Your Lab & Fireworks Night..A Few Helpful Tips

ladyj · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:21 am Post subject: re labs and fireworks

re message from kayc i totally agree with her on her comments re labs and fireworks, i have found over the years that labs are particularly sensitive to how we as human react to situations and because we quite naturally show concern for our animals during the firework period i do think we can run the risk of transfering our anxiety to our dogs especially labradors i have seen a prime example of this with a member of my family ,he has a 7 year old lab who Mad

is absoutely petrified of fireworks made 100 times worse by the fact that my brother in law becomes totally paranoid at this time of the year and the labs whole routine totally changes ie radio suddenly left on, lights left on, keeps lab by his side at all times all of which i personally feel has made the dog a trembling mess at this time of year which probably could of been avoided. hope this doesn't sound overly pompous it really is'nt meant to but over the years this has caused many heated discussions within our family!

kayc · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:28 pm Post subject:

The most vulnerable time of a puppies life is between 8 and 12 weeks, this is usually the time of homing as well. The stress of being removed from litter mate, mum, comforting smells, noises and general surroundings is tremendous. We then shut it away for another 4 weeks until vaccinations and then maybe another week just to make sure. By the time the puppy is 13 to 14 weeks it has been in a warm safe cocoon. Then what do we do? We shove a collar and lead on it and exect it to ignore all and sundry. It panics. We lift it, mollycoddle it and teach it that noises are bad. The puppy senses through our body and our voices that all is not right and the world is a big bad scary place. We are then left with a quivering wreck. My puppies are taken out in my arms from 7 weeks old and introduced to all the sounds, people, heavy traffic, just about everything except other dogs, and carried everywhere I go. By the time it has has its vacs. it is well socialised and ready to explore. Puppies and owners can then enjoy life and not have the concerns about thunder & lightening, fireworks or juggernaught.

My dogs love life, and are so laid back they fall over
Me too Very Happy

Kay

jonothan

[quote:a9783db35e="Bradleysmum"]P.S How do your lab's get on with fireworks night?[/quote:a9783db35e]

Amy is very sanguine about fireworks. She sits and watches them with detached interest. Bangs and flashes don't seem to bother her at all. Maybe that's the gundog in her? Smile

Jonothan

Paddylab · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:51 am Post subject:

Paddy is cool about fireworks and most other noises, he has been around guns since he was a few months old. We introduced him slowly to shotguns etc by standing a field or so away from the shooting and gradually taking him closer until he was right next to the guns.

He now loves a day out on the shoot but he is still under training for retrieving etc. He enjoys the social occasion of being around lots of other dogs and swimming in the ponds. he learns a lot from being around older, steady dogs.

If your dog is nervous of noises, it's only right to protect them from fireworks etc. but try to get them used to noises for the future.

do it slowly and gradually but don't overprotect them.

Jessie · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 10:30 pm Post subject:

Jessie is 15 weeks and has shown absolutely no interest in all the fireowrks over the last week or so.

My Vet suggested when she was microchipped a few weeks ago that if I make no fuss about the noises then she would probably follow my lead and do the same. He said that if she still seemed a bit twitchy not to make a fuss of her at all, but maybe slip her a treat if she was still being quiet and well bahaved, then she would associate the noise with a good experience, but I haven't had to do this as she has been completely unbothered by it all.

Next door but one has just had a firework display in their garden and we have been out in our garden with Jess and she has completely ignored it, apart from the odd look up at the sky to see the lights Laughing

kanesdad · Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 9:52 am Post subject:

[quote:6057b23b1c]This will be Kane's first fireworks night but I don't think he is going to cope too well with the noise.
[/quote:6057b23b1c]

How wrong I was. The noise has been building up gradually for the last week. Kane was a bit nervous the first couple of nights. Confidence growing nightly. Last night it sounded like a battle ground. He was fine wanting to go out & do his business under enemy fire without even flinching.

I did say he might surprise me..... Cool

bradleysmum · Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 12:00 pm Post subject:

Hi Brian,

He's one cool dog your Kane, glad all went ok for him during the firework battle ground. Wink

Bradleysmum