The Pet Thread

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

So the EXACT same thing happened about 2 years ago to my mom's little dog. All of a sudden Winston refused to go in the back yard, was shaking, trembling, crying. This went on for weeks. They were convinced that he encountered something like a raccoon or a coyote in the yard that scared the Hell out of him, though no signs he was attacked. One evening my mom was making something in the InstantPot and it beeped when it finished. Winston immediately pissed all over the floor and ran under the sofa. That was when they realized it was a beeping noise that was bothering him. Because my stepdad is a little on the spectrum and is bothered by some noises like electronic beeps, they have diligently turned off or purchased appliances that don't beep, but the InstantPot is like the one thing they have that does. Anyway they headed out into the back yard which was the epicenter of Winston's anxiety. They quietly walked around and listened. Sure enough, they got over to the fence between them and the neighbor's house and they eventually heard the faint beep of a smoke alarm. The house had been vacant for about a month after the renters moved out and the homeowners had yet to put it on the market for sale. They called the owners and had them come over and change the battery in the smoke alarm. Problem solved! Winston was back in the yard like nothing happened. BUT for a couple months any beep (on TV, the InstantPot, etc.) would send him running and crying. He eventually just kinda got over it. I hope your dog will too.

As another poster said, try lots of positive reinforcement and be patient. Unfortunately you cant reason with a dog so you're stuck trying to support him as best you can.

When our oldest dachshund, Bella, was about 2 we took her to a 4th of July party. When the fireworks started she panicked and started hyperventilating. She never got over that. Fireworks or thunder would immediately send her into a panic. She was like that for the next 12 years. One time I came home from work after a thunderstomr and she was gone. I looked everywhere. Finally found her in the bathtub with shit everywhere. That was a bad one. She's now 14 and has lost enough of her hearing that she just doesn't hear the low frequencies anymore. Problem solved, I guess.

Thanks for sharing.

It just sucks when I know the little guy is upset...and I can't do anything for him.

You know typical "man" stuff. Plus I'm an Engineer. There is supposed to be a solution to any problem if you look hard enough.

Right now we know it's the beeping...and the low "boom" of a firework. Thunder doesn't bother him. Odd thing is he thinks it's coming from inside the house. We go open the door, and he immediately wants to go outside.

Once outdoors ...he's fine and back to "patrolling" the porch!

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

How bad is it? I mean I keep all my windows closed. I have a German Shepherd with a radar dish for ears and it doesn't bother her

It has been pretty bad, with big crackers going off close enough to make adult people jump, also rockets. It has been better the last few nights, probably because the homeboys are running out of money to buy fireworks.

Murf

[JP10]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

When our oldest dachshund, Bella, was about 2 we took her to a 4th of July party. When the fireworks started she panicked and started hyperventilating. She never got over that. Fireworks or thunder would immediately send her into a panic. She was like that for the next 12 years. One time I came home from work after a thunderstomr and she was gone. I looked everywhere. Finally found her in the bathtub with shit everywhere. That was a bad one. She's now 14 and has lost enough of her hearing that she just doesn't hear the low frequencies anymore. Problem solved, I guess.

My Fiance's parents dog is the same way. One year during the fireworks, the dog took off in a panic into their 10 acre pasture out back in the dead of night. We each took off in separate directions frantically looking all over for the poor little thing. Finally found her curled up in a ditch right near the creek. At first her dad thought it was a racoon, but as he got closer there Reba was, just cowering in fear. Ever since that I refuse to take my dogs to any event with fireworks.

My goldendoodle absolutely hates fireworks or really any loud bangs, he usually runs up to our room and hides under our bed. Meanwhile our bernedoodle is so dang stupid that she has no idea what is going on lol, doesn't bother her one bit. Only thing that gets under her skin is when I raise my voice at her, poor thing gets so scared, and even if she did something deliberately wrong I always feel bad lol.

[corn18]

Well, Heidi had a horrible seizure today and we had to put her down. She had Cushing's disease for three years and the vet said she might not last one, so we had a good run. She was 14. She was our last dog. We'll mourn for a while and see where we go from here. She's in heaven now with her sister Schatzi.

[IMG][/IMG]

[RickFLM4]

So sorry to hear. It’s rough, really rough, when that time comes but they are usually better off when it does, as difficult as it is for us to accept. It just never feels that way at the time.

[Dpc2u]

Very sorry to hear about your loss. They are truly members of the family and our best friends.

[lebreeze]

Rip. So cute

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by corn18

Well, Heidi had a horrible seizure today and we had to put her down.... She's in heaven now with her sister Schatzi.

[IMG][/IMG]

Bless her soul, Heidi looks like an angel.
The worst thing about dogs is that they don't last long enough.

Murf

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by corn18

Well, Heidi had a horrible seizure today and we had to put her down. She had Cushing's disease for three years and the vet said she might not last one, so we had a good run. She was 14. She was our last dog. We'll mourn for a while and see where we go from here. She's in heaven now with her sister Schatzi.

[IMG][/IMG]

So very sorry to hear about that.

[JP10]

Dreading the day I lose one of my pups. Very sorry for your lose, RIP.

[UncleWede]

Even though she was brought home against my wishes, as a gift for my son, I am Leah's human. My wife doesn't like animals.

BUT, when the fireworks start, Leah runs for my wife. If we are already in bed, Leah is all over her, trying to get on the pillow on my wife's head. That is the only humorous part of her reaction to fireworks. So far, at least she doesn't lose bladder control.

Every night at 9, mortors start going off. Been like that for almost 3 weeks. Even the ones that are probably a mile away set Leah off.

Like RMTT, Leah is a 4th baby. Maybe related? (not to each other, but birth trauma is related to fireworks noise)

[No one]

Originally Posted by JP10

Only thing that gets under her skin is when I raise my voice at her, poor thing gets so scared, and even if she did something deliberately wrong I always feel bad lol.

You can be just really good at it:

.

[RickFLM4]

Happened to get an email today from National Geographic about dogs and fireworks for anyone interested:

https://blog.education.nationalgeogr...4338CFF54555CB

[quick6]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

So for you experts out there...I have a question since I am a new pet owner. My wife has always had them.

Our Mini-Schnauzer Axle thinks he's superman. Doorbell rings...he's ready to attack. He's also a high strung dog.

The other night I was awoken to him all up on me trembling uncontrollable. I was like what's wrong little dude, then I faintly heard the "beep" of one of our Smoke Detectors in the house that indicates the battery is dead. So I got up and changed it.

Next morning we are sitting on the couch watching car shows at 4:00am and this commercial comes on about this "turbo transfer pump". It "beeps" when it's done. He heard the beep and headed straight to my wife in the bedroom.

So I am thinking by this time...that frequency bothers him. SO anytime later that day when I seen the commercial....I turned the channel long enough for it to pass.

But then last night....the low frequency boom of a firework went off...and he did the same thing. Just completely shutdown. My wife put him in her lap and wrapped him in a cocoon.

What's odd is that the bass of our TV system never affected him and still doesn't.

It kills me to see my little buddy like that. We have him one of those Thunder shirts" that is supposed to calm him...but haven't tried it yet.

Anyone else have that issue with a small dog? Aside from what I described...he is wide open all the time and just had his vet checkup. He turns 2 on July 4th.

Any other time.....he's fearless.

These dogs are pretty hyper as a general rule-I've had 4 of them and they love to attack other dogs and the doorbell. Maybe that beeping sound hurt his ears or reminds him of something bad from his puppyhood. I had one that didn't want me to touch his feet and I figured he must have been pulled out of his cage on a puppyfarm. They never forget these guys! Hope he gets better.

[ky0u]

[Rmtt]

Originally Posted by quick6

These dogs are pretty hyper as a general rule-I've had 4 of them and they love to attack other dogs and the doorbell. Maybe that beeping sound hurt his ears or reminds him of something bad from his puppyhood. I had one that didn't want me to touch his feet and I figured he must have been pulled out of his cage on a puppyfarm. They never forget these guys! Hope he gets better.

He is hyper..that's for sure. We got him from a breeder..so we have had him since he was old enough for her to let us take him. We had him picked out..but had to wait.

They don't forget anything. Smart little dogs. He has a toy basket and we can tell him to get a specific toy and he will "root" through it until he finds the one we asked for. But everything else will be thrown all over the place!

[Rmtt]

So today is Axel's 3rd birthday. I just watched my wife and him open a "birthday box" from Chewy.

Poor guy has a hat, bandanna, and other items that I'm sure he's not going to care for wearing later.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Rmtt

So today is Axel's 3rd birthday. I just watched my wife and him open a "birthday box" from Chewy.

Poor guy has a hat, bandanna, and other items that I'm sure he's not going to care for wearing later.

My wife did that to our poor (now late) dogs at Christmas years back. They sucked it up and dealt with it that day but ran from her when they saw her with these things the next year.

[GeorgeR]

Our new Red Tri Australian Shepherd. Meet Darby.

[corn18]

That's a happy dog!

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by GeorgeR

Our new Red Tri Australian Shepherd. Meet Darby.

WOW!

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by GeorgeR

Our new Red Tri Australian Shepherd. Meet Darby.

Wait, Darby is my bro's Golden lab.