Took my dog out to see how he dealt with the fireworks around the neighborhood tonight, so went on our usual walk around the block. He didn't tuck tail n run, but he seemed very cautious and willing to go home everytime I turned around, but he heeled again when I told him to, slow and fast paced walking he stayed next to me just fine. He didn't break a sit/stay when the loudest fireworks went off, but I could tell by his walk and the way he was looking around that he was being very cautious with these new noises. He was fine with the quieter bangs, it was only the loud bangs that made ME jump that really got his attention.

I've had him outside when thunder that was about equally loud has struck and he just looked up and went back to sniffing the grass. This was his first experience with fireworks, I think the ones that showered over us in the air got to him the most because he acted like they were gonna fall on us.

Like I said, he didn't tuck his tail, he didn't want to run away, but he was very occupied with trying to follow all the noises around us, and now that we are back home he is acting a little different than normal, pacing around the room a bit till he lays down, but he'll play with me like normal and wag his tail when I get his toy out or chase him/run away from him.

Does he have weak nerves? Is this normal for a dog that's never been exposed to a barrage of loud noises? He'll come outside with me if I go back outside without a problem, but he won't sniff around for a place to poop, he'll stand in the grass at full alert waiting to see where the next noise will come from, with his tail slightly higher than straight down and the tip of his tail curved away from him outwards. He hasn't barked at all tonight so I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Like I said, he's been fine with loud thunder and other loud noises and didn't seem scared tonight, just very alert and very cautious. I know when he's scared, he's scared of the storm drains because of the noise of rushing water and the big opening in the sidewalk, he won't go near those at all, he didn't act that way with the fireworks.

Thanks.

A little caution around something new wouldn't worry me at all. It was Alex's first time with fireworks also he's about 15 months and was like "Oh whats that... hmm not going to hurt me... ok whatever" I did also bring him into drive to make sure that the loud noises didn't take him out of drive. That would demonstrate a weak nerved dog.

Maybe my dog has weak nerves afterall, ugh, I was always so proud of the fact that my dog was fine with loud noises, thunder etc, even when I threw some small M80's outside he didn't care, but now he's reluctant to go to the front door to go outside. I will see in the morning if he is still reluctant, if he doesn't want to go outside in the morning during daylight with no fireworks going off, I will be highly annoyed.

Some days I just feel like quitting the whole Schutzhund sport altogether and accepting that my dog is a pet and enjoying him like other pet owners enjoy their dogs without having to meet all kinds of expectations. He wasn't purchased with the intention to do Schutzhund work with him, so I can't be too annoyed, but watching the First Steps to Bite Training DVD and the Building Drive & Focus, I see so much potential in my dog's prey drive that it makes me not want to just give up without giving it a good try, but I'd hate to put all the effort in then have my dog run off the training field when he hears a gunshot or when a helper he's never worked with scares him, or when he doesn't want to bite the sleeve the helper is wearing because he hasn't had a chance to sniff at it first.

OK well I just took him out the back door, he was fine with going out there, so I put him into drive with his favorite toy, it took a bit of trying, quickly pulling his toy away from him etc but after he got over the distractions of fireworks in the distance and neighbors talking, he was doing great. At night he's always been a little cautious about people talking so I guess he's the same as he always was.

Fireworks sensitivety in dogs is very common and something I would monitor . I would also be cautious on how you expose your dog to fireworks in the future .

As it being a sign of weak nerves for a working dog it depends on how that dog works while in drive . My first K9 could get very startled by fireworks when at home and would be reluctant to go outside when they were going off in the neighborhood . He would actually stay in the basement when they were going off quite heavily .

But while searching for suspects it had no effect whatsoever on him . He could track through neighborhoods that looked and sounded like there was an all out battle going on and not be distracted .

This dog was good with gunfire having worked with our SWAT team and being exposed to lots of it .

I've known lots of working K9's that were scared of fireworks and thunder while not working but could tolerate it just fine when given a job to do .

Are some dogs actually attracted to the lights and loud noise?

I know we tested my dog with first a 22 at about 50 feet then she started dragging me towards the person with the gun (well, he was a friend) and then a 9 mm up close and she was fascinated and wanted to smell the gun.

Last night she wanted to go outside (in SC anything goes fireworks wise) and she started dragging me towards the excitement. We got within about 50 feet and she sat and watched the whole thing but really wanted to get closer. They were going off behind us, in front of us etc.

Just curiosity? It seemed strange to me; my other dog is indifferent but if we were THAT close I would see his ears twitching and he would be cutting his eyes up to me, licking lips and showing other signs of mild stress. She actually seemed to enjoy the show??

Thanks Jim, that post made me feel better. I just took him back outside n he doesn't have any reluctance or hesitation this morning, so that's a big relief to me.

You mention being cautious with future exposure to fireworks, how would you go about this? Just keep him inside when fireworks are going off? Or is there a way to try and neutralize the noise to him?

Mike ,

I would just watch exposing your dog to alot of fireworks initially . Too much too soon can be bad .

If I were to try neutralizing my dog to fireworks I would do it the same way I train tolerance to gunfire . I personally don't recommended this though because fireworks are too dangerous to work with . Just my opinion .

In my case I just brought my dog inside if the fireworks got too bad or went outside with him and did light , fun obediance , played fetch or some sort of fun work to get him used to it . He still never fully got used to fireworks though . As long as it didn't effect his performance on the street when I needed him it didn't get me too concerned .

I have seen some dogs really freakout with fireworks and encourage everyone to monitor there dogs during these times . The best thing to do is get them away from it .

Thanks for the advice Jim <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I don't know if this helps or not, but I took my seven month old Mal to the fireworks in DC last night.

Crazy crowds, lots of loud drunk people and noise, and he didn't blink an eye.

When the fireworks started, he was actually interested in them, couldn't take his eyes off of them.

After reading recent posts here about fireworks I was watching him carefully for signs of apprehension, but to my delight there were none.

He is an Ot Vitosha pup, and I'm really happy with him.