To let my dog upstairs with me tonight

[loveastorm21]

my dog is shaking with fear from the fireworks still going on. Tried to call her to her bed in the kitchen and she sat by the bottom of the stairs shaking. I’ve come up to bed and let her come with me, she’s laid under my bed no longer barking and shaking. Is this a really bad idea? Having visions of her barking to come up every night if I let her stay??

Of course not. She's scared and needs reassurance. My dog hasn't left my knee all night.

Yadnbu, but then my ddog sleeps in our room every night.

It's a good idea. Poor love. Must be awful for them.

Even if she does bark in the future, she'll soon realise it's a one off.

She'll be more secure being close to you.

Google thunder shirt for the future.

One night won't hurt whilst she is scared.

I'm still waiting for bed as I need to walk her and she won't go out until they have stopped. It was a midnight walk last night

Oh yes, the thunder shirt has really helped this year.

Just do it. Pets need cuddles if they’re scared.

My dog is strictly banned from upstairs but I’d take him up if he was freaked out, at least until the bangs stopped. Fortunately he’s snoozing next to me and is entirely unperturbed.

We have the thunder shirt it does help a bit. I have seen on Facebook you can wrap a bandage or scarf round them it touches the pressure points and comforts them. We have to sedate our dog when it's really bad.

I’ve never let her come upstairs at night. Will have a look at the thunder shirt I’ve never heard of it. Sick of fireworks now, poor dogs

Thundershirts don't work for every dog. They don't for mine. He gets worse every year. I'm amazed he hasn't had a heart attack with the stress yet

One friend on FB said she put her "buff" (like a snood) round her dog's head.
Also worth looking into alternative remedies. I have heard of people using rock rose or rescue remedy for dogs but no idea if it's safe.
I would either sit up or let the dog upstairs. Poor scaredy baby.
In future a covered crate?

Fortunately my dog isn't bothered but this worked for a friend of mine tonight

Chatting to friends with dogs tonight there doesn't seem to be many dogs or other pets for that matter who cope with fireworks.
I had to drive home tonight with DDog who actually came through from the boot and was shaking on the backseat.

I used to love fireworks before I owned a dog, now I absolutely hate them! We live next to a famous landmark in our city which hosts fireworks shows every year so we've taken to boarding our dog for the night at his doggy daycare. He spends a night playing and sleeping with his doggy pals completely unaware of any fireworks. Extreme solution perhaps but it's unbearable to see him suffering in absolute terror for hours on end and we are literally right next to fireworks ground zero so to speak.

Using a CD (or YouTube or similar) of fireworks noises for proper desensitising training works for the vast majority of dogs

It takes weeks (or months depending on how scared the dog is to start) so it’s really worth starting it now before NYE fireworks

But it is really easy and worth doing

You play the track while the dog is doing something it loves - eating or playing with a favourite toy
Start on a very low volume and keep it on that volume until the dog is no longer reactive or scared, then turn the volume up

Repeat until you can play it at the sort of volume you’d hear if your neighbours were letting them off, and do it in different rooms to where the dog is

And try not to give your dog too much attention and reassurance when it is scared, because the dog will associate scared behaviour with getting attention, and do more, not less of it
Passive indifference is best. Don’t tell the dog off but don’t give it special treatment

Yes let your dog upstairs, Passive indifference (nicely put) is what we do he has got better not great but better he also gets pills just natural ones and they help.

Tonight she's ok but my girl was very restless last night. I ended up in her bed (it's a big one!) with her. She curled up tight to me and promptly fell asleep. I nearly did too!

You can do a homemade thunder wrap using a scarf if you google it. My boy had diazepam and his legs are jelly, got the munchies, but totally chilled and not arsed about all the fireworks now.

He sleeps at the side of my bed each night, hes such a sensitive boy. Give your dog lots of love, im sure it wont expect it everynight and wilo be back to routine soon x

Do it. Absolutely fine. A few nights sleeping by your side for comfort isn't going to instantly undo a bedtime routine that's in place every other night of the year. The not showing your dog affection during fireworks thing has been disproved - it's not possible to reinforce a stress emotion by giving attention or reassurance so if your dog would benefit from some soothing words or an ear rub feel free to do it.

Ditto, loved fireworks before I got a dog, now I wish sale to the public would be banned so I didn't have to watch the poor love petrified every year. Get so angry with those who claim it's being a killjoy. Nothing joyous about a traumatised animal.

My dog sat and watched the fireworks in our garden and wasn't bothered in the slightest. I think we have a strange dog!!

Previous dog was a wreck and slept under the bed

Ours is terrible at this time of year. Doesn't help that he's a rescued greyhound so every time he hears a bang he thinks he's supposed to be racing! He's currently on the bed (not normally allowed) because it's the only place he feels safe. I love fireworks but it's hard for the furry old bugger.

The poor baby.

I am glad you’ve taken her to bed with you.

FWIW, I had the dog, the cat and a small child in the bedroom with me this evening 😂

It’s not going to ruin your routine... although you might end up liking it. I like my dog to sleep either on my feet or in her bed in my room. The few times she has fallen asleep too soundly in the kitchen to be arsed to move, I miss her 🙈

Our dogs are terrified. One is particular is shaking and has constant diarrhoea during these loud weeks.
Thundershirts don't work for him.
The only thing that remotely calms him is my putting on hoodie an stuffing him inside and then playing a calm dog playlist on Spotify.

I'd do it. I don't have a dog. But I have a cat. He's not bothered at all and wants to go out.
My 2 year old isn't bothered either and has been asleep for hours.