing as your dog becomes desensitised.
When your dogs react adversely to loud noises and you also react (with the best will in the world, to protect them), you're possibly reinforcing their anxiety IMHO. You might not entirely teach an older dog that there's nothing to fear but it's surely worth trying to desensitise them with gentle interventions. It's an easy thing to do with pups, yet too many breeders either don't bother or aren't aware of the strategies.
Quote: Originally posted by lidds0 on 25/9/2022
This situation is so avoidable if breeders would just properly socialise their pups!
Many moons ago, we showed dogs and bred a couple of litters. We used to play a 'Scary Noises' CD daily, from the moment their ears opened (on low volume) to the moment they left us (on high volume). The noises included fireworks, traffic, trains, crowds, babies crying, construction site noises, aircraft landing etc.
We also deliberately banged pans together, dropped keys, played music and left the radio on for them, as well as imposing periods of quiet. We basically did everything we could to prepare our pups for the wider world and the dogs we kept would happily attend fireworks displays and not bat an eyelid.
Even for those adult dogs who can't tolerate fireworks, it's maybe worth playing these 'Scarey Noises' (now downloads, since the days of CDs have long gone) at very low volume and very gradually increasing as your dog becomes desensitised.
When your dogs react adversely to loud noises and you also react (with the best will in the world, to protect them), you're possibly reinforcing their anxiety IMHO. You might not entirely teach an older dog that there's nothing to fear but it's surely worth trying to desensitise them with gentle interventions. It's an easy thing to do with pups, yet too many breeders either don't bother or aren't aware of the strategies.
Post last edited on 25/09/2022 06:39:42
No it isn’t. My pup was well socialised and introduced to gunshot, bangs noises very early. He was fine till he hit 3 and from that day to this can’t tolerate fireworks. Other loud noises and bangs he’s fine with , just fireworks that get him. He hides in a corner, shakes but as soon as another batch starts he has to move and try to find another safe spot. It’s heartbreaking watching him.
We have 3 solutions that we use. Firstly I try to book tickets to a local dog training centre. They offer a night of loud music, doggy games and a buffet. They are fairly remote so no fireworks at all
Sometimes I simply load my gang into my van. We drive out a remote car park on the moors and sit it out for a few hours. Often meet other dog owners there doing the same thing
Finally I discovered a new product supplied by my vet called Sileo (sibo) gel which you apply to the dogs gums. It’s the only sedation product that has ever worked on mine
------------- Good cakes aren't cheap. Cheap cakes aren't good
Quote: Originally posted by miss baritone on 28/9/2022
Quote: Originally posted by lidds0 on 25/9/2022
This situation is so avoidable if breeders would just properly socialise their pups!
Many moons ago, we showed dogs and bred a couple of litters. We used to play a 'Scary Noises' CD daily, from the moment their ears opened (on low volume) to the moment they left us (on high volume). The noises included fireworks, traffic, trains, crowds, babies crying, construction site noises, aircraft landing etc.
We also deliberately banged pans together, dropped keys, played music and left the radio on for them, as well as imposing periods of quiet. We basically did everything we could to prepare our pups for the wider world and the dogs we kept would happily attend fireworks displays and not bat an eyelid.
Even for those adult dogs who can't tolerate fireworks, it's maybe worth playing these 'Scarey Noises' (now downloads, since the days of CDs have long gone) at very low volume and very gradually increasing as your dog becomes desensitised.
When your dogs react adversely to loud noises and you also react (with the best will in the world, to protect them), you're possibly reinforcing their anxiety IMHO. You might not entirely teach an older dog that there's nothing to fear but it's surely worth trying to desensitise them with gentle interventions. It's an easy thing to do with pups, yet too many breeders either don't bother or aren't aware of the strategies.
Post last edited on 25/09/2022 06:39:42
No it isn’t. My pup was well socialised and introduced to gunshot, bangs noises very early. He was fine till he hit 3 and from that day to this can’t tolerate fireworks. Other loud noises and bangs he’s fine with , just fireworks that get him. He hides in a corner, shakes but as soon as another batch starts he has to move and try to find another safe spot. It’s heartbreaking watching him.
....
Absolutely Miss Baritone, my dog used to be fine, now isn't, and I know dozens upon dozens of other dogs (through my involvement with a dog rescue charity) that also developed stress behaviours later in life, it's often classified as 'Stress Stacking' where situations add up to the point the dog doesn't cope well anymore, usually nothing whatsoever to do with breeding or early exposures!
Certain actions/remedies can improve the situation, whilst others aggravate it, dogs pick up on anxieties of their owners which can exacerbate the problem further! End of the day, it often becomes a managed situation rather than a cured problem!
Sam
Have a look at Poston Mill, Hereford. Dogs go free in November and has a pub on site, old Facebook post says no fireworks, so should be a safe bet.
We went one Christmas a few years ago, rural, quiet and 10 miles or so to Hereford.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Quiet place for Guy Fawkes night needed
via mobile 18/9/2022 at 7:02pm
