How do your furbabies react to fireworks?

[Catshrink]

Mine go berserk. I've had to stay home on the 4th since I've had critters because I've always lived near fireworks venues. In Chicagoland, I lived across the street from our town's spot so I could sit in the window and watch and even hear the orchestra. Now I can see the highest blasts.

It's kind of limiting, but hey, that's the responsibililty of being a parent. The dogs will howl, the cats will growl and race around the house like they're running from me trying to pill them.

I'll watch the Capital Fourth with Jimmy Smits -- that's some sweet eye candy.

[Longhorn]

1. Four of my dogs just bark but they're not really upset. The fifth, however,

gets very upset, as she does with thunderstorms and even rain without thunder. She's happy if we let her into our bedroom so that she can get under our bed where she sleeps at night. The kids started with the firecrackers last night. We have a burn ban going on so there shouldn't be any but there will be. :shrug:

[hobbit709]

2. One of ours goes into full panic mode at any noise

Another just hides in the closet. The other three just get nervous and grumpy but handle it.

[livetohike]

3. Murphy is under the desk and panting hard as I am typing this

It's 8:00 p.m. here - lots of gun shots (we're rural) and firecrackers already. Cindy is fine so far. We lived five miles from Camp Pendleton and the dogs grew up with occasional bomb noises from their war games there. It didn't bother them, but since moving back East the thunderstorms, gun shots and fireworks are too much - especially for Murphy.

[MiniMe]

4. I have one that is terrified, as he is with thunder storms, and the other

doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.

[kdmorris]

5. One of them if panicking under my desk

The other is kind of bored with the whole drama.

[AZBlue]

6. As long as it not close enough for her to "feel" it, she's fascinated by them.

Maggie runs to the window, not from it.

However, her predecessor, Sally, was miserable, as are our dogs. I think the majority of animals hate it - think about how loud it must be for their super-sensitive ears! I always feel so bad for them on the 4th!

[huskerlaw]

7. We have a professional fireworks show across the street

so it's 30 minutes of pure terror, unfortunately.

Kyra actually did ok, she was more confused than scared. But Riley was under the bed and Spencer was absolutely horrified. It took a while to get him to come out from under the dresser.

Thankfully personal fireworks are strictly forbidden (we don't mess with fire here in Southern California), so once the pro show is over, so is the noise.

[Irishonly]

8. The Sweetser is fine

Sampson gets very upset. We don't leave them either. Last night some fool set off a few cherry bombs and we had been doing fine until then. I closed up the house and turned on the air because Sampson was so upset. My fireworks consisted of watching the Boston Pops. It was ok because Sampson settled down and Sweetie knew she was a good, brave girl.

[IndyOp]

9. Very best treatments: Mimulus or Rescue Remedy

We have fireworks all around us for days before and days afterwards. Sajdeh is terrified of fireworks and thunderstorms. Ben is just afraid of fireworks. Mimulus is the Bach flower essence that is for specific, identifiable fears - which includes fireworks and thunderstorms. Rescue Remedy also does a good job and it is helpful for specific fears and general stress -- people coming to visit, new pets, visit to the vet, travel, boarding, moving...

These are available at my local co-op grocery story, and my local international grocery, and natural health items store.



http://www.bachflower.com/

[BrklynLiberal]

10. I have used Rescue Rememdy for years for my dogs...and myself as well.

It is excellent.
I am going to get the Mimulus as well.

[old mark]

11. My dog tries to cuddle and hide against a nearby human

and if the fireworks are nearby, he is so scared, he actually shakes. This is pretty impressive, as he is a Doberman/Great Dane mix, currently around 115 lbs. If the noise is in the distance, he grumbles a bit, then goes back to sleep.

mark

[sandyj999]

12. I have three dogs and they were fine with it.

We were outside on the 4th at night and there were a lot going off close by and they were fine.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. The cats flick their ears a bit

and just keep on doing cat stuff.

[ginnyinWI]

14. Cats hide under the bed.

The neighborhood is full of boys with fireworks every 4th here. One cat would not come out from under the bed even to eat dinner--someone had to take his meal to him. The others very skittish too, except for the oldest who has been there, heard that every year. Also the two who grew up in Portland OR are not used to thunderstorms, and we've had one after the other this summer here in the Midwest. That freaks them out, too.