Terrified dog - Loi Krathong fireworks.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Does anyone have any suggestions about what to do with a dog that is in extreme distress during the week or so that fireworks are being let off during Loi Krathong? Unfortunately I live near to the river so the noise is close. On some nights I even need to go to the night bazaar area. He hides under tables and shakes with fear. When he is at home, I have tried making a den of pillows, which sometimes works, but is there such a thing as ear muffs for dogs and if so where would I get them? Any other suggestions?

[oncearugge]

Take the animal to a vet, explain the problem and ask for some sedative medication.

[wooloomooloo]

... but is there such a thing as ear muffs for dogs ...

I'm losing the will to live.

[Supaluke]

... but is there such a thing as ear muffs for dogs ...

I'm losing the will to live.

Hang in there!

What about ear-muffs for Husbands?

[Supaluke]

Take the animal to a vet, explain the problem and ask for some sedative medication.

No need t take the dog (as that can be a hassle), but do ask the Vet for some medication.

Fireworks, and similar sounds are the bane of many dogs, ours also. He would cower when ever there was a decent thunderstorm.

We never medicated him, but also we didn't have the same circumstances as the OP.

Good luck with it.

[Chiengmaijoe]

... but is there such a thing as ear muffs for dogs ...

I'm losing the will to live.

That's good to know. Does this help?

http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/index.html

[oncearugge]

Take the animal to a vet, explain the problem and ask for some sedative medication.

No need t take the dog (as that can be a hassle), but do ask the Vet for some medication.

Fireworks, and similar sounds are the bane of many dogs, ours also. He would cower when ever there was a decent thunderstorm.

We never medicated him, but also we didn't have the same circumstances as the OP.

Good luck with it.

No decent vet would prescribe on that basis.

The vet needs to be assured of the weight and fitness of the animal prior to offering a prescription for sedative drugs

[JHolmesJr]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

[Chiengmaijoe]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

The best thing about posting a new topic at this time of night is that you can get all the daft answers out of the way first!

[sharktooth]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

The best thing about posting a new topic at this time of night is that you can get all the daft answers out of the way first!

On the contrary, bottom fish banana etc...

[cyberfarang]

Not a problem I keep my dogs indoors when the fireworks are going off and soon get used to it feeling safe and secure with us And that`s what ever responsible dog owner should do. There you go, done.

[Puwa]

Try sitting on the floor in the quietest room doing something very calm, like reading, and see if the dog will come sit with you and calm down a bit.

[konying]

Do not listen to people who clearly do not have a clue.

Being scared of the noise is perfectly normal, no sedatives are required and if anything harm the dog.

Keep it safe, ie inside the house so he/she does not run away and act normal.

The more attention you pay to the problem, the more scared it will get.

During the noise, just use calm voice and tell the dog "its ok" and if anything joke around telling it to come out from under the table.

Eventually dog will over come its its fear and ignore it.

My gang of 6, do not even open their eyes any more to the sound of fireworks, when initially would be shaking and hiding

[isanbirder]

Keep the dog with you; and don't let him go out in the evenings. You are his pack leader, and he looks to you to protect him.

I live next door to a temple, way out in the countryside. All the funerals for the neighbourhood are held there, and every time they shoot off loud rockets. My GSX runs to the most sheltered spot in the house; the toy poodle jumps on my lap and gets hugged until the noise is over.

I actually lost a dog in Chiangmai during a thunderstorm; he got out of the yard, and was never seen again. The same dog went spare when we had an earthquake. Luckily I had him on the lead. (A small mixed breed dog with me at the time took no notice whatsoever).

[daoyai]

Go Pavlov on his ass, hand him a treat when there is noise, he may then associate noise with treat, yea and stay close, love dogs.

[1FinickyOne]

I have one who also trembles in fear… she likes to hide in my office and under things… I pay her more attention during these periods and she likes if i pet her and let her sit under my feet if needed… she will eventually go lie in a corner though surely her fears persist. She can get upset with a thunderstorm too. Fortunately we do not have any prolonged fireworks celebrations here, but it only takes one to set her shaking.

Just try and weather it as well as you can. Take her out for her walks at the quietest times. i know this is not easy. Good luck.

[OneZero]

I thought I had read somewhere in the past that with some dogs it is not only fear but possibly a physical pain in their ears. Talk to a vet.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Take the animal to a vet, explain the problem and ask for some sedative medication.

No need t take the dog (as that can be a hassle), but do ask the Vet for some medication.

Fireworks, and similar sounds are the bane of many dogs, ours also. He would cower when ever there was a decent thunderstorm.

We never medicated him, but also we didn't have the same circumstances as the OP.

Good luck with it.

No decent vet would prescribe on that basis.

The vet needs to be assured of the weight and fitness of the animal prior to offering a prescription for sedative drugs

It would be a very convenient way to get some good meds.. don't even need a dog.

[meatboy]

we have a large moo-ban near us,some 300houses and every yr.you get them riding round looking for their pets,ask them how they got lost?

answer WE WERNT AT HOME.

[elektrified]

Our Schnauzer, who has long since passed on, was terrified of Loy Krathong! She would shiver and cry and if we weren't home she would crawl under a shrub and push her face against the soil, eyes closed. Inside the house when we were home she still shivered at every sound.

[arunsakda]

Mom's dog freaked out on a July 4 from fireworks. Small town Colorado. Somehow got out and was hit by a truck and killed.

Then a letter blaming her was sent to a local rag and printed.

She got hate mail.

#whitepeopleproblems

Edited November 7, 2015 by arunsakda

[Chiengmaijoe]

Our Schnauzer, who has long since passed on, was terrified of Loy Krathong! She would shiver and cry and if we weren't home she would crawl under a shrub and push her face against the soil, eyes closed. Inside the house when we were home she still shivered at every sound.

Unfortunately, in the area I live some fireworks are let off about ten days before the main days and for a few days after. The kids of the Night bazaar traders are playing with firecrackers already! I'll do my best to try and get him used to it. Obviously, with it going on so long, sedatives aren't feasible, so maybe I've got to be inventive and create my own mini-muffs? It is sad seeing him in so much distress.

[JAS21]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

The best thing about posting a new topic at this time of night is that you can get all the daft answers out of the way first!

Not all ... gently massage some tiger balm around his rear end ... he will forget all about the fireworks for quite some time ....

[sartoric]

You could try one of these www.thundershirt.com

One of our two dogs is terrified, the other couldn't careless less. You need to get the shirt on about an hour before the noise begins. It works by wrapping them tightly, makes them feel safe.

It's not a cure, but it does help her be less anxious.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

The best thing about posting a new topic at this time of night is that you can get all the daft answers out of the way first!

Not all ... gently massage some tiger balm around his rear end ... he will forget all about the fireworks for quite some time ....

Are you volunteering for that? I wouldn't want to go anywhere near JHolmesJr's rear end.

[fredge45]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

Macho man jerk!

[SundayAfternoon]

My dog runs under the stairs at ANY noise. Pulling tape of a cellotape reel!? So that's her safe spot during fireworks and if you have to go out. Make it comfortable for him/her and put the TV on slightly loud. This will help to block out some of the noise... I try a news channel with my dog because the human voices are continues and there's no long gaps in sound (like in a movie). I think it's somewhat comforting for dogs who are scared of fireworks and loud noises.

Some pople say ignore your dog and act like everything's normal to not exacerbate her fear, but I think just sitting with her and stroking her (if she's an indoor dog/pet) is the kindest response if the dog is as scared as mine about loud noises! Loi Krathong or NYs is not the night to start trying to desensitize/training her to not be scared.

She's lucky she has good/kind owner who cares about her welfare.

Edited November 9, 2015 by SundayAfternoon

[Nienke]

Staying home for and with your dog,
Go away with your dog for a few days to a quiet place, maybe a national park? (with thunder this becomes bit more difficult).

Keeping your dog inside the house close to you if the dog prefers that,
providing a small hiding area such as a travel crate. under a table, in the toilet, if the dog prefers that
staying calm yourself with relaxed heartbeat and breathing
showing calming signals, such as yawning, stretching, blinking, lip licking, etc.
Gently petting with long strikes over the dog's body and softly talking to your dog
Massage
TTouch
Dog Appeasing pheromones
calming herbs
Flower remedies
Bach flower remedies
some essential oils
certain types of music (when you google you can find music for dogs)
can all be helpful to dogs with anxiety issues, such as with thunder and/or firework.

Some dogs are noise sensitive due to a too slow working thyroid, called hypothyroidism, and will improve after treatment.
Other dogs benefit when fish oil is added to their meals

Some people advised the thunder shirt. Research has shown that a significant number of dogs benefited by the thunder shirt.

But before buying one for your dog it maybe worthwhile to try making one yourself first:

For severe cases there are anti-depressant and -anxiety medications on the market. Be careful with those, as some can be heavy on the liver or can give other adverse reactions. And it can take a while before the meds start fully working.

One thing that is absolutely NOT advisable is to sedate your dog with a medicine, often provided vets here, called Acepromazine (or Ace for short).
This medicine is a muscle relaxant, including the heart muscle. The dog looks relaxed, but he is FULLY aware of the things that is going on around him. Only this time he can not flee due to the medication. It can increase the fear big time, which I have seen in dogs.
The Dutch Animal Protection send out notices to their members each year, advising against giving this drug during the NY-celebration. Also on the net you can find vets advising against giving this drug. For example: http://www.drmartybecker.com/fear-free/2-things-pets-firework-fears/

With giving treats at the moment the thunder or firework starts, you have to be careful that you do not get the opposite effect: treats come out and the dog has learned this is the signal that bad news is going to happen.

And as someone very correctly stated before already, desensitizing and counter-conditioning a dog for his fear for thunder and/or fireworks should start, in fact, far before Loi Kratong and NY.
But for now you could try out DIY thunderwrap, stay home with your dog, maybe look into earmuffs, relaxation music, design a small area for your dog. Keep your dog on your lap (if possible).


Good luck to all who have pets that are fearful during fireworks and/or thunder. I feel for you and, especially your pet.

[Naam]

This dog needs to grow a pair....id take him out while fireworks are going on so he can see how silly he is being.

you mean of course that the dog realises how silly you are

[sartoric]

Staying home for and with your dog,

Go away with your dog for a few days to a quiet place, maybe a national park? (with thunder this becomes bit more difficult).

Keeping your dog inside the house close to you if the dog prefers that,

providing a small hiding area such as a travel crate. under a table, in the toilet, if the dog prefers that

staying calm yourself with relaxed heartbeat and breathing

showing calming signals, such as yawning, stretching, blinking, lip licking, etc.

Gently petting with long strikes over the dog's body and softly talking to your dog

Massage

TTouch

Dog Appeasing pheromones

calming herbs

Flower remedies

Bach flower remedies

some essential oils

certain types of music (when you google you can find music for dogs)

can all be helpful to dogs with anxiety issues, such as with thunder and/or firework.

Some dogs are noise sensitive due to a too slow working thyroid, called hypothyroidism, and will improve after treatment.

Other dogs benefit when fish oil is added to their meals

Some people advised the thunder shirt. Research has shown that a significant number of dogs benefited by the thunder shirt.

But before buying one for your dog it maybe worthwhile to try making one yourself first:

Thurndershirt DIY.jpg

For severe cases there are anti-depressant and -anxiety medications on the market. Be careful with those, as some can be heavy on the liver or can give other adverse reactions. And it can take a while before the meds start fully working.

One thing that is absolutely NOT advisable is to sedate your dog with a medicine, often provided vets here, called Acepromazine (or Ace for short).

This medicine is a muscle relaxant, including the heart muscle. The dog looks relaxed, but he is FULLY aware of the things that is going on around him. Only this time he can not flee due to the medication. It can increase the fear big time, which I have seen in dogs.

The Dutch Animal Protection send out notices to their members each year, advising against giving this drug during the NY-celebration. Also on the net you can find vets advising against giving this drug. For example: http://www.drmartybecker.com/fear-free/2-things-pets-firework-fears/

With giving treats at the moment the thunder or firework starts, you have to be careful that you do not get the opposite effect: treats come out and the dog has learned this is the signal that bad news is going to happen.

And as someone very correctly stated before already, desensitizing and counter-conditioning a dog for his fear for thunder and/or fireworks should start, in fact, far before Loi Kratong and NY.

But for now you could try out DIY thunderwrap, stay home with your dog, maybe look into earmuffs, relaxation music, design a small area for your dog. Keep your dog on your lap (if possible).

Good luck to all who have pets that are fearful during fireworks and/or thunder. I feel for you and, especially your pet.

Great post Nienke, my scared dog benefits from the thunder shirt.

The trick is to get it on early.