If your dog is like Amber and petrified of fireworks then you can take it to the vets and be prescribed some tablets that can help calm them down. Basically, the sooner the better that you take the dog to the Vets as they do advise an experimental doseage in order to make sure the strength will be good enough for full flowing fireworks on Bonfire night. Also, as a little tip, when the dog shows signs of fear the last thing you should do is give it any and I mean ANY comfort. By comforting it all you are teaching the dog is that it's ok to be scared. I know, I know, bloody hard to ignore them when you all you want to do is cuddle and reassure, but it has to be done for the dogs benefit.
Ours is having a torrid time right now, not only with the fireworks but with me and my exhaust too ff Took him in the garage with me when I was working on my bike, some unburnt fuel in the exhaust due to running a too rich air/fuel mixture. So it backfired loud popping sound as flames shot out the exhaust and I've never seen a dog bolt back into the house so fast, poor thing ff
My dog is scared stiff of em, like you say you have to ignore him. I cannot walk him at nights at this time of year he wont go out for a sh-t he just sits in the lounge all night
Hope ours will be ok because we've got to go out on Saturday, she seems ok tonight she's just laid down quiet while there's loads of fireworks going off.
There are other ways to help but it has to be done long before bonfire night. Get a tape or disc with loud bangs on it that are similar to the ones that fireworks make and put it in the tape player on a low volume. Gradually increase the volume until the dogs ears twitch in recognition and then stop the tape and play with the dog, feed it or give it a treat. Do that every day and increase the volume slightly until eventually the dog associates the loud bang with either food or play and it loses its phobia.
