It's getting close to the 4th of July again, and at least in my 'hood, the kids are getting an early start on things. In years past, I've learned that the few weekends AFTER the 4th I can expect some noise too.
Problem is my one dog is terrified of them. It's kind of strange, because she's the younger, stronger, and basically, 'tougher' of the two dogs Ive got, and the other one doesnt seem to be bothered by them at all. But - they were both adopted and who knows what their life was like before we took them in was like. I know the one who's scared of Thunder/fireworks did live on her own for some time, so Im guessing that thunderstorms when she had no place to go might have been a scary time for her..
Anyway - an uncle who is a pharmacist has recommended that we use Peppermint oil to keep her calm, and it does work, so every year around this time, I try to post about it:
First off, it needs to be real Peppermint oil, not the peppermint flavoring that you find in the cake mix section at the grocery store (they'll just lick it off). I just got a bottle of it from Bassetts on Secor. It ran about $7 bucks, and being an oil, it's shelf life is very long.
What you do is saturate a cotton ball or tissue (I generally just use some t.p.) and rub it on the pads of their front paws. You want to be sure that whatever you use is thick enough that you dont get it on your fingers, because, being an oil it's hard to wash off - but if you do get it on you, at least it smells nice...
It works best if you put it on BEFORE the issue, so it does take a bit of foresight. The weatherman, or just looking at the sky generally tells us when a thunderstorm is on the way, and as far as firecrackers go, living in my house as long as I have, Ive got a pretty good idea of what time my neighborhood kids usually get started. For best results, you want to peppermint em up before things get going.
If you Google 'Peppermint oil, thunderstorms' or 'peppermint oil, fireworks', you can find out more.
On one of those sites I found some additional tips that also help:
** It is a good idea to bring any outdoor pets inside during the fireworks. Always remember how acute a dog's sense of hearing is. A loud bang to us can feel like a volcano erupting to a dog.
** It may be hard, but try and stay with your dog during the fireworks. Your presence will help to calm your dog and while the noise may still frighten them, they will feel better and recover much faster with you there.
** Always make sure your dog has his or her own special area where they can go to feel safe. Be it an indoor kennel or a place under the stairs, dogs love to have a den at their disposal.
** It sounds obvious, but try to keep the windows and curtains closed during the fireworks display as this will lessen the effect of the noise and bright flashes.
** Also, normal household noises such as the TV or music can help to distract from the loud noises coming from outside.
** Last but certainly not least, always ensure your pet has some sort of identification on him or her. It is a sad fact but many dogs do run away from home because of fireworks. Even dogs that have previously shown no fear of fireworks can occasionally take flight at the loud noises and flashes in the sky.
At least with the economy in the shitcan, there shouldn't be as many fireworks-there have been hardly any in my neighborhood, and usually it's started by june 1st.
posted by Darkseid on Jun 15, 2009 at 09:03:42 am #