New Puppy and Fireworks

[Becky]

Hello all!

We will be picking up our sweet little doddle Sunny the end of June.  She's only 4 weeks right now and cute as a button!

She will be coming home right before the Fourth of July and our next door neighbors love their fireworks. They have some beautiful but noisy displays nightly for about two or three days.  Is there anything I can do to prevent a fear of fireworks or is that just something innate to each dog regardless of exposure?  I'd hate for her to be settling in and making herself familiar with our home, only to have three nights of terror right off the bat. 

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Actually, I think that it might be a really good thing that Sunny is exposed to fireworks so early in life. She will take her cues from you, so it is your job to teach her that she has absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

So, resist the urge to pick her up, cuddle her, pet her, etc. if she looks startled and fearful. If you coddle her, she will learn to think that there IS a reason to be fearful. When a "boom" goes off, happily say"Yeah! Good Sunny!" and give her a treat. Another "boom"... another happy response from you and another treat. She will learn to associate the boom with good things! Takes some treats along with you when you take her out to potty.

We did that with Winnie when she was very young and then the second summer I purposely took her for a walk when all the booms were going off. Again, talking happily with her and praising her. We could hear all the dogs in the neighborhood barking in their houses while she was calmly walking outside. It was awesome to know she wasn't afraid!

[Amy and Annabelle]

It will be interesting to see how Annabelle does this year. Last year at 11 months, she got scared and I was a little unnerved as well. We went out about 10pm and had a frightening experience with the neighbors fireworks. The size of it looked almost professional grade and it was right over us, not high enough to be safe. Then the embers started raining down on us, not to mention the ear piercing boom. It was 2 or 3 days before she would go in the backyard again. The noise from inside the house never bothered her, she was fine. This year I am taking her out on the opposite side of the house. I will be more prepared.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Here's some information I found online that makes a lot of sense to me....

New puppy owners, this is your opportunity to prevent the bad associations to fireworks that cause these problems!  Forego the barbecues and fireworks demonstrations this once and teach your puppy that fireworks are nothing to fear.

When the fireworks start, give your puppy a tasty treat for each boom, screech, and crackle.  This is not the time to skimp on treats!  Get something really good like boiled chicken breast or hamburger meat. 

When the grand finale starts, have 10-15 pieces of treats at the ready and feed them to your puppy in rapid succession.  This not only distracts your pup from all the noise, but is creating a positive association to fireworks noises "Yay, fireworks!  I get treats!"

If at any point in this process your normally food-motivated puppy refuses food or shows other signs of stress, take him/her into a back bedroom, turn on a fan and the television or radio to drown out the sounds outside and try to keep your puppy quiet and calm.

I have one Doodle who is not at all afraid of fireworks and another that shakes and has developed his own "retreat" which is an upstairs inside bathroom where the sound is muffled.  He is not a puppy, but is very food motivated, so I may even try the "special treat" method this year.  Also, if you do use hamburger as the treat, be sure it is no more than 10% fat...the higher fat hamburger can cause diarrhea or even pancreatitis.

[Becky]

Thank you all!!  That sounds great.  I will definitely do that.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Close your windows and blinds, turn up the music, and pretend nothing is going on.  That is the only thing that has worked for us and we are not in a big fireworks area.  The dried grass has discouraged most of it.  Our friends leave in their RV and go to the beach with their dog, but you have to pick the right beach.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Most importantly, this year and in the future, keep leashed and make sure collar isn't too loose for her to slip the collar.  Many dogs bolt during fireworks.  Just watch the morning after all the lost dog posts on FB.  Fenced in yard means nothing to a dog that bolts.  They can leap fences you never knew they could.

[Amy and Annabelle]

Several years ago the people that used to live behind me kept their dog chained up. One July 4th night he tried to jump the fence and hung himself. His owners didn't find him until the next morning and it was too late. It was really sad.

[Becky]

Oh my goodness!  That's horrible.  

I would never have thought about keeping her leased during fireworks season, definitely good to know!

[Christy&Riley]

Riley was about 10 weeks old for her first 4th of July. Surprisingly, she didn't even notice the noise. Now at 3, she will get a bit excited as if she is trying to warn us but we just distract her with something. Hope Sunny enjoys her first 4th!