OMG! My dog is going nuts! Fireworks and your dog.
Lesley Harlan
Are you dreading the 4th of July because of the trama it causes to your dog? Well you’re not alone!
People who have seen their otherwise good dogs cower in fear at the thunderous claps or whistling sounds that accompany modern pyrotechnics will probably not be surprised to know that about 45 percent of dogs have a fireworks phobia, according to a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
*Maverick was very frightened by the booms. We had to leave the tv on - full volume - to try and drown out the booms. 😢
*YES, Lily is VERY upset by the fireworks! Growing up we had a dog who only found comfort in the bathtub during the fourth of July. Lily also likes to find tiny tucked away places like the closet. I think it's the wolf/den mentality. She also shakes and walks around in distress. It's upsetting I can't help her ;(
*Hank was never bothered by the 4th of July fireworks (he would sleep through them) until he was about 9 or 10. Then it became really awful! At the sound of the first small boom he would run in the house and try to hide under my desk. Emoji He was SO big that he pulled out cords and knocked things over trying to get into tiny spaces, corners, anywhere that might give him shelter. We tried giving him a room alone but the ONLY place where he found comfort was on my son's bed in our detached cottage (garage). We never let Hank on our bed but my son did so I think that's why! He would shake ALL night and be so worn out in the morning. I should also say that we resorted to giving him tranquilizers from the vet, but it took a year to figure out when (how early in the day) and how much to give him and I never liked doing that. He never had enough to knock him out just enough to try to calm him a little. I think if he were still around today I would try a CBD or maybe they have something better now for dogs!
*I'm afraid I won't be able to provide any anecdotes as Steinway doesn't seem at all sensitive to or bothered by the pops and blasts. Steinway has become like an old man with a cane: slow, deliberate, a bit suspicious and his most coveted solace is his surrender to sleep. He sleeps and sleeps and sleeps - often until 10:00 in the morning! So I'm afraid that I can't come up with any tales of Steinway made anxious by the intermittent blasts.
*Nothing to report from Maggie. She has zero issues with the fireworks, thankfully!
Ears back. Body trembling. Hiding in the bathtub or crawling under the bed. The telltale signs of a scared pup are familiar to dog owners, and they’re especially common in summer, when fireworks and thunderstorms can heighten dogs’ anxiety levels. But while the sight of a sparkler sends some dog tail-tucked and running, others remain unfazed by booms and bangs.
To sort out this canine confusion, dog researchers around the world are investigating what makes dogs react to sounds with fear. Better understanding canid fear behaviors could improve dogs’ quality of life and even help to explain human fear responses.
The sound of fear . . .
Dogs are known for their olfactory prowess, but sound also dictates their experience of the world. Dogs hear more than twice as many frequencies as humans, and they can also hear sounds roughly four times further away.
Reacting to every sound would demand too much energy, and so dog brains must determine which sounds are significant and which can be tuned out. This “auditory flexibility” is especially important for working dogs; for example, lives depend on the ability of military dogs and detection dogs to remain calm despite the loud sounds and explosions they may encounter.
On the other hand, evolution has trained most animals, including dogs, that avoiding a perceived threat is worth it for overall survival, even if, as in the case of fireworks, the threat doesn’t end up being real. “From a biological perspective, it pays to err on the side of running away even when it’s not necessary. So why does my dog have a tendency to be anxious? Well that’s a normal trait,” says Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavioral medicine at The University of Lincoln in England.
Stress genetics:
Dogs that have little to no negative associations with loud sounds can still be found cowering during a storm, while others who had a scary early experience can learn, often through counterconditioning and desensitization, to overcome the fright. One explanation for this can be found in temperament. Unlike personality and mood, which are more fluid emotional states, temperament is a deeper, more hardwired system affected by genetics and early development. Temperament is shaped by epigenetics, or the way an animal’s genes are influenced by external factors, and this can play a significant role in the dogs’ inherent predisposition to stress, anxiety and fear.
For example, studies in humans and animals show that mothers who experience high levels of stress during pregnancy can pass on a propensity for anxiety to their young via the stress hormone cortisol. When signaled by a stress-inducing event, the brain’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) becomes active and produces cortisol, which then travels throughout the body keeping an individual on “high alert.” High cortisol levels in the mother’s bloodstream have subsequent negative effects on the developing baby, or in this case, puppy.
Preparing in advance:
Make sure your pets – cats and dogs alike – have identification tags with up-to-date information.
If your pets aren’t already microchipped, talk with your veterinarian about microchipping. This simple procedure can greatly improve your chances of getting your pets back if they become lost. If your pets are microchipped, make sure your contact information in the microchip registry is up-to-date. Take a current photo of all of your cats, dogs and horses – just in case.
If your pet has historically been anxious on this holiday, or if you have reason to expect potentially harmful reactions, consider behavioral therapy to desensitize your pet and reduce the risk of problems. Some pets may need medication. Consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist.
Make sure the environment is safe and secure. If your neighbors set off fireworks at an unexpected time, is your yard secure enough to keep your pet contained? Evaluate your options, and choose the safest area for your animals; and make improvements if needed to make the area more secure.
Talk to your vet about solutions. There is also CBD available.
It’s not too late to help your pup relax through the Fourth and beyond!
Sources and read more here:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/firework-fear-why-your-dog-does-or-doesnt-react-and-how-you-should-180975182/
https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/july-4-safety