Agoraphobia?

[~elizabeth~]

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Some unpleasant neighbours of ours had some terribly loud fireworks this year, and friends of ours who live next door to them have a Patterdale terrier who has been badly affected by them. As she hadn't been too bad in previous years, they hadn't really planned any precautions, and the people concerned never tell anyone when they are planning to have them (despite what I've said to them in the past :angry: )

She is very anxious, and since that night just refuses to go out. I wondered what the best approach would be to get her over it. :unsure:

 

[Janimal]

Aww poor little mite... Not much advice Im afraid.

Oscar was a wreck for a few days after the first initial night of fireworks here....they started just as I was about to feed them and for a few nights he refused to eat his tea and was constantly looking out of the window and darting from room to room. Seems they dont forget easily...

Hope the terrier gets sorted soon. :luck:

 

[Hilary & Hounds]

I would say get him on some scullcap and valerian to calm him down. (Jo will know the right dose cos she's brilliant! :thumbsup: ) It worked wonders for Claire this year! After a couple of days to allow them to take effect, perhaps take him out of the front door on his lead for the first day. Not much further than the threshold. Lots of praise and perhaps a DAP spray sprayed liberally around the porch. The next day take him into the front garden as far as the gate or equivalent. Lots of praise, etc. Take him a little further each day until he gets his confidence back. After a week or two of normal behaviour, cut down the scullcap and valerian until he doesn't need it anymore.

I'm not an expert and the above is just my opinion based on common sense, but Claire was so mellow this year! Unfortunately, Freddie wasn't but then he's a special case.

 

[~elizabeth~]

Thanks for that Hilary - I think they were heading off to the vets for some DAP today anyway, I'll pass on the info on S&V :thumbsup: She's such a level-headed, calm little dog it's come as a bit of a shock to them. Guto is missing his regular boxing partner, so we all hope she's back to normal soon.

Sorry to hear your still having problems Janis, I remember you had them very close last year and I'm sure it's the effect from having loud blasts in close proximity that sets off really bad reactions. I hope Oscar forgets soon too. :luck: :huggles: People are so thoughtless aren't they? I've just spent some time back home with my parents, the fireworks there were really terrible, with kids letting them off continuously all through the night long after nov 5

 

[FeeFee]

I'm sorry to hear this - it's not unusual for dogs who have been frightened by fireworks to refuse to go out, I was actually reading something similar on another board this morning.

People think of dogs being frightened while fireworks are going off, but don't realise just how much long-term damage they can do. My greyhound wouldn't walk along a particular road for years after someone set off some fireworks in a garden there while we were going past, and we always have accidents indoors at this time of year because she won't go in the garden at night

Nothing to add to the advice above, I'm afraid it's going to be mainly time and patience :huggles:

 

[kilmousk]

Mouse does this .. he has just started to go back out for an evening walk the last few days. Otherwise he will just go out in the morning.

He developed a fear of wheelies bins a couple of years ago and wouldnt walk tues pm, wed all day or thurs am ...just in case! No accidents but no leaving the house either. Looking back i think it came from them pressure washing a bin as he went past and the noise scared him. I tried force, i tried treats, i tried pleading, i tried confident. If he did come out it would always have to be the direction he wanted. He steadily got better but still had to go the roads which didnt have a "dalek" in sight. One day off his lead he peed on one ... i dont know what changed!

Patience is my only advice. Calm and assertive but no forcing.