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

[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.