Dogs & Fireworks

[mapleleaf]

I am of the opinion that our 2 pugs are bonkers.

we are keeping them as distracted as possible from the noise of fireworks out side by letting them in the lounge with us and plenty of background TV noise. all DG windows & doors & curtains closed etc .

Last night They still barked a fair bit (but not scared or whimpering in a corner) when they heard some of the inevitable big bangs that cant be soundproofed out.

So to help them try to get used to the noise I took them out for a short walk around the block just after dark and as expected there were fireworks going off all over the show.

were the dogs bothered ... not a bit they looked up at the odd noisy rocket but not one woof. More interested in sniffing lamposts.

Brilliant , what good dogs.

However, back at the ranch and its back to normal . woof woof every time a firework goes off.

maybe they are just very territorial.

Just thought I'd share this observation.

thank you

 

[Ian B Walker]

Know what you are saying Steve. Just had Toby out and all he did was sit there and watched the pretty lights. Spaniels are stupid

 

[pammy]

I agree! Spaniels being stupid that is

Mine couldn't give a monkeys about the fireworks! They bark when they goff and they're outside but otherwsie can't be bothered with wasting energy on them

Mustn't complain tho - I know plenty who are terrified

 

[BTB 500]

All my dogs (8 so far) have started off being unafraid of fireworks, got scared later, then got better as oldies (when they went deaf!).

 

[w124coupe]

We have an English Bull Terrier - Daisy - aged 5.

Absolutely loves fireworks - sits with us and watches them...

 

[pluggers]

were the dogs bothered ... not a bit they looked up at the odd noisy rocket but not one woof. More interested in sniffing lamposts.

thank you

They wanted to check if they had any new "wee mails"

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Our 4yo greyhound hasn't left our side, eaten or even gone to the toilet since Friday when the fireworks became a constant fixture.

She's fine in the house, beside us, but won't move at all. You ought to have seen me and Mrs D trying to get her out of the bedroom at 02.00 this morning!! 45 mins later we've managed to get her out of the back door - and that's when fireworks had stopped some hours before!!

We love her though...

 

[waynes.clk]

my dog goes mad when a fire work goes off i cant get him to shut up thank god bonfire night is over

 

[PJH]

Our CAT is spending most of the time behind the sofa.

 

[Satch]

Although not gundogs my critters have been used to shooting type noises since they were puppies.

Fireworks? Pah. They just sit outside and watch the lights.

But we have friends whose dogs are reduced to gibbering, slobbering panting wrecks at the faintest pop. Cue doggy tranx. from the vet.

 

[Spinal]

We had a 25 guard dogs at a time when we lived in Africa in our compound; one of those was a german shepard imported from a german police training school. An amazing guard dog, an amazing companion and an amazing friend for a child to grow up with (like me ). The dogs lived as a "pack" and he was the alpha male.

Every time we had fireworks, most of the dogs were reduced to whimpering pups. Sai-sai (the alpha male in question) (whos name means 'naughty' in Wolof) had to be locked up in an insulated area. If he heard fireworks he would bark like there was no tomorrow. If he could see them it was even worse. He would actually chase the fireworks! Light a rocket, he would grab it as it took off and happy trot around with a lit rocket firing against his mouth. Light and throw a 'banger' (fireworks without colours, just noise... kind of like tiny dinamite sticks) he would pick it up and bring it back to you...

Biggest problem was that as most other dogs were so scared of the fireworks that we would forget to lock him in the side garden every now and then. (and when there are 25 dogs its hard to keep track of them all, especially in a compound that big... took 4 people to find a dog when they didn't return to their "cage" in the morning. (their cage being a side garden connected to the house)).

Strangely enough, he never got seriously injured. The worse we had to treat him for was sinjing his whisker and fur

I miss 'my' dogs... sigh. They really are members of the family. (I have so many dog stories )

Ah, heck; have another few

One morning, shortly after locking the dogs in their cage, my mother forgot the kitchen door unlocked. The door gave onto the side garden, which was where the dogs spent the days. As my mother brought me to school, Ruby (a beautiful mix between a ridgeback and a great dane. She was sleek shiny black, and HUGE). decided to try opening the kitchen door. Not only did she open the door, but she also managed to get into the living room where my fathers breakfast was waiting on the table... Needless to say, when my mother got home, my father asked what happened to breakfast The plate was licked so shiny my father thought it had just been washed

Ruby had a habid some of you might find mildy annoying; at least, my father found it extremely irritating. Ruby had a special place to sleep. She didn't like sleeping in burrows like some of the others, nor under the trees, nor in the shelters... Her "place" was on top of my fathers S500... (horrible champagne colour I might add). Every morning my dad would wake up and go and chase her off the car; then proceed to inspecting the car to find out if she scratched it or wrecked the roof.... (she wasn't the only one of our dogs that liked the garage to sleep in. During the rainy season, the dogs would either be in their shelters or under the cars; with the exception of Ruby and Stella (stella prefered the back of the Toyota pick up truck though, so my father didn't mind that )

Michele