Fireworks & dogs

[kentuck_ike]

Just a reminder that fireworks can make a dog or pup gun shy really quick

[Ely Lake Expert]

+1

or vice versa, if you have a dog that is already gun shy keep them inside so they don't take off.

[jeffreyd]

my dogs were out doing their business last night when they started the FW show a few miles away. The older lab just came back in and laid down like nothing was going on but the little pup 1 yr old, is still freaked out today. The show last about half an hour and they both were inside but the initial noise got to him. ..

[nofishfisherman]

my 16 month old Vizsla just looks up to check them out and then goes on about his business, couldn't care less about them.

My friends golden retriever hides in the basement under the work bench for most of the 4th of july weekend until the bombardment stops.

[PGE-Hound]

I learned that when fire works begin or thundering during a big storm to get abunch of treats and their favorite toy and just start playing. Had a similar problem with my lab and after afew times of treats/playing she is more calm and doesn't seem to be bothered by it anymore.

[harvey lee]

The dog about sits on my lap and then she is fine.

[no bait nate]

when my dog hears them she just about loses her mind running wild trying to find the dead birds... she likes the end result after a gunshot and a downed bird a little too much i think...

[vister]

My golden retiever is 8 months old, and had her first taste of fireworks. She's always been timid of loud noises. I had her on a leash so she wouldn't run, and, like mentioned, gave her many treats and lots of attention to assure her everything was alright. She was nervous, but it worked!!

[Friar_Tuck]

its part nature & nuture. thats why when they are young its important to expose them to any & all environmental stimuli like trains, busy places, traffic, guns & crowds, often.

want to go to the extreme with it then get some audio recordings on cd of thunder & fireworks etc start the audio out low then eventually turn it up little by little over time. if i felt i needed to do this because my dog was nervy, i'd play it and at the same time i would be working obedience with the dog. no coddling the dog but using obedience to redirect the dogs mind while the cd is playing. over time the dog should become more & more desensitized. then do refreshers every so often. but you could also use the audio as a pup along with the other environmental exposer to help with desensitizing.

the other part is genetics, dogs that freak out have nerve issues. if i was a breeder, any dog that demonstrated those traits would be eliminated from the gene pool.

[CrazyLabs]

when my dog hears them she just about loses her mind running wild trying to find the dead birds... she likes the end result after a gunshot and a downed bird a little too much i think...

I'm with you on that one...my younger lab (he's 3) was looking everywhere in the back yard for something dead to retrieve. Even the older lab (almost 9 and past his prime hunting time) got pretty excited about it. October can't come soon enough for them.

[kentuck_ike]

90% of gunshy dogs are man made, and could have been avoided. A lot dogs that freak out don't have nerve issues at all, but more of a lack of understanding for a situation that is new to them. Not coddling them and remaining calm as a handler is key to dog training and even more important to a "freaking out" situation. A dog that hasn't been introduced to the gun more than likely will not understand fireworks and you could be running the risk of make a dog gunshy.

just my 2 cents

[brittman]

A conservative approach to any training is usually best.

[bobberineyes]

My lab just turned one last month,  last year when he was a pup he was introduced to cap guns and shot guns before  the fireworks were flying from the neighbors.  All was well even throughout bird hunting last fall, not a sign of being scared of loud noises at all. Now all of a sudden firecrackers and bottle rockets from around the lake are sending him into orbit,  looking  for a hiding place. So I took out the twelve Guage and thru his dummy and he never flinched.  But fireworks turn him into a big coward....what gives 

[Pherris]

I ruined my first lab by shooting off fireworks prior to any exposure to guns.  Ended up with a really nice pet for 13 years but she would never hunt.  My current lab was professionally trained and is not bothered at all by them.  

[bobberineyes]

The night of the 4th went well, kept him busy playing fetch and paying attention to me with all kinds of commands that hopefully eased his nervousness of fireworks.  It sure seemed like it was the little stuff (bottle rockets and fire crackers) that bothered him, the big stuff seemed to get him more excited than anything .