# Loud Bangs



## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

When are those big bangs going to stop. They are upsetting us.
Mum bought us things called thunder shirts they help a bit but please big loud bangs go away.
Whoops upside down that don't help x


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Don't worry poppy and boycie, not long now and then hopefully no more until new year! 
I'm just so glad Molly and Sid don't mind all the fireworks and big bangs. We live in lewes and have just had one of the biggest bonfire nights around. With 5 bonfire society's all going in one night! 
I was dreading it as with bonfire night slowly approaching the slightest bang and they would be away barking,but on the big night they were as calm as anything. 
yay! Maybe some soothing music or earplugs are what you need,not forgetting lots of cuddles.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

Someone there needs to start social events for dog people on these crazy bonfire nights, held in soundproof rooms with soothing music and lots of distracting games.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Barney just barked at the odd loud bang, fortunately no shaking and hiding in a basket, like my last dog! At least it seems that the fireworks are confined to only 2 or 3 nights - not like in 'ye olden days' when they started _weeks_ before bonfire night 

Hope the bangs didnt send your pups upside down Christine?


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

Poppy used to be ok but this year she has been really trembling hiding under the table. Boycie has always been nervous of them but he just comes over and sits close to you. He was only ten weeks old when he experienced his first firework night. Bought them thunder shirts this year and they have relaxed them and they even go to sleep.
Problem is they won't go out and toilet on their own so I take them in the garden on the lead but they won't do the business. For the first time since I have had them I am up in the night.
It started whilst out walking during the day a volley of fireworks went off in a garden just as we were walking past. It was so unexpected it made all three of us jump. They are ok with thunder and lightening.
Hopefully we shall soon get back to normal routine.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

I do wish they would restrict the sale of them, if not banning them for home use completely (and to be honest we did used to enjoy having a few in the garden) then only be allowed to sell up to a certain strength/power - the loud ones seem ridiculously loud now, Dudley hates them, he does not shake with fear but runs around with stress barking - I did put him the the crate for a while, sadly he does not see it as a safe place when the bangs are going on but it made it a little less stressful for us than having him running around, of course we get stressed worrying about the neighbours. 
I tried a thundershirt on him for the first time this year, sadly not much help, it does seem to relax him faster when there are no fireworks around! but that is not what I was hoping for! 
For the second year running we have found the best thing to do on the sat when there is a local display and lots of people have firework 'do's' is to go out, we go to a dog friendly pub/restaurant and spend most of the evening there, think we will have to go out a few nights running next time! was a bit of a worry when he still heard a couple of bangs even there and barked, but at least it was only a couple. leaving we met a lady with a border terrier in the car park who had just arrived after driving around trying to avoid the worst of it in her town. Perhaps a few of us could find a very remote cottage to rent for a few days next year to get away from it all!


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

Janey153 said:


> Barney just barked at the odd loud bang, fortunately no shaking and hiding in a basket, like my last dog! At least it seems that the fireworks are confined to only 2 or 3 nights - not like in 'ye olden days' when they started _weeks_ before bonfire night
> 
> Hope the bangs didnt send your pups upside down Christine?


No dogs are not upside down always happens with photos taken on iPad.
Don't know how to rectify it.
We had thick fog here on the 5th waste of time for fireworks that night so it has dragged on into the weekend.
I have the television on as loud as I can get away with but their hearing is so good.


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

DB1 said:


> I do wish they would restrict the sale of them, if not banning them for home use completely (and to be honest we did used to enjoy having a few in the garden) then only be allowed to sell up to a certain strength/power - the loud ones seem ridiculously loud now, Dudley hates them, he does not shake with fear but runs around with stress barking - I did put him the the crate for a while, sadly he does not see it as a safe place when the bangs are going on but it made it a little less stressful for us than having him running around, of course we get stressed worrying about the neighbours.
> I tried a thundershirt on him for the first time this year, sadly not much help, it does seem to relax him faster when there are no fireworks around! but that is not what I was hoping for!
> For the second year running we have found the best thing to do on the sat when there is a local display and lots of people have firework 'do's' is to go out, we go to a dog friendly pub/restaurant and spend most of the evening there, think we will have to go out a few nights running next time! was a bit of a worry when he still heard a couple of bangs even there and barked, but at least it was only a couple. leaving we met a lady with a border terrier in the car park who had just arrived after driving around trying to avoid the worst of it in her town. Perhaps a few of us could find a very remote cottage to rent for a few days next year to get away from it all!


Poor Dudley at least mine don't bark its tail and head down and staying close to me. It's a pain when in the kitchen having two dogs pressed up against you but with the shirts on they just hover close by.
You are right all the fireworks seem to have constant loud bangs that seem to go on forever. What has happened to all the colourful ones.
The downside is Poppy has started to look anxious when a car door shuts or when my neighbour shuts their front door sorry I should say slams the door.
She also looked wary when a neighbour was having a patio laid this week in fact she has started to jump at any sudden noise.
I signed an on line petition early on in the year to stop the sale of fireworks to the public.
Dog friendly pub sounds a good idea.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

I wish they would be banned apart from organised displays too  you just have no idea what nights they are going to be going on, which direction and how late into the night. If it was one night we could go out into the country and just not come home until they were over but as it is we have been under house arrest with loud tv and music for days.

Molly wears either a thundershirt or tshirt and is a little more relaxed like that. We have done a mixture of games to keep busy and treats every time a bang goes off (a lot of treats ) Chance is really not bothered by them but enjoys the extra treats 

We did do posing and playing on physio stuff one evening which both of them enjoyed


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

2ndhandgal said:


> I wish they would be banned apart from organised displays too  you just have no idea what nights they are going to be going on, which direction and how late into the night. If it was one night we could go out into the country and just not come home until they were over but as it is we have been under house arrest with loud tv and music for days.
> 
> Molly wears either a thundershirt or tshirt and is a little more relaxed like that. We have done a mixture of games to keep busy and treats every time a bang goes off (a lot of treats ) Chance is really not bothered by them but enjoys the extra treats
> 
> We did do posing and playing on physio stuff one evening which both of them enjoyed


That is the problem you don't know when they are going to go off.
I was on the field with the dogs a couple of days ago at three in the afternoon.
Dogs were running around off lead all of a sudden firework goes off some distance away. Poppy was off tail between legs fortunately she stopped some distance away I turned and walked in opposite direction and she followed. 
Dropped the leads which is a signal for treat and lead on she came over as usual thank goodness. I did think she was going to bolt home across two roads side roads but can be busy as near two schools. Lead walks for now in the afternoon.
I am no killjoy love the organised displays our council has a really good one but can't leave the dogs so don't go anymore.


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

What are all the fireworks and bon fires in celebration of?


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Had a similar thing happen yesterday, had gone out for what I had planned to be a long walk to tire him out but at about 2pm after about half an hour walk there was a loud bang where some kids had let off a firework - Dudley was very near me and froze for a moment, I grabbed him then as I couldn't be sure he wouldn't take off and bolt home - that would mean crossing roads - so we then headed back home with him on the lead and there were more bangs so he pulled like mad all the way home - its so stupid now that school children are not allowed to play conkers in the playground yet teenagers can buy fireworks to set off wherever and whenever they like. 
many years ago (a better historian than me could give dates), a man called Guy Falkes planned a gunpowder plot which was mean to destroy the houses of parliament in London, he was stopped and Guy Falkes night has been celbrated for years, to celebrate his failure. Sometimes at displays there is a 'Guy' on the Bonfire - a made up 'man', years ago kids used to make their own guys and sit on street corners asking for a 'penny for the guy' and get money, that seems to have died out now. The official date is Nov 5th but of course the big displays are usually the saturday and then people have their own fireworks in back gardens, also around this time are the Divali celebrations, then people set them off at New Year too.


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## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Just looked up the date and it was 1605 so somewhat steeped in history although these days totally abused and people just let off fireworks for weeks around this date. 

I had a dog almost bolt many years ago when someone set off a firework in the park in the middle of the day


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

In Lewes it is further confused by a memorial to the 17 protestant martyrs that were burnt at the stake during the Marian Persecutions - hence burning of 17 crosses, and burning of effigies, in addition to Guy Fawkes - the Pope and various others - this year nearly naked David Cameron and Jeremy Clarkson and Sepp Blatter to name a few ...

Unsurprisingly wimpy Kiki is not keen on fireworks. Inzi's response to fireworks is to charge around the house violently shaking a toy. The combination of exploding sky and manic Inzi makes Dot bark and bounce. Inzi being manic and Dot being well, Dot, further convinces Kiki that the world is about to end. Any amount of volume on multiple televisions/radios/computers does not block out the noise or stop Inzi reacting. If nothing else happens Kiki squeezes herself behind the toilet in the little loo and by the end of a display is a gibbering wreck.
However if I bake some succulent chicken breast or liver cake and chop it up when it is nice and warm and when the bangs start wander nonchalantly into the kitchen and get out my clicker and do a bit of training Inzi and Dot are right there and Kiki cannot bear to miss out on food and will come and join in, unless the bangs are right overhead. When Nige wants to do fireworks with the kids in the garden I put the dogs in the car and take them out for a drive. Kiki doesn't seem bothered at all if fireworks go off when we are in transit...
Incidentally she doesn't really mind fireworks on the telly or you tube, she might bark at them but she does not become a gibbering wreck. 

This year we have had near neighbours who have had parties on Thursday, Friday and last night - I think taking it in turns 
Last night even liver cake could not distract Kiki from the awfulness of the bangs - however I dug out the laser pointer (which I had banned because it makes her too hyper) and immediately she cared not at all about the exploding sky. She was manic - but at least happy manic.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

Marzi, your house makes mine sound positively peaceful!!


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

DB1 said:


> Marzi, your house makes mine sound positively peaceful!!


Fireworks nights are one time (or several times ) when living in a multiple dog household is not so great as they definitely feed off each other's nervous energy ... the house at the back of us have just been letting off more of the wretched things - rocket sticks were hailing down on our patio - not only the dogs jumping as a result 
I honestly think if Inzi was not so reactive the other two would not bother to get worked up.


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## erinafare (Dec 9, 2012)

DB1 said:


> Marzi, your house makes mine sound positively peaceful!!


Last night not too bad a few fireworks but not close to us. 
I tried a different tactic no thunder shirts and ignored the dogs.
Poppy went and hid behind the curtain well she thought she was hidden but you could clearly see her. Boycie just sat on sofa bolt upright.
I pottered about doing things they normally see me doing of course I was watching out of the corner of my eye.
Sat down to watch strictly they both came on the sofa Boycie next to me and Poppy at the end. When a firework went off I deliberately did not look at them. They gradually laid down and went to sleep. I went to the kitchen made a cup of tea both still asleep. Last firework went off at 11-30.
Can't remember who it was but a dog behaviourist said not too make a fuss of them as that stokes up the fear. 
Hopefully last night was the last until Christmas and New Year.
Here's to peaceful evenings.


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## DB1 (Jan 20, 2012)

erinafare said:


> Last night not too bad a few fireworks but not close to us.
> I tried a different tactic no thunder shirts and ignored the dogs.
> Poppy went and hid behind the curtain well she thought she was hidden but you could clearly see her. Boycie just sat on sofa bolt upright.
> I pottered about doing things they normally see me doing of course I was watching out of the corner of my eye.
> ...


Lets hope so, sadly the not reacting and doing other stuff does not work with Dudley - he is pretty reactive over them so it makes no difference to him what i am doing, when he hears the bangs he reacts. so far quiet tonight, first time for nearly a week so i hope that's it now.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

It's hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of a dog loving nation having such lax laws which allow the terrorization of dogs. Why don't all the dog people band together and revolt?


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

My trainer said that rather than ignoring them if they were afraid, we should simply comfort them, stroke them, as we might do with babies that were scared of something.


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## Lindor (Feb 3, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> My trainer said that rather than ignoring them if they were afraid, we should simply comfort them, stroke them, as we might do with babies that were scared of something.


That's the first I heard of a trainer recommending that. The act of stroking them would only be rewarding them for the behavior of being afraid.


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I think she saw it as a comfort rather than rewarding their fears. I don't believe she meant that we should rush to them instantly and not let them go, but more a gentle stroke if they're nearby, in a "there there, it's ok " kind of way.


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## fairlie (Sep 7, 2013)

We have an isolated bathroom in the basement where I take Zorbie during thunderstorms when possible. I don't fuss him, but I do sit next to him on the floor and read, in a kind of "I hate the noise too, but we'll cope" way. He is getting better and will fall asleep next to me now.


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## Marzi (Sep 17, 2012)

If Kiki comes and settles by me even in her panty hyper state I try my estimation of T touch on her and she will sometimes relax and eventually put her head down and close her gaping mouth and bug eyes. I don't talk to her, but I definitely am offering comfort. What I don't do is call her her going 'oh you poor little doggywoggy'


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Bless our little furbabies  :ilmc:


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Reading everyone's post I'm beginning to think I've got two abnormal poos, both don't really care about the loud bangs. They might bark occasionally but it's what I call a fun bark not fearful! They also went out for a walk and didn't even batter an eyelid


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Such brave poos! Barney tended to grumble, growl and bark but fortunately there werent too many of them. I used to have a yorkie who would hide in my knitting basket every firework night


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> Such brave poos! Barney tended to grumble, growl and bark but fortunately there werent too many of them. I used to have a yorkie who would hide in my knitting basket every firework night


Ha ha how sweet, some how I can't imagine you knitting Lou how do you manage it with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other?


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

Goosey said:


> Ha ha how sweet, some how I can't imagine you knitting Lou how do you manage it with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of wine in the other?


Ive got 2 feet you know!  x


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

Janey153 said:


> Ive got 2 feet you know!  x


I'm assuming that's to do the knitting with not the smoking and drinking  x


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## Janey153 (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm ambidextrous 😉x


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