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Well, about one year to the date, Buddy ran away on the Fourth of July in fear of the "bombs bursting in air" and was missing for a few days, so I want to get some preperation before this year's fourth so the same doesn't happen again.
Tonight some impatient fourthers were shooting off fireworks and Buddy was making frantic attempts to come into the house. He got so stressed out that he wouldn't even eat his dinner. So I went outside with my clicker and a box of treats and petted him while waiting for the boom of a firework. Every time we heard fireworks I would click and give him treats and praise him before settling back down and waiting for the next one. After doing this for a while he got calmed down enough that he ate his dinner so that was good. After that I started just giving him treats when we heard a big head turning one and we stayed with that with me just petting him the whole time. I think the clicker/treats helped because he eventually stopped turning his head at most of the smaller ones. After an hour and a half of this (it's 11:00 p.m. right now haha) I finally needed to go in from tiredness so I tossed a treat and jumped in the door before he could turn around and sprint through the door (that part didn't change much ), and I went into the kitchen and got him a kong full of peanut butter so I hope that will help him through the night. He was still panting and couldn't hold still when I went in but that's better than when we started.
I currently have custard treats in the freezer for the third and fourth plus a frozen pan of fruits, veggies, and some chicken freezing, and my kong is at the ready. We also have frozen beef bones that we can give to him too that will last a while. Our plan is to put him in the kennel on the nights of the third and the fourth so he doesn't get loose and he'll be surrounded by treats such as I have described which will be his dinner without the usual grub (otherwise he will be a fat dog after the fourth ).
If you really can't have him in the house, then I think your plan is the best bet. Personally.. id sneak him in and suffer the consequence later - it might be worth reminding those 'in charge', that IF he causes an accident running scared of fireworks, legally they are liable for that (though if the kennel is secure that wont get him indoors I guess).
Im sure you will do the best you can but the very idea of leaving a scared dog out on a night when fireworks will be going off horrifies me (I realise this isnt something you are in control of, so please dont think im getting at you!).
I have been giving the dogs rescue remedy and Mimilus in their water for the past couple of days. We have had various fireworks going off around here for a couple of weeks now, combined with some thunderstorms. Mimilus is for fear of a specific known thing and is supposed to help with sound sensitivity. The dogs don't seem to be particularly fond of it though. I think they take issue with the brandy that it is preserved in. I can put the rescue remedy in their water and it doesn't phase them. It is the kind for pets and doesn't contain the brandy. When I add the mimilus though they don't tend to drink as much water in the house. They also have plain untreated water outside, and the other day Sky ate breakfast inside and then went outside to get a drink of water. (I'll take any tips Bach remedy users might have on this.)
I have been giving Sirius (and also Sky who could care less about all the noise but isn't about to pass on yummy treats being given out) small bits of smoked turkey breast and pork chops. I ran out of the small bits one night and decided to switch to a frozen chicken wing (normally a highly prized treat that I thought would be more distracting from the thunder and such because it requires more time and effort to eat.) Sirius wouldn't touch the chicken wing. She seems to need small bits of things that she can catch or chase and then come back for more. I haven't thought to add the clicker into the picture though. That might be something I should try.
Rather than just putting a bunch of stuff out in the kennel for Buddy, you might find that he does better with smaller bits of treats and having a person with him. I would tend to be in agreement with Emmabeth that he needs to be inside (windows closed assuming you have AC) during the fireworks. Of course, my dogs are basically inside dogs, so that isn't a big change for them (or other members of my family) to deal with.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
Actually last night we did have slight change in plan. Although the kennel is secure for Emmabeth who was wondering, my mom and I were talking about it and he does have a crate that we can bring into our rec room for him. Since he doesn't come inside (and also he will be sharing the room with two cats who have questionable fondness for dogs) we were thinking to put him in the crate with his bed and his treats in the rec room so the cats aren't at risk with their own fears and he'll be indoors. If not that based on responses here, I might also be able to put him in the kitchen so he can still move around without being through the rest of the house (because my mom and grandma don't want dog hair or a dog around the main house). However, since we won't be home we don't really have a family member who can stay with him and given that we're going an hour away from home to watch fireworks with family who might bring their dogs also, it would be impractical to bring him there and just might add even more stress due to so many stressors.
As for the treats, the custard treat I think would still work while I think taking the frozen pan-o-fruits/meats/veggies might be better for today looking at the weather outside . I was thinking to fill his kong with a lot of yummy treats and peanut butter since even last night with the fireworks going off he still dug right into that. Maybe a Dog-zert to lick at too? I think custard treats,a Dog-zert, and kong might be enough to get him through the third and fourth.
I wonder also if putting something with him that smells like me might help since I can't be there? I know our other dog Lucy loved getting things from my dad when he was in Iraq, and she would take them every where with her and go looking around the house for him she got so excited, and for days after that she's be a better mood with her 'Daddy's bandana'. Maybe putting in a towel or blanket that I've been carrying around all day might calm him a little because it smells like me?
My dog never used to be afraid of loud noises. We used to go and watch the fireworks. Neither thunder, gunshots, cannons or fireworks bothered him.
Until three or four years ago.
We went outside to watch the neighbor's fireworks and I realized that Ringo was shaking. I brought him inside and "worked" him to get him through.
I then bought a set of noise desentization cd's (thunder, fireworks and gunshots) and we work with them on and off throughout the year.
While he can tolerate the cd's being played at a very loud intensity (it took months to work up to that), and he will eat his food and take treats during the playing of the cd's, when it comes to the real fireworks, he is still scared.
Of course, it doesn't help that people around here start shooting them off two weeks before the 4th and for several weeks thereafter (at all hours of the day and night), making training/ desentization to them difficult.
Thank you for the idea of working with the clicker. I never thought of using it with fireworks.
During thunderstorms we now have a "storm party" thanx to the suggestion of someone here several years ago. We also go to the open door and "count" the times between the lightning and the thunder again, thanx to a suggestion from someone here.
Sorry for not remembering the names of the folks who gave those wonderful ideas.
Ringo really seems to appreciate the counting during storms. He will even get brave enough to go outside. Jars of baby food help immensely during the storm counting.
I was told that as some dogs age (Ringo is almost 13) they can become more sensitive to certain noises/ frequencies. I guess this is what happened with my brave boy.
Using medication for the prolonged and unpredictable nature of the fireworks around here isn't an option. His doctor said that if the medication is given after he becomes afraid it will only increase the anxiety, rather than decrease it. It's the paradoxical nature of the medication/ fear response.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has a dog that was previously not afraid of these noises and who has acquired a sensitivity to them.
Guess I need to take a trip to the store and get some marrow bones. Those seem to help him get through the fireworks shows that take place several miles from here, though I am still at a loss for the random fireworks from the neighbors.
Tonight the fireworks were loud and Buddy started chewing a hole through the screen door so we brought him inside in his crate, gave him some treats, turned the fans on high, and popped in some J.S. Bach classical music, and the last time I checked he was doing okay. Tonight the fireworks were worse and he was shaking, wining, clawing and standing up on the screen, before eventually beginning to try to bite his way throught the screen door to get into the house before we moved his crate into the living room and got him inside. He will DEFINITELY be in the house tomorrow night and the next
The drunks had been setting off the fireworks intermittantly over a period of about six hours.
Ringo was so distraught that he didn't want peanut butter after the first hour. He absolutely LOVES peanut butter. This is the first time in his life he has refused to eat or even be interested in food.
Tonight his stress got to the point where he wouldn't even sniff it.
Then, to make things even worse, about two hours after the fireworks stopped, we had a thunderstorm. Thankfully, he was brave enough to go outside between the end of the fireworks and the start of the storm, even though he was wary and scared.
The thunder and lightning have been occuring intermittantly over the past three hours.
Hopefully he'll lie on the bed with me and finally get some much needed rest.
Buddysmyboy, sounds like you have things worked out pretty well for Buddy.
Phoenix, you must live close to where I do. We don't necessairly have drunks putting off fireworks. We have a large population of immigrants (legal and otherwise) around here who put off fireworks for various unknown reasons throughout the year. Anything that goes "boom" explodes or flies is illegal in my state. Crazy thing is, these things are illegal in neighboring states as well, but.... neighboring states have laws where their fireworks vendors can't sell any of those types of things to residents of their own state, but can sell to anybody else, whether they are illegal in the other states or not.
Booming noises started around 7:30 last night and went on until sometime after 10 kind of sporatically. We were outside when the first ones went off. It had been being more like 8:30 the past several nights when people started putting fireworks off. Once inside, Sirius was doing some pacing, but didn't seem too bad. She seemed worse during the thunderstorm last night. It woke me up and I heard her panting, but she apparently spent the majority of the storm seeking comfort from my husband.
Phoenix, you might also try some Rock Rose from the Bach remedies for your dog. We have used that some with Sirius when she was panting like crazy, trembling, drooling, and pacing. We also have a thundershirt which has helped. A child's t shirt or tank top that is a snug fit on your dog can help too. I altered the one's that I put on my dog by taking a portion out of the chest area and adding it back into the back area. That seemed to make the armholes line up better with the dog's legs.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
Fireworks are illegal in my state, too. But that doesn't stop people from getting them.
Heck, I live three blocks from the police station. They don't care unless someone blows off a hand or sets a house on fire, and they certainly don't bother the people at the bar next door.
<Sigh.>
We had a few quiet hours. The thunder and the rain had stopped. I was able to make a run to the store to get some marrow bones (I bought four packages of the biggest bones they had - 2 bones/ package).
Now the idiots are out there shooting off the firecrackers.
I hadn't planned on giving Ringo one of the bones until later, but the firecrackers upset him.
Thankfully he is happily gnawing on one right now, so he could care less about the firecrackers.
At least I have enough bones to get us through the next few days.
The only rule is that he has to stay in the kitchen with it until it's "clean" enough to be brought onto the rug. It's much easier to clean the linoleum. He just tried to bring his bone out of the kitchen to lie near me and gnaw on it but I sent him back into the kitchen to "clean" it some more.
It's so adorable to see him enjoying his bone.
Certainly much better than the stressed out pup he was last night and a little while ago.
Since my kitchen is small and crowded, I didn't think of sitting in there until the bone was appropriate for him to bring into the carpeted area.
Today started well. I brushed and massaged Ringo for almost two hours, though not nearly long enough on the massage and belly rubs if you were to ask him.
As I was making lunch Ringo went into the bathroom. Something he never does unless it's teeth brushing or bath time.
He then came into the kitchen and stared at the refrigerator (though he does this when he knows there is something in there for him). I guess he was telling me he NEEDED what was in there, not just that he wanted it.
And then I heard the noise.
Yes, at 2:00 the fireworks started.
Thankfully I was able to get the bone to him before his anxiety got so high that he was too distressed.
Wow 2:00!? So far it has been quiet here. I am wondering how late I can push taking Sirius out for a potty walk without encountering fireworks going off while I am out with her. I'm aiming for 6, but if they go off before then, any pottying is likely done for.
I just finished cutting up and putting 3 pounds worth of freshly smoked chicken breast into the freezer for later. Not that I plan on giving the dogs 3 pounds of chicken breast tonight. I'm hoping to get by with roughly one breast per dog.
Maybe I should take her now and then again at 6....I'll be back.
Edited to add: She didn't go off of the property but did take care of business. We went into the fenced portion of the yard afterwards for a little while, and something did go boom, and she paced a little in the yard, but didn't head to the door as she normally would have. We will try another potty outing at 6 if things are still pretty quiet.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
Just as I was out with Ringo (it wasn't dark enough for the planned fireworks displays to have started) a neighbor, two doors down, started setting off the noisy type of fireworks (those that have no visual qualities). It also brought a few not so nice words flowing out of me.
That pretty much ruined "out" for a while.
By the time we got upstairs Ringo was panting heavily, though he ate his dinner.
Make that gulped.
I looked at the Thundershirts online this afternoon. I don't have one, but I wondered if using the adjustable back support like those worn by the employees at Home Depot might work.
I put it on Ringo. He's a good sport. I can have him try new things like that and he doesn't fuss.
I don't know if it was the wrap, or the fact I was massaging him as he lay pressed against me, but after a half hour he calmed down. During that half hour was the fireworks display by the neighboring town and the finale was pretty big, and loud.
Ringo is now chewing one of his bones. I won't attempt to take him out for a few hours, unless he indicates he has to go.
After reading another post about "custard" for dogs stuffed into the now cleaned bones, I think I am going to make up several varieties. I have numerous bones around here and I can use them for all kinds of occasions.
I hope all of the dogs who are fearful of the noises associated with this holiday are doing ok.
), and I went into the kitchen and got him a kong full of peanut butter so I hope that will help him through the night. He was still panting and couldn't hold still when I went in but that's better than when we started. 
). 
. I was thinking to fill his kong with a lot of yummy treats and peanut butter since even last night with the fireworks going off he still dug right into that. Maybe a Dog-zert to lick at too? I think custard treats,a Dog-zert, and kong might be enough to get him through the third and fourth.
