Dogs vs Fireworks/Storms - Page 1

Title pretty much says it all... My GSD, Qira, is NOT enjoying the nice little tornado alley thunderstorms, and now that firework season has begun she's got me at wit's end. I am pretty sure it is our other dog that has started her on this... Yapper is an absolute wuss - scared of his own shadow. I am pretty sure they just feed off of eachother, because he is worse then he has ever been now too.

I was just wondering if anyone on here had some helpful tips to calm them down. If I am here, Qira *usually* wont react to thunderstorms (we play frisbee in them and she's fine), however if she's left home alone, forget about it. You come home to a busted-out-of kennel and a huge mess. But like I said, if I'm here she is fine. Fireworks are also no good. And across the street, every year *more than once* they have a huuuuge firework show at this golf course. Knowing that, I've been trying to wean her into them a bit. Yesterday we went to one, but parked quite a few miles away. I put her in a platz next to me and would pet her and tell her "good girl" ONLY if she wasn't reacting. The second she sat up/whined/panicked in anyway, game over. She did *OK*. After the show there was still various fireworks going on around us so we did some obedience. She loosened up a tad, but was very happy to get in the car still afterwards.

Tonight... they did a surprise show at that d*mn golf course across the street, so since thats like a huge family deal, we *had* to go. And I don't exactly want to come home to a mess, so she came with. I had her on a leash in the car the whole time and after awhile she was fine... until someone came over and started doing that babytalk crap. "It's OK sweetie they're not gonna hurt you *petpetpet, snugglesnuggle*" THEN she started being a baby.

Someone has suggested to me to talk to the vet and get the dogs some tranquilizers, but I hate to dope them up on unwanted/unneeded meds.

The thought also occured to me tonight, to maybe toss her a treat every time one goes off? Maybe then she'll even start enjoying it?

Really looking for suggestions here...

One dog I had years ago was terrified of storms - we finally found one spot that made her happy - dark bathroom with no windows (and she would have to be locked inside to be happy - she wouldn't like the door left open). She was more than happy to spend the whole night there if necessary - no mess, no hysteria, just content dog laying on the bathroom rug.
 
I am lucky that my GSDs are OK with storms and fireworks and they don't freak out. My boy couldn't care less (he snores loudly thru it), so my older girl is acting much more relaxed (than years back) when it is happening now.
 
I would advise caution with relaxants/sedatives.
 
One training class I went to (for few lessons), the 'trainer' suggested medications to relax a dog that acted stressed by the whole thing. Next time, the dog was on drugs and a total nutcase. She turned from bad to worse, she didn't know what was happening to her and in combination to the stress factor she went bonkers (didn't know whether it should be running away or attacking). The dog had to be taken away.

socalization from a young dog. :\ i take my guys everywhere and expose them to every sound possable. stop at the train tracks and took my girly out of the car just to sit and watch it go by blowing its horn ect. fire trucks ect. payed off when we had to heli certify in sar she marched right up to the heli and jumped in when most the other dogs where trying to run from it she was just happy with it.

Nerve issues/sound sensitivity, it's genetic.
This is not something she 'learned' from
your other dog. 

Stop baby talking her, you make it worse.
You are basically telling her it's ok to be afraid.
And in fact encouraging more anxiety/fear.

Ignore unwanted behavior, try distracting her
with a toy/some play. Ask for obedience exercises
from her. All you can really do is try to get her 
attention away from whats causing the fear/anxiety
in her, but you won't ever 'overcome' it. It will always
show itself when she is stressed. 

Check in to some herbal remedies for her.

Dawulf, maybe the AT&T National is running at the golf course !

One simple solutiom, put cotton in your dog's ears. They will be at peace from fireworks !!!!!!!

Nordstern.

What's the difference between coming home to a busted kennel and a huge mess with or without a storm?  I've done that many times, sans storm. LOL

I disagree that dogs don't feed off of each other, especially when they see that it gets results, like your "babytalk" experience, or in the case of a new dog following what the established dogs in the house currently do. A dog is fine, a person coddles it, it reacts accordingly....I think it's possible and I have seen similar things before. Herbal remedies might be a good idea though if she is really now reacting to storms and fireworks, or keep the GSD away from the little dog who has always been scared of them, since this is a new behavior for the GSD. 

Speaking of fireworks, last night my hillrod neighbors decided to shoot off about 4 grand finale's worth of them right into my yard. I didn't know, of course, that they were shooting them in that direction. I had dogs outside and when I went to get them to go to bed, they were in the dogloo on the deck, which was really odd. I've never known them to be the least bit noise-sensitive so I figured maybe they just thought they were sleeping out there since it was much later than I usually bring them in. Well, this morning I went outside to let check the fence as I always do before I let the Chihuahua out, and my deck was COVERED with remains of fireworks. There were literally hundreds of hard rubber torpedo-like tubes all over the place. No wonder they went in the doghouse-they were getting PELTED with the $h!+!!!! Pissed off doesn't cover it...these are puppies. Noises are no big deal; I never shelter dogs from noise, but keep your illegal, white trash entertainment in your own backyard, please, and don't hit my dogs with shrapnel! I guess when your IQ is 78 and you drink too much, you think it's funny to shoot them at your neighbor's house and dogs. I collected one large stainless dog bowl worth and that was just what I picked up in my bare feet without wandering all over my yard.   Haven't decided what to do about that yet. 

Genetics-I doubt-I've two full sisters-one couldn't care less, the other becomes very "uncomfortable"  around fireworks, gunshots and thunderstorms-I refuse to react to the noise, going about our normal routine.  Now the old male I had got to the point he would basically attack the front door to get inside then as years passed had to be allowed into the back bedroom to find any comfort and we reside in an earth berm house which muffle outside noises quite well.

Thanks for all the comments on this.

Vivek - the AT&T National doesn't, but in August the Cox Classic will.... to which also ends in a big firework show. Cotton in their ears though... I wonder if that would hold. Will try it, thanks!

I also have to doubt genetics. Her bloodlines are as good as any, and you see plenty of aunts/uncles/half-sisters/half-brothers/cousins/nieces/nephews/etc. running around... and I doubt those lines would be near as popular if they were all afraid of fireworks.

I think another issue is that for the first *real* thunderstorm we had since I got her, I was out of town... and it was a doozy. She was home with my dad and grandma, dad being the baby-talking, snugglesnuggle culprit, and when he also left, I guess she attempted climbing into Gma's lap... nonexistant lap, I should say (the image in my mind still makes me laugh...). We are coming along on those though... she'll jump through fire for that damn frisbee, and is perfectly happy/content with playing in the middle of a storm... thunder, lightning, rain... doesn't matter.

It is very weird... she comes with me to work every night, to which we encounter huge semi's, trashtrucks, even helicopters from time to time that shake the building/parking lot we are on/in... those totally don't effect her. I should also mention the occaisional gunshot and god only knows what else that she just shrugs off. Oh, and she was also with me in the car accident that totaled both the van we were driving and the car that hit us. A tad shaken at first (no where near to the extent that we were), but was absolutely fine by the time we got back on the road. Which is why I honestly think its her feeding off of Yapper (he is really bad... he WAS the poorly socialized puppy, possibly slightly abused, been shuffled from home-to-home before we got him... he has come quite a ways since we got him, however still has a long way to go... but he is 12 now, so he is pretty established like this). That, or the baby-talking bullshit.... likely both.

I probably should have added that to the first post, but that was typed up in a hurry before work, so sue me. :P

What I meant by her being fine if shes with me, is only during thunderstorms. Fireworks are... "new" since I've had her, so we're still working on those.

Haha, Jen... last time she busted out was before I dewormed her and she had the shits... assuming she had to GO, and came home to the busted kennel and dog crap allllllll over my bed. *yay*

As for keeping her away from Yapper... that works, but when he is yiping, scratching at the carpet and howling *if his daddy isn't home... otherwise he just hides* it don't help much.

And I would be FURIOUS if that happened here... your poor guys! I don't blame them for hiding out in the dog house. You said it is illegal? Maybe turn 'em in?

One thing is definantly for sure... I will be happy when the 4th is past!

*forgot to add thanks to the cat where my keyboard should be*

I will check into some herbal remedies later... thanks!

Jenni I feel for you, I've neighbours that are just like that and a word of advise, don't entertain them or engage in their games as you'll never win. I have a house wife that does nothing with her spare time but plot ways on irritating us, she's stolen pups and all. I've extended the height of my fences bordering them and have had peace since, with their lack of education, I would be expecting too much of them to turn out otherwise.

Back to Dawulf, I don't know whether this would help but here's an old Cesar Milan episode about a Bomb Detecting lab that suffered post-traumatic-stress and developed a fear for loud sounds (thunder storms/ gunfire, etc). They managed to rehabilitate him, I thought the techniques that Cesar employed were impressive. Pity I couldn't find a video with the full episode (the name of the episode is "Shell Shocked" from Season 4, Episode 10) as this would show the dog being taken to the gun range also, I'll keep on looking for you. Here the other link so far: http://youtu.be/myAhcWEv56Y