Hi, can anyone recommend anything we can give to the dogs that helps calm them down round about firework night. They have started in our area already - and needless to say i have one quivering wreck already - the 2 boys seem to be taking it in there stride but my wee girl not coping so well (its like cuddling the washing machine on full spin).

Any advice would be great

What annoys me is the fact that fireworks night always seems to end up more like fireworks month. Anyway, a few ideas here for you;

1, close the curtains, put on the TV or stereo and crank it as loud as you can bear - that might drown the offending fireworks out.

2, speak to your vet - a friend of ours has a dog who gets so nervous about fireworks he is given valium (the dog, not the friend!)

3, for next year get a fireworks soundtrack CD and start playing in from September onwards getting progressively louder.

4, try using a Dog Appeasing Pheromone dispenser (they plug into a mains socket)

5, slightly controversial perhaps - deal with the problem at source and 'eliminate' the problem neighbours!

I know its really hard...but try not to reinforce that its scary by too much reassurance! I know this sounds cruel but have found over the years that if i act as if there is something to worry about then it makes the dogs worse - I dnt mean ignore them but I tend to do what I call my Mary Poppins act where everything is good and cheerful and worry free ( yeh with the high pitched sing songy voice and everything!lol) and have found that it can help. I know some dogs just cant hack fireworks though so may not work!! x

That's good advice from Joan. The dogs will pick up feelings from you so if you try to ignore the bangs and carry on as normal also the tv on loud will help drown out the bangs. The flickering from the tv picture will hopefully help to lessen the flashing of the fireworks. There is something available from pet shops to calm nerves (soz but can't remember name) or as Steve says try the vets.

My dog has found Bach Rescue Remedy very good and it is very easy to find, most supermarkets have it, chemists etc. We put it in his food and when it all gets a bit too much for him we put it directly in his mouth which stops the tremors. We were recomneded plug in pheremomes but were suprised at the price so have tried aromatherapy oil instead. We are trying Calry Sage oil, it is balancing and calming apparently, which we got in Boots. We are putting drops of it into little cups of water on the radaitors throughtout the the house and it is really helping to keep him calm this year. It is awful to see them so scared, hope you find something that works for her

thank you for all the advice - will give everything a try - hate seeing my wee girl a wreck - the boys are no problem (too macho i think) haha

Not sure about the macho bit lol. A few years ago out of the dogs I had then it was the 2 boys who totally disliked the bangs etc and the wee collie bitch was out at the bonfire enjoying the heat, stealing the food and totally oblivious to the bangs and whizzes etc lol.

Michele

Vince & Freya have just heard their first really loud firework whilst they were out doing their business in the garden.

Neither of them seemed to appreciate them as they came belting indoors ran round the living room twice and disappeared upstairs at a rate of knots.

We just opened the bedroom door, as from their actions they think of that as their safe place, put the light and the radio on and left them to it. Five minutes later they're both asleep and looking quite relaxed.

HI JENNYI

I WOULD DRAW THE CURTAINS PUT THE TV ON LOUND

ACT NORMALLY SO IF YOU DONT WORRY THE DOGS WILL

PICK THAT UP.

USE A CD SOUNDTRACK FEW MONTHS BEFORE BONFIRE
NIGHT AND USE A DAP PLUG IN POSTY TO CALM
THEM DOWN

thank you everyone for your advice - it worked with the 2 boys but my girl a nervous wreck xx

Closed curtains and a loud TV didn't do anything to settle Lucy who was a quivering wreck on Thursday. Kell was also spooked and not himself at all.

On Friday they were frightened again after some fireworks went off late afternoon so I called the vets and they gave us a sedative tablet - half to be given straight away, the other half could be given an hour later if required. It certainly calmed them down, but they did look pretty much out of it for the rest of the night.

Last night we fed them early before the fireworks started (Lucy wouldn't eat her dinner on Thursday) and decided just to wait and see how she was before giving the sedatives again. Amazingly when the fireworks did start they stayed relatively calm. Lucy just shook slightly when some really loud ones went off, but wasn't panting and in a panic.

My guess is she realised from the night before that nothing bad had happened, so didn't panic. Let's hope so anyway.

Obviously with my Bambi being the kind of girl that she is she didnt do the whole quivering bit!! lol But she did spend the entire nite looking worried at the ceiling?!? Also she would not sleep on Thursday nite at all kept coming over and looking at me (once again with that worried look bless her!) So with the result that I had a very sleepy greyhound on Friday cos lets face it that was a whole evening and nite without any sleep which is not like her!! If it was just the one nite the fireworks were let off it wouldnt be as bad for them but it just seems to go on and on and on...

my mate got some pills from the vet and he was amazed the they were tamazapan and ketomine the horse tranquliser seens to have worked the dog just slept for 8 full hours never heard a thing

I had to take Roxy to the vet as she was hyperventilating [didn't think a paper bag to hreathe into would work!!] ande the inside of her mouth was purple!! At this point I couldn't hear any fireworks [this was bonfire night] but thought that she most likely could. The vet was really concerned for her health and gave her an injection of sedation. I brought her home and she took herself up the stairs. I put on the radio and lay on the bed with her and the handsome Roxy [who was neither up nor down]!! We all woke up at 12.30am and went for a nice quiet walk. The following day I picked up drops to give her orally and she was a little more settled for the remaining days. Will certainly tru the Bach Flowers remedies next year.