Fireworks and pets

[Polar Bear]

After an awful time around this time of year last year my anxiety at the moment is awful

I've got a really lively dog who because of some idiots last year letting extremely loud fireworks off totally illegally my dog reacted to fireworks ever since. She barks continuously and loudly and is terrified. We have been trying to desensitise her to the sounds and trying to distract her etc. In the UK of course it used to be one night but now it's weeks on end. The fireworks started last weekend. I'm dreading this coming weekend and the next. Halloween was when it all started last year. Feel nobody cares either. I phoned the police a couple of times last year and they are just too busy. My MP is no use either his family make their money from guess what.... yes fireworks!

The problem is trying to stay calm myself to try to help the dog, but that's easier said than done! I'm stressed out at the moment as we are in the process of selling our house, and as people in England and Wales will know that's a nightmare. We had one house lined up to buy and they then just pulled out weeks down the line so we were then trying to find something else suitable to buy whilst hoping the people buying ours and their buyers don't start changing their minds. It's a stupid way of doing things.

Anyway back to the fireworks. My wife is trying to help me keep calm and to not think about what may happen. Generally I'm mentally all over the place with anxiety and depression and I'm struggling to really see how I can improve things. I seem to be on a rollercoaster. I can feel ok then something happens and I'm angry, anxious etc again. I let the little things get to me even stupid things like my shoelaces coming undone can get me angry. I despair of ever improving this state I'm in. I have resisted going back onto medication and I haven't had any counselling for a while and maybe I should start going again.

My emotions are all over the place and I hope I'm making some sort of sense here!

How do I start again to make a real effort to change things around?

[SLA]

Hi Polar Bear,

Will worrying about it change anything?

If its any consolation, I also hate the fireworks night/fortnight. I actually love fireworks, just not the whole period.

I have a one and a half-year-old who is in bed by 7, so every loud bang and explosion is one that might potentially wake her up.

The source of the frustration and anxiety, I think, is an ego thing.

"How dare people let off such loud explosions in the evening!?"

It IS, in some sense, an evasion of your personal space. It can be a source of great anger and stress.

But none of that anger and stress will solve anything, and actually is the source of all of your problems.


So the only thing you can really do is accept it.

[Polar Bear]

Thanks SLA.

I've been looking at the positive thoughts thread on here lately and certainly the quotes around the problems being our own attitudes to difficulties we face making the difference have struck a chord. As you say worrying doesn't make a difference.

I haven't been thinking of it as an ego thing but that's a good point. Just been thinking bad of these people (certainly the group that were near our house last year were being irresponsible).

Acceptance is hard but I do need to try to change my attitude to things. I've felt exhausted lately and feeling at the end of my tether. I've stuggled for years and I have to improve things. Accepting things more maybe a first step!

Thanks for your help

[Lucinda07]

It is possible to buy calming products at pet shops/vets. I think there are fireworks CDs which can help desensitise animals - are you using these?
Can only advise drawing curtains & keeping radio/tv on & being there for your dog. try to distract & plenty of tlc.
1 night of fireworks is ok, but nowadays it lasts a week or 2! Its a pain - perhaps people have too much money! Maybe you could think "I'm saving my money to buy xxxxx, these idiots are being ripped off & wasting their hard earned cash!"

[Buster70]

Hi , my older dog is the same always has been she's a panting wreck when the fireworks start before we've even heard them , what we have noticed the more you try to calm her down the worse she gets so we just pull the curtains turn up the tv and ignor her she settles down by herself ,got a new pup now so we'll have to see how she goes she's not so nervous in general so maybe she will be ok , take care .

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Polar Bear I feel your pain! I have a beautiful Staffy Bull Terrier who is now 9years old she has never liked fire
works it got the point where she was trying to dig through a concrete floor I have been a member on a dogforum for years and have seeked much advice on bringing up a head strong dog any way I few years ago I asked if there was a product to help my dog was given loads of advice and tried Rescue Remedy it's saved the day comes in a smalll bottle and is flower based so no nasty harnful chemicals and no side effects and really does work. What it does it switches off the part of the brain that processes fear
so doesn't knock the dog out but gently keeps them clam 4 or 5 drops before it goes dark will do the job
or the same amount in the water bowl will give a real boost so please try it and is worth every penny
You can get it from Holland and Barrat and it's meant for us but can be safely used on dogs and even anxious horses too Good luck

[MyNameIsTerry]

My dog was unhappy with fireworks from a pup. He's been much better as he got older and now they only bother him if there are loud bangers near the house or funny sounding rockets close. Then he goes and hides behind my dad's chair as it's the spot in the living room most resembling a hide to him.

We just comfort him until it's over. It's really just the main few nights we have these issues now thankfully. The weeks of stupid idiots letting them off tends to be a bit further away from the houses on the waste ground areas.

The idiots that set them off at 3am need a banger up the backside!

[NoraB]

I bloomin hate fireworks night, sorry, month.

I've always had dogs and they've responded to the fireworks with varying degrees of stress. One year we had to replace the carpet because my little Jack Russell cross TOTALLY lost the plot, despite being tranqed. That was a night to remember!

We have a lurcher now and while she manages to keep her bodily fluids in, she jumps a mile every time a banger goes off so I bought one of those calming plugs you can get from the pet shops. It stinks to high heaven but it does seem to calm her a bit. I also turn the radio and TV up and give her loads of TLC.

I used to get VERY stressed about this time of year but I tell myself now that while I have no control over what other people do (including the selfish gits who are still letting fireworks off in the early hours) I can make sure that it's the least stressful for my pooch as it can be.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Has anyone seen those thunder jacket things? I remember seeing those a few years back, I don't know what they are like though. I think they were using acupressure points.

[randomforeigner]

Where I live many considerate pet owners book a night at a hotel near the airport, where fireworks are not allowed because of the planes. Not at all usual.