Dogs and the 4th

[furtech]

I was invited by the mighty martes to join her on the annual Valencia Fireworks Display Trek, but the appeal of fireworks has lost some of their appeal: I've seen displays great and small-- a LOT of them. Tonight I just didn't feel like fighting the crowds and idiocy. I decided to spend a quiet night at home making a puppet and consoling the dogs. I also had to go water my friend's cat and de-chunk the litterbox. The usual miscreant neighborhood fireworks were evident, though not nearly as much in previous years (thank goodness). The neighbors behind the hill were thankfully absent (they shoot bottle rockets into the dry brush of a red-flag area-- idiots). Rondo and Apache react differently to the pops and bangs: Rondo could care less. He ignores all of them, even the whistlers and close, loud bangs (though he does notice them). Apache just tucked tail and scuttled into the house to hide in the far corner kennel. Fortunately, I've been de-sensitizing them both over the last few weeks: I left some bubble wrap on the floor and the random pops (big and small) initially startled Apache, but over time even she started to ignore them. Fireworks are still a different enough experience that she is still uncomfortable, but at least she doesn't panic. I wonder if dogs can tell how far away a sound is-- and that even though some pops were softer in volume than the bubblewrap, she could sense that they were much larger (though farther away). Back to puppets!

Comments

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

We stayed in this year also... and just watched and listened to the sparkles rising from the cityscape... ^V^

[baja-hyena.livejournal.com]

I always worry about Taka on events like this. I left him inside with the TV going for both company and thinking it would distract from the pops outside. He seemed to do ok. He wasn't freaked out when I got home but, when I let him out to go to the bathroom...he hesitated at the door, then ran out a couple of yard only to run back in the house. :p

I didn't think about the bubble wrap before but, every time I get some in packaging, I let Taka attack it and pop-away. I wonder if that helped some. He seems to really enjoy popping the stuff. Still, as you said, they do know the bangs outside are different.

I went over Redstorm/Merek/Dizzy's place and had a really excellent time at their little get together. They have a great view being up in the hills so, we climbed on their roof and watched everything going on in the East Bay. :)

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I think it gets them used to the sharp sounds that fireworks (and gunshots) make. Not a cure, but definitely seems to help get rid of the blind-panic-response.

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

That is the best thing about Texas: we get to set off our OWN rockets that explode in the air. No need to fight crowds to see someone else's show. DIY

[brokkentwolf.livejournal.com]

Of course they can tell how close or far something is. The whole premise of binocular vision also holds true for bi-aural hearing. Just as one can tell how far away something is (a distant sound as opposed to a close-by sound that has low amplitued), dogs are even more akin to this.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

That does make sense: I know they can do similar things with scent, but I'd just never thought about sound before. Someday I'd like to record some firecrackers and gunshots and break them down under a scope. I know they're fairly simple waves, but it would be interesting to compare a firecracker to a gunshot to bubble wrap or thunder.

[iisaw.livejournal.com]

For the first time I can remember, Tay was upset by the fireworks. We were in the boat on the lake... that might have had something to do with it. He wanted to curl up in my lap and jumped a bit every time a big one went off. Odd... he never even seemed to notice in years past.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Poor Tay-- probably the feeling-trapped-on-a-boat made it worse. One suggestion for the future: carry some foam ear plugs with you (I always have some for air travel). Tay's smart enough to figure it out quickly what they're for (it took Frieda a few tries before she figures it out), but bring extra for those first few shake-outs. If you're really prepared, tie a bit of string through the earplug to make removal simpler (Frieda just waited until she got in the car at the airport before shaking them out). They really help reduce the anxiety of air travel, and would probably work to help with booms and bangs.

[iisaw.livejournal.com]

Good tricks, thanks!