Some people will crate their dogs during thunderstorms or when fireworks displays start. What can you or someone else recommend as an alternative, especially since I'm a bit averse to medicating a dog when I don't feel it's absolutely necessary.

On the topic of noise... One of the things that bothers me the most is people that bring dogs to parades.

Parades are for people not for dogs! Leave your dogs at home!

I understand the intention: The family is camping out on the parade route with chairs and a cooler filled with food and drinks. Family is coming along, why not Fido?

The trucks passing by, the police sirens, the sound systems, the bands... It's a lot for my ears, much less a dog's ears!

You want family time with your dog? Try the dog park.

KP-
Did you coin the term "geriatric thunderstorm anxiety"?

On the flip side, the dog I had as a kid was freaked out by thunder. Then when he got old he lost his hearing and didn't care anymore!

My current dog doesn't seem noise-phobic in most circumstances but she gets very nervous during thunderstorms. (Sorry Jaclyn, but she walked in a parade with my husband and didn't seem bothered in the least) This makes me wonder if there's something to the static electricity idea. Thanks for the tip!

>>>KP's Response:

Hi Rhonda!
Do try the anti-static wipes or putting your dog in the car--and let us know how she does!
I don't know if I coined that term or not, but I'm sure I've heard of "geriatric separation anxiety": That's when some dogs, as they get old, start to feel anxious even when their guardians fall asleep (like that's a separation too). It's very sad.
KP

The key thing is to keep them INDOORS and safe before the noise starts.

And away from doors that may be opening frequently for visitors etc

So many dogs just bolt and run, right from the yard or out the door. With terrible consequences.

This is one night they need to be safely ensconced in a secure room with maybe some "cover up" noise like the radio or TV.

KP-

I was only kidding about coining the term. It just sounded sounded so official! :-)

Fortunately, we've never had the "bolt and run" problem with our dog. When it rains she refuses to go outside even to do her business. She'll hold it for a long time! My brother's dog tries to go out the front door instead of the back. Apparently, he thinks it might not be raining in front of the house!

Does anyone know if melatonin ok for our kitty friends too?

A friend told me a story about being around while a group was throwing firecrackers in the yard. The individual's dog was outside, and while throwing the firecracker's, Fido thought they were playing fetch. The dog ran after and caught the firecracker... So sad. :(

Is this really a blog about fireworks being inhumane? Laser Light show?

wow that si so sad i dont understand why people dont even think about how can fireing fireworks affect animals. its sad becuase just yesterday i heard some loud fireworks and my cuzins dog got so scared it ran on to the street and it almost got hit by car. i know ur wondering what did i do to help i ran to the dog to get it thats when the car stoped and asked if wvweything was ok..... the moral iof the story is please think about the animals!

thank god I live in mexico but anyways on christmas & new year pleople uses fireworks all night until morning it's so annoying :S but of course oker & greñas (my 2 dogs) stay with me & remain inside they feel like protected if a human it's near them :) i think so..

Well, I live in Maine, so personal fireworks are illegal beyond small things like sparklers. This is for safety concerns though, considering we have a large percentage of tree to land cover, etc.

But I think you're going way over board to suggest that fireworks are inhumane. My dog is not afraid of thunder, and if people are using anything dangerous, I do the RESPONSIBLE thing and train her to obey my vocal commands and not go near it. The same thing applies to children- its your job to keep them out of harms way. But public firework displays aren't dangerous at all. Give me a break. Same with parades. My dog loves people, and sirens and things don't bother her at all. If they bother your dog, then don't bring your dog to them. Simple as that.

And medicating your dog is outright stupid. You PETA freaks talk about protecting animals, and you're saying that drugging up your dog is a good way to handle fear? Why not fill its bowl with whiskey and light up a bowl of marijuana near it too, you moron.

Oddly enough, but our dog, who has terrible thunderstorm phobia -- is happiest outside in a storm.

Keep in mind, this is a fenced yard. Inside, she'll cower in the corner, whine, hide under the bed... but open the front door, and she'll run out on the front porch as happy as can be, tail wagging, regardless of how loud the thunder and lightning -- and just sit and watch.

Just keep in mind all dogs are different -- most are probably worse out in a storm, but some are fine if they know what is going on vs. "the house is shaking". A covered porch, a good fence, and you sitting there with the dog are required of course. :)

This type of crap is exactly why people say 'animal activist' are extremists with their heads up their collective asses.

Do you really think anyone cares about your stupid opinions? Well, other than your idiot PETA companions, that is.

You probably don't understand where the problem is. Which I would love to blame on you, but I try to not look down on mental disabilities. Let's just disassemble this line to illustrate the problem.

"As mere mortals who want to shield our beloved dogs from terror, there's not a lot we can do to prevent acts of God, such as thunderstorms. Fireworks, on the other hand, are completely human creations and could be stopped tomorrow. What a wonderful thought!"

You are right that there is nothing that can be done about thunder. Probably the only thing you really get right. But, if there were, I figure you would attempt to do it. No logic is enough to stop one with an irrational cause.

So let us move on to the so-called reasoning behind the sentence. Correct me if I am wrong, but are fireworks not about 1/1000th as common as thunder in most parts of the world? At least, loud enough fireworks that would be anything more than a car backfiring. Unless you want to ban that, too, which I may understand.

One would wonder what the point even is for whining about such a thing that only really happens once, maybe twice, a year. Are there no bigger concerns in Animals > People Land than this? Probably about time to disband, then.

On a side note, I must complement your collective stupidity on it's actions that were most remotely similar to success. That being, having nude women parade around. I doubt anyone really cared who or why that was done, but it did fuel my faping for a few days. Give my regards to any of your friends or relatives for that.

Anyway, that's all I have to say. And this was written in a direct style since I know it will not be posted. Like others of your ideology from the past (enter a certain German), you most likely love to censor those who go against your inane dislogic. Oh well, nothing lost. For some reason I feel sleep will be lost over this. I am sorry for that.

omg the same thing happend to my dog today and now my dog wont move from the bed he hasnt moved since 8:00

i live in germany, in berlin and i ve been to the states and i ve seen a lot sad dog situations there-here in berlin we let our dogs run free, most of the time;the authorities are much more tolerant here,and i know this is difficult in the states, but on the other hand you have much more land and space for outwalks.the point is;the more you hold and tie a dog the more he will get agressive-to crate or medicate a dog is an absolute NO!-Big dogs have big energies.the only way for them to release this energie is playing and running!-small dogs of course too-you must take your dogs out of the city to walk every day, if there is no space in the city! holding a dog is a responsability, like having a kid-especially the big races-and if you cannot take the time you cannot have a dog-
dogs need water, food, love and healthy walks and they ll be naturally your best loving friend-greetings from overseas.Yvonne

RE: Fireworks, what we really need is a silent firework, and preferably one not based on gunpowder. It's not just animals that hate them, young children do too. My little nephew was in tears last November 5th... plus, they cause hundreds of human and animal injuries every year. :-/ Yeah, they're pretty and all, but is it really worth the risk?

"But it would be lovely to see fireworks phased out of American culture altogether"

and

"Fireworks, on the other hand, are completely human creations and could be stopped tomorrow. What a wonderful thought!"

I agree fireworks+some dogs don't mix but I guess you don't really understand what the fireworks represent here in the USA.

Did you think to ask your neighbors if they'd mind stopping? Not everyone has dogs that are scared of fireworks. Our dog really enjoys them because it gives him a chance to have everyone out in 'his' back yard. We make an event out of it, with grilling, and drinking, and playing fetch with tennis balls, and shoot off fireworks over the course of the night. I know if one of my neighbors came over and said their dog was scared, we'd stop doing them. The fact is, that they're not just 'pretty things'. They're an interesting hobby also. I'm a pacifist also, but I think the concept of fireworks are amazing...

The only reason that you are bothered by it is because YOU don't like the fireworks. After all, you have no problems with vacuuming, even though that's another loud noise that the dog doesn't like. Talk about a double standard!

>>>KP's Response:

Hi Borislav,
No, that's not true. I don't like the sound of vacuuming, either, mostly because it scares my dogs! I wouldn't dislike fireworks that much if it weren't for the fear that they cause to so many millions or billions of animals (including wild ones). That's my main objection.
KP

I'm not entirely certain what those of an opposing view are doing on a "helpinganimals" blog. Google'ing for some sort of canine porn, perhaps? And then posting here in a fit of unrequited frustration?

On to the task at hand...

Here in the South, these amateur fireworks shows do not only happen "once, maybe twice, a year", and I suspect it's the same elsewhere. The weeks prior and following both July 4th AND New Year's are AGONY for my small children, my dogs, and my husband and I--WEEKS, wherein everyone is anxious and sleep deprived. The moment fireworks go on sale, I can assure you people are setting them off.

We respect the noise ordinance. Our dogs do not bark. Our car radios are never at an elevated decibel. We also respect that occasionally other people have NO respect. It happens. We deal with it.

But upon WEEKS of unrelenting explosions, dogs absolutely TERRIFIED, and a six month old child who can't take a decent nap because drunken rednecks are apparently reenacting the Revolutionary War with bottle rockets, you can certainly understand why some of us might be a little bit cranky.

I'm no avid proponent of PETA. I'm an avid proponent of my family, pets included.

We show our patriotism by flying our flag. ALL year. Fireworks represent nothing except kids losing fingers and eyes.

can i jus ask, are you a man or a woman anonymous?

This may sound ridiculous, and apparently my dog is out of the norm, but it wasn't the fact that she was scared of the sound at all. She was THRILLED with them. We play with non-toxic bubbles with her, so when we brought out the sparklers, she chased each flying spark around like she does the bubbles and my concern was that she was going to get burned. The fountain fireworks also sparked her interested and she attempted biting and chasing those sparks. I can see the concern for animal safety by preventing injury, but banning the loud, high flying, explosive fireworks does not stop them from being shot off. Living in Albuquerque, NM we have had a ban of these types of fireworks for 10 years due the the extreme fire risks here and complaints of the noise. I haven't seen a decline in these types of fireworks AT ALL. People are still able to go to the reservations here and purchase the illegals and indeed still shoot the off. In fact, if anything, there has been an increase in the amount of these types of fireworks rather than a decrease with the ban! It seems to appeal to people more now that they are forbidden to do it. There were simply way too many people lighting off these types of fireworks for the police to be able to catch and fine everyone. Unfortunately, banning them and making them illegal does not seem to improve the situation. Animals feed off of our reactions, so as this blog mentioned, "babying" your pet due to their fear only fuels the fire. For whatever reason, my Pit Bull mix has NO fear of the sound, and I fully believe it is b/c I didn't give her any reaction or become tense when the night of the 4th came around for her to feed off of. If you start giving your pet reasons that the should be scared like holding them tight, or constantly making them stay close to you, or reacting to their ducking and hiding with baby talk or yelling, they are going to think they have a reason to be scared.

A sweet little dog named Abby died this 4th of July. She was killed by fireworks.

She was sitting in her owner's car on Trinity Street in Eureka, California. The windows of the car were cracked about 2 inches. Someone came by with a flower firework and threw it inside. The car caught on fire and Abby died from the fumes of the fireworks and the burning interior of the car.

If you have any information regarding this horrible crime, please call the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department at 707-445-7251. The owners are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer(s).

>>>KP's Response:

Hi Mara,
PETA posted an action alert about this and is also offering a reward. It's so sad and horrible.
KP

Soooo... you don't mind scaring your dog with the vaccuum, but when the neighbors are celebrating a US tradition.... well that's just too far! Not all dogs are afraid of fireworks. My dog, for one doesn't seem to mind them. My sister's dog actually LOVES them! But I guess it's all about what YOU want. My dog doesn't like cats. He gets aggressive when they are around. Maybe we should ban all cats, by your reasoning.

>>>KP's Response:

Eric,
Are you just trying to be contrary? You can't see the difference between vacuuming and setting off fireworks? There are many things in life that create noise. Some of them are pretty hard to avoid. With a house full of dogs, I actually do feel the need to vacuum so that my home doesn't become a health hazard, but I keep it to a minimum so as not to upset Sophia too much. She does have the option of going outside or into another part of the house to get away from the vacuum. Fireworks, on the other hand, are completely unnecessary. They serve no purpose other than to entertain and they do cause harm to a percentage of people and animals every year.
I certainly do mind scaring my dogs with the vacuum or anything else and I try to avoid it as much as possible. Perhaps you have a good constructive suggestion for an alterntive to vacuuming. Please do try to contribute something positive to the discussion. I'm all ears.
And BTW, I'm very glad that your dog and your sister's dog like fireworks. That's excellent.
KP

I'll admitt- I didn't read you entire blog for it was mighty long and my attention span is much shorter than the page this blog is on.

I think sometimes when people post blogs on here, they are nickle and dimeing (sp?). It is as if P.E.T.A is against every single thing this world does. I don't believe animals should suffer and therefore I have chosen to stop eating meat.

I don't believe animals should be tested on.

And I care a great deal about the enviornment and how is it slowly but surely being destroyed by careless and wasteful humans.

But fireworks? I understand this fightens animals, but you mentioned that vacuuming scares your dog. So will you stop cleaning simply because this bothers the animal? I think it is aweful that animals run through screen doors or glass because they are so frightened by the noise. But... I don't agree completely with what your asking. You won't be able to ban fireworks. I think there are more people in the U.S. that enjoy them than don't. The thunder won't stop simply because a wild coyote can't stand it. Yes you offered another solution but... we shall see how this plays out.

I don't wish any type of suffering on any animal whatsoever. I am an animal lover. I think we are all free to speak our mind and can fight for what we believe in but sometimes it just seems people come on this site to rant about anything and everyting they can.

More power to you though. I never looked at fireworks in this light and will keep an open mind. I looked at fireworks more as a pollutant to our ozone. Sometimes, we have to choose our battles. We can't just ask the world to stop living and turning simply because we are not pleased. But as I said- I will keep an open mind to this blog.

It seems like a lot of the respondents are missing the point. It's not that KP is anti-American or a killjoy or a prude, she's obviously looked into the eyes of a dog she loves more than life itself and seen fear she can't take away. Who in their right minds would not want to do anything in their power to take away that fear?

I stumbled on this blog off a google search because I, too, have a dog that I love who is terrified of fireworks. It's 2 in the morning on July 13, and they are still being popped off.

My dog is amazing. He's the smartest dog I've ever owned. He was the best in our obedience classes. He was the best in our agility classes. He was runner-up in a Pet Idol contest against dozens of amazing animals. His one fault is he's absolutely terrified of fireworks. I've tried all the suggested solutions except drugs, and I can't solve it. And I'm not inclined to drug him for weeks at a time.

My point is that KP should be applauded for trying. If her blog can get one of my neighbors to knock it the hell off, then the words aren't wasted on her critics.

I guarantee that those of us who are googling the Internet in the wee hours of the night to solve a problem that is breaking our hearts appreciate it.

As far as the debate between fireworks & the evils of vacuuming, you HAVE to vacuum your carpet ONCE in awhile (which is about how often I do it) so things won't start growing down there. You don't HAVE to set off fireworks. I have very sensitive hearing myself so I know, in some small measure at least, how frightened some dogs must feel when they hear them. I live in the South but I wish my Redneck Brethren would find some other way to show their Patriotism (yee-ha!)