I'm SO over the 4th of July Holiday

[Cudedog]

Feeling very grumpy and put-out.

For the last few days the fireworks "booms" have started at about 7:00 p.m. and gone on until about 11.

Tonight they started at 5:00 p.m., and, as I write this (12:07 a.m.!!) they are still going strong. Seven (7!) hours of non-stop loud booms intermixed with the pops of firecrackers, followed by more loud booms. My poor Joe is beside himself. As soon as the ##!1@!! noise starts, I have to crate him for fear he will injure himself.

He is telling me he "needs to go out", but every time I open the back door for him some donkey pit sets one off just as he steps out the door. Every. Dang. Time. He whirls around in sheer terror, runs past me to the bathroom and climbs into the tub, shaking like a leaf.

Or he tries to climb behind the television (my tv is flat against the wall). Or under the couch (the bottom of my couch is three inches off the floor) - Joe is a fair-sized dog - use your imagination.

He will NOT go outside. I am afraid he will start in with a bladder infection - or spring a leak when I am not looking. Maybe on the carpet or, better yet, the carpet in the closet. (again, Joe is a fair-sized dog, with a lot of "capacity". Use your imagination. ) I have to stay up until the booming finally stops so that I can finally get him to go out. Looks like it will be 1 a.m. or later tonight. That is, this morning. And I am really tired - I could have been in bed by 10 p.m. this evening.

This fireworks thing has always been bad here. As I said in an earlier post, I have always gone camping in the mountains over the 4th to get away from the noise. This year is the absolute WORST. The [expletive deleted] booms even have even me startle-jumping. I HATE it. I am so frustrated I just want to go out in the back yard and scream.

How is this going where you are? Do your pets have a problem with this noise? What do you do to calm them down? I'm nearly at my wit's end. If past years are any indication, we (Joe and I) have several more days to a week to go before this winds down.

Anne

[MandysMom]

I'm so sorry you and Joe are dealing with that. Have you talked to police? Have you tried the Thunder jacket I've read about? My cats are not even phased by the noise and in fact usually sit in windowsill on 4th and watch our neighborhood safe and sane display.
We have had a very few booms and bangs thus far. I think it was last Saturday I would hear I distance for a hour or so. Doesn't bother us.
Stay safe you two.
Velda

[Bethers]

Poor Joe. Luckily Ty isn't ready effected but tonight will tell as the Mt Rushmore fireworks that haven't happened in years will happen tonight. The President says it'll be the best fireworks any of us have ever seen. Since I'll have to hear them, I'll sit out at my picnic table, if I can keep my eyes open, and watch.

I'm sorry you and Joe have to go through this for so many nights.

[Colliemom]

I fortunately live in a neighborhood where it’s pretty quiet. A few neighborS do fireworks on the Fourth of July, when to gets dark, but they don’t last too long. This year, I have heard a few more than normal. Michigan law only allows them to use fireworks from 29 June till July 5. Last night my neighbors popped off a few for maybe 15-20 minutes. Next door neighbors grandkids are here from Texas and I know they want to shoot off some fireworks while they were here. No problem with that.

My dogs fortunately don’t pay attention to them. While the pops were going on last night and this was before dark, Molly was sleeping on the porch and Iper was in here, sleeping next to my chair. But I have had dogs in the past that have been afraid of them and not much can do except just wait it out.

[snowball]

it's too bad you didn't go away for the weekend.. I know that different states are in different phases right or wrong... did you not go because you feel safer at home or camping discouraged... I would think that even now if you loaded up some food stuff and water that you could go somewhere and be where it is quieter and still be safe as you don't have to be around people for the most part...Shadow doesn't like fireworks that said he has gotten so he isn't barking as much... sent him out the back deck to do his business and just has he stepped out side a big boom went off he turns around and I step out mostly closing the door it's a sliding door between my feet and through the small opening I didn't think he could get through and he was back inside . yep it was later that we went out
hope you find relief
sheila

[monik7]

With my previous dog Krissi, I used to drive somewhere where we couldn’t hear any fireworks plus I turned up the car radio to block out any really loud noises. Sometimes we would be in the local Safeway parking lot. I dreaded it every year, but that was the only way to shelter her from the noise. I was able to stop doing that when she lost her hearing as she became elderly.

I know it would be tiresome for you, but maybe getting away with Big Joe to some place quiet until late in the evening is your only choice (and turn up the car radio). Sorry this is happening and for so long. Hopefully next year you can plan to be gone for a week or more.
Sandi

[Redetotry]

So sorry this is happening. I'm afraid Emma is going to react badly tonight. I wanted her to stay at her trainers house tonight but DH thinks she will be fine. I think we are in for a long evening.

Ask your vet for a tranquilizer. I had one dog who I had to sedate, for some it is the only solution unless you can go somewhere quiet.

[Cudedog]

Thanks to all who posted with suggestions on what to do about my Joe.

I gave serious thought to driving somewhere out of town and just "chilling" until later in the evening, when the fireworks are over. But it is 102 here at the moment (at 5:32 p.m.!) and the temperatures anywhere within a hundred miles or two are going to be pretty much the same. Thus sitting in the car somewhere is not an option.

My strategy now is to let him in the backyard to do his business before the commotion starts, then just crate him for the duration. I just turn the light off in the room, and although he sits there shaking in his crate, he doesn't do much else, thank goodness (when confined in his crate, that is). The noise was over last night by 1:00 a.m. (!) so I can let him out again then.

Interestingly, there haven't been that many booms thus far today and into this evening, at least so far - odd, because today is the actual "day". I'm sure they will start up again as it gets close to dark, about 8:30 p.m. here. Full dark about 9:00.

I really appreciate the independence day holiday, and don't mind the fireworks too much - at least I wouldn't mind them if they were confined to the actual holiday around here.

Stay safe, everyone.

Those of you on the road are especially very much in my thoughts with the risk of the Covid virus seeming now to take strong hold pretty much everywhere. Not good.

Anne

[snowball]

there were booms or crackers or gun fire last night really late well after 1:00 couldn't decide what it was but no sirens so assuming not gun fire... so tire of all the noise at least Shadow isn't barking which is unusual but he also isn't content and I need to wait till they stop so I can take him out sure glad I won't be here for the 24th celebration that won't happen this year but the fireworks I am sure will...
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

We have had some fireworks around here as well. Luckily, Lola doesn't respond to the sound and was watching some out the window last night that someone in the neighboring park was setting off. They were actually pretty nice ones and I sat outside in the driveway to watch for awhile. My nextdoor neighbors both have dogs so I am sure they were not happy with the noise. Luckily, it didn't last too long. It got really windy after 10pm so that probably put the kabosh on a lot of it then.

I know that military people that have PTSD, have a terrible time with the sound of fireworks. Feel so bad for them too.

[Cudedog]

Well, yesterday (July 5) the booms were pretty much intermittent and far between. A few booms - very few - during the afternoon, by 9:00 p.m. they were pretty much done. Whew! As I have said, in past years the booms have gone on for days.

Well. . . I guess I got my hopes up too soon. Some Jack Donkey somewhere nearby my house decided to set off a whole fusilade of booms. . . at 4:45 a.m.!! Went on for one or two minutes.

Can you believe it?

I would have called the police, but I couldn't really tell which direction it was coming from, and by the time they might have arrived it would have been over anyway. Unbelievable.

Of course, Joe tried to jump through the mirror on my closet door, when I shouted at him (which probably didn't help ) he sat there shaking and drooling. I finally gave up and crated him, and lay down on the couch so that I would be near enough to hear if he escalated.

By some miracle I was actually able to go back to sleep (generally I can't) and slept until about 8:00 a.m. I often have insomnia (I think it is a hereditary thing, my Dad had really bad insomnia all the time as he got older), so it is difficult for me to get to sleep - and stay asleep - in the best of times.

4:45 is just too much. Grrrr!!

Thankfully, Joe is fine this morning, and acts like nothing happened.

Anne

[JudyJB]

I do my best thinking while i am driving, so today I thought of something for Joe.

What if you built his a crate out of plywood with no windows, or maybe just one small window that you could close or open with a hinged piece of plywood. Maybe even a hole for a speaker so you could play soft music or white noise??? A nightlight??

THEN, you could insulate it with that bubbly foam that they put in those booths where they test your hearing. You could even put a layer of it on the outside, as well. Get him used to sleeping in it with a favorite blanket and some toys. Maybe even go through some training where whenever there is a distant boom, he gets a special meat treat?

[Bethers]

Judy, I understand the thought, but openings are necessary for breathing, etc.

[JudyJB]

Make it big enough and find a way to add some holes for fresh air.

[Bethers]

Comfort for most scared dogs is swaddling, close places. It's one reason their crates are sized accordingly... Not too big. And when they are scared they'll try to cuddle or hide in corners, crawl into bathtubs, etc. The popular Thunder Shirt made for dogs and cats, fits tightly to emulate cuddling, etc. It works for many, but not all. When I had Tips, my big dog, he was terrified of storms, fire crackers, etc. He only somewhat calmed lying against me with a blanket wrapped around his body and his head in my lap. If I wasn't available, during his scared periods was the only time Moxie allowed him to cuddle with her.