Firework fear

Ruby Red · 10-06-2009, 05:04 AM

Yes, it’s that time of year again when the fireworks drive us all to insanity. We have it really bad in our road and I just wonder if anyone has any ideas on else I can do [we are all out of London next week to try and get away from the worst of it]. The noise is deafening and it goes on night after night for about 2-3 weeks – various celebrations Eid, Divali etc. It starts the minute it gets dark – so earlier and earlier as the nights draw in and goes on until sometimes 1am [even though the bye-laws here state it should stop at 11pm, they never do].

My 2 are so scared – shaking and hiding away in the far corners of the room. It’s pitiful watching them. I try not to make fuss of them when they are like this [very hard]– I read somewhere that doing that just reinforces their fear. I turn the TV up loud, draw the curtains, and we all just sit it out as best we can. We tried a DAP – made no difference at all, I use a firework de-sensitisation CD throughout the year – they are fine with it on the machine – but when it’s right outside your back door, they know the difference. I distract them as much as I can - but can’t do this for 6-7 hours!! and walk them hard during the day to tire them out.

Has anyone got any other ideas on things I could do to help them please?

bruinsBoxers · 10-06-2009, 07:56 AM

I think it is more than just the noise , it is also the vibrations as well that can upset them . I have a friend who used valerian root to help calm her dog . For her it worked well , one of her dogs would get a bit aggressive when scared so she would give him a dose when she knew a situation coming up would bother him .

I used it with my lab who had neuro issues and it did not help him at all .

You can find it in health food / vitamin stores . it comes in a pill and a liquid . Beware it smells awful .

Doreen · 10-06-2009, 09:00 AM

Awww.. I feel so sorry for them... At my old house, I had neighbors that lived across the street from us that would shoot off fireworks every weekend... just for fun, no reason. They would go on til 5 the next morning. One of the many reasons we left that neighborhood 2 years ago. It was just a bunch of adults who never grew up living there once their father passed away. They finally lost the house (wonder why since no one there worked except one of them!)

Well, I stayed up many nights too, knowing you aren't suppose to show extra comfort to the dogs with their fear, but I sat out in the living room with the lights on and TV on. That seemed to help and of course having the shades or blinds down to so they couldn't see the fireworks... and this was right outside my windows! Of course right after I moved out is when they lost the house and left

Ruby Red · 10-06-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruinsBoxers

I think it is more than just the noise , it is also the vibrations as well that can upset them . I have a friend who used valerian root to help calm her dog . For her it worked well , one of her dogs would get a bit aggressive when scared so she would give him a dose when she knew a situation coming up would bother him .

You can find it in health food / vitamin stores . it comes in a pill and a liquid . Beware it smells awful .

Thank for that Missi, I tried them last year on something called Serene-UM but it had no effect. I also used Rescue remedy too but no effect. I just looked at the Serene-UM packet there is no valerian listed as an ingredient so I will go look for some of that tomorrow – I’ll try anything if it will help them even if it is a bit stinky!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doreen

Awww.. I feel so sorry for them... At my old house, I had neighbors that lived across the street from us that would shoot off fireworks every weekend... just for fun, no reason. They would go on til 5 the next morning. One of the many reasons we left that neighborhood 2 years ago. It was just a bunch of adults who never grew up living there once their father passed away. They finally lost the house (wonder why since no one there worked except one of them!)

Well, I stayed up many nights too, knowing you aren't suppose to show extra comfort to the dogs with their fear, but I sat out in the living room with the lights on and TV on. That seemed to help and of course having the shades or blinds down to so they couldn't see the fireworks... and this was right outside my windows! Of course right after I moved out is when they lost the house and left

Doreen, poor you – I get so cross when they are still going off at 1am, but 5am!!!! that must have been truly maddening – there are some selfish, thoughtless people around that’s for sure. It’s such a shame you had to go through all that trouble of moving and then they left anyway, still I hope where you live now is nice and peaceful.

Doreen · 10-06-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby Red

Thank for that Missi, I tried them last year on something called Serene-UM but it had no effect. I also used Rescue remedy too but no effect. I just looked at the Serene-UM packet there is no valerian listed as an ingredient so I will go look for some of that tomorrow – I’ll try anything if it will help them even if it is a bit stinky!

Doreen, poor you – I get so cross when they are still going off at 1am, but 5am!!!! that must have been truly maddening – there are some selfish, thoughtless people around that’s for sure. It’s such a shame you had to go through all that trouble of moving and then they left anyway, still I hope where you live now is nice and peaceful.

I love, love, love where I live right now!!! so quiet!!! You hear kids once in awhile on weekends now that school is back in but otherwise, no motor cycles, which they also had across from my old house! I think there was drug dealing going on there too. Always strange people coming and going all hours of the day and night. All my neighbors here are nice and keep up their property nice too, again, unlike my old neighborhood. The only reason we stayed so long there was I was always taking care of elder family members, my mom, my aunt, then my uncle. Once he passed away 2 years ago, I said that was it, I had enough, lets move NOW! DH was ready to move 20 years before that, LOL. I had just had my knee replaced and came out of the hospital/rehab and went looking at houses with staples in my knee and my walker, LOL.. then the cane. Didn't take long to find this house! My surgery was the last days of June and by August 25th we were moved in here, LOL. Not an easy thing to do after just having surgery, but that shows you how desperate we were to move out of that town!

Ruby Red · 10-06-2009, 03:34 PM

Gosh, you must have been desperate to move – I’m so glad you have somewhere nice now. Where I live it is usually quiet but we have families on the road who enjoy the fireworks and its part of their religious and cultural celebrations. I just wish they could make silent fireworks, that way no one would get upset and we could all just enjoy looking at them – they are so pretty. I do think about the birds and the squirrels and all of nature, it’s terrifying for my dogs but at least they are inside. There is always talk here of banning private displays but nothing ever comes of it, the by-laws were brought in to try and appease all the complaints but the police here have far too much work to do anyway without trying to find out who is letting off fireworks at midnight!

I would love to move, London is absolutely great for culture, history, museums, theatres, shops [not my thing – but there are stacks and stacks of them] but I would so love to move to the countryside. It is our intention one day; just the property market is still too depressed here so for financial reasons we have to stay put. Still, can’t wait for next week – we are going to a part of England called the Lake District, it’s very beautiful and peaceful there. We have a cottage booked and the 4 of us are just going to take walk and birdwatch [our other big passion] as much as we can.

Doreen · 10-06-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruby Red

I just wish they could make silent fireworks, that way no one would get upset and we could all just enjoy looking at them – they are so pretty.

Still, can’t wait for next week – we are going to a part of England called the Lake District, it’s very beautiful and peaceful there. We have a cottage booked and the 4 of us are just going to take walk and birdwatch [our other big passion] as much as we can.

I wish they weren't noisy either!! They are beautiful to look at. There is a family up a the top of the hill that set them off on 4th of July, but they only do it for about a half hour and that's it. I like to watch out from my front door. They are really nice people, and I know having older teens its hard to keep them from doing them, at least they know to limit them. They had a huge graduation party in June for one of the kids. The kids were all the way down here hanging out too, so there was cups and garbage around here and there. The next morning the father came down with a garbage bag and cleaned up any mess on the whole street. Now that is respectful in my eyes!

Sounds like you have a nice vacation planned!

Ruby Red · 10-09-2009, 02:18 AM

Just an update, I tried valerian for the last 2 nights but sadly it didn't have any effect either - never mind, it was worth a try.

Spyglass Sally · 10-09-2009, 05:28 AM

Aww - that's too bad. I was thinking of you and wondering how it went.

It would probably be helpful to add some supplements to help support adrenal function during the period of stress. Specifically B's (esp. B5 or pantothenic acid) and C from brewer's yeast, fruits and veggies. It might not fix the anxiety, but it should help replenish the vitamins they are utilizing heavily.

KeeperBoy · 10-09-2009, 06:22 AM

We've given Keepers something called Rescue Remedy before. It's made for people and you can get it at the health food store. We give him two or three drops on a cookie.