enough is enough now

since when did bonfire night become bonfire fortnight??after buying thundershirts,different calming sprays,keeping the telly up loud and the curtains closed,im now at my wits end what to do with sash.yet again we've got fireworks going off and i got a unhappy stressed out girl.she has'nt even eaten her dinner tonight,whilst out walking earlier she jumped out her skin at every noise she heard,she's totally gone to bits i know it's too late now but what would the vet give her(i'm thinking for new year and next season's fireworks).sorry to rant on but its horrible to see her like this,she's so happy normally

Oh I'm so sorry to hear how upset she gets, I feel rotten now cos I just posted that it's really quiet here tonight. Even though Dex isn't too bad with them can still see a difference. I wish I could ban them I really do. Give Sasha a love from me, poor little lady ><

They are so noisy around here too again tonight, Rocky has been good using the DAP spray for him on his blanket which has helped to calm him. Not too sure what else there is to suggest really.

you just have to let them get on with dont love whatever you do it make them worse

poor Sash , hugs from Tilly and Tommy ><

In the past the vet would have given valium - that's the only thing I could get for my firework-terrified dog 30 years ago.

But now, I think there is something called Adaptil (? not sure). I don't know much (if anything) about it because touch wood I haven't needed to. But I'll bet a lot of people on this site more knowledgeable than me can advise you.

And yes, "Bonfire Fortnight" and more lately "Christmas/New Year let's let off fireworks Fortnight" is a pain.

It's hard but carry on as normal, they will pick up on ur stresses, with mine, I turn the tv up, if they moan / cry / bark I basically say 'shhh!!!' and that's it.

Other than that, little u can do beyond thundershirts n sprays. And also don't walk ur dog after 4.30pm. There's always some muppet letting them off early !

Yeah, besides medication kinds of things, there's not much you can do but carry on as normal and let them get on with it. Shame though poor Sasha.

Yes, I'll second (third?) what Steve and Jackieb say about not fussing the dog when a bang goes off, otherwise it will pick up on omg my mum/dad is scared too, it must be something awful. This is the mistake I made with my firework/thunder-terrified dog; I tried to reassure her (cuddles etc) when she was cowering in a corner and it didn't help her one bit. (To be fair to that dog, it started when she was boarded for 2 weeks whilst we went on holiday at a kennels next to an army firing range - double stress - which I still feel guilty about).

We use the DAP Adaptil spray on Rocky's blanket and it does appear to work on calming him down, we also use it in the car on longer journeys too.

This is a good price and free delivery:

http://www.medicanimal.com/setSessionLocale/product?product_id=103098&newLocale=en_GB&gclid=CN7zsLGgu7MCFefMtAodMg4A5Q

I use Adaptil spray and put rescue remedy in Ledgers water, to be honest he hasn't been as bad as I expected this year but then I've been better at pretending to ignore him

Saturday night he wasn't great but we were at my parents and he and their dog had been out in the conservatory when I spotted Ledger shaking under a chair as I let them back in I could hear an odd bang only when I opened the door but the 'puppy farm' over the road their dogs were going crazy (live outside). I went to bed early and could still hear the dogs barking but Ledger just lay cwtched up to me admittedly under the duvet for the whole night but he's taken to doing that and tucking in close to me since I got back off holiday the other week.

Do have a word with your vet, mine have a desensitisation DVD that you can borrow for fireworks/thunderstorms/gunshot you start playing it quietly and over time increase the volume honestly Ledger just looked with interest at the TV while it played through even on the loudest but still reacted to the real thing and also fireworks on TV adverts but I guess it must work for other dogs

again, another topic i agree with, fireworks have been going off since friday evening. it's absolutely ridiculous! it's my dogs first bonfire night and he coped quite well, i stayed in all weekend like but i couldn't go out, all i would do is think of him terrified at home in his cage alone not knowing what the hell was going on.

just when you think its safe to go out...... got woken up at 5pm (I'm on nights) with fireworks going off outside the house and Ledger running back and forth in a panic I'm now torn as I was going to a party/display on Saturday but now feeling guilty as I would be leaving Ledger at home where more could go off here or take him to my parents where he will be in earshot of the event I'm going to

jshrew wrote: I was going to a party/display on Saturday but now feeling guilty as I would be leaving Ledger at home where more could go off here or take him to my parents where he will be in earshot of the event I'm going to

OMG does that mean that there will MORE fireworks this coming weekend? If so, Bonfire Fortnight is turning into Bonfire 3 Weeks".

How's it near you this eve Stella? Hope Sasha more settled.

Jules, this is the awful thing isn't it it's so disruptive to so many people. I haven't stopped whinging about them this year but it gets my goat more and more everytime nov comes round. I didn't like them as a kid either, never have.

new Staffy owner wrote:

jshrew wrote: I was going to a party/display on Saturday but now feeling guilty as I would be leaving Ledger at home where more could go off here or take him to my parents where he will be in earshot of the event I'm going to

OMG does that mean that there will MORE fireworks this coming weekend? If so, Bonfire Fortnight is turning into Bonfire 3 Weeks".

The one I'm going to was planned as an adult party and they always pick a different weekend so people with kids can do the main family displays which made sense until I got Ledger but I guess it wouldn't be so much of a problem if it was just weekends its the kids in the street that are the problem as they set them off so close to houses (and cars as I found out the other year)

OK thanks Jules, I understand. It does stretch the whole thing out even further though doesn't it, to the detriment of our animals.

Kids in the street have always been a problem, and it starts when fireworks first go on sale (approx 2 weeks before "the night"). They USED to run out money quite early on, but these days kids have so much money I guess they can just keep on. It IS illegal to chuck them about in the street though.

got my happy girl back tonight ,glad to say things are a lot quieter tonight,just the odd one going off,but no big bangs,lets hope the worst is over ,thanks all for your suggestions and advise

Glad to hear things were more normal last night

Fireworks are illegal here, I'm in Tasmania, Australia. You have to have a permit to set them off. We sometimes have them for events but its illegal to set them off without a permit. We dont have them very much, I'v never had experience with a dog & fireworks though

Grrr its like they wait for me to take him out!!!! On nights so long walks in daylight is not possible it seems that as soon as we go out we get as far as the park a firework goes off and Ledger sits down and pulls to go straight back home. I was lucky last night about 8.30pm it had all gone quiet just hope it will be the same tonight