2 year old staffy terrified of fireworks advice please x

[salsmum]

I have a two year old staffy girl whos a rescue dog, i also have a 12 year old staff boy who is bothered by nothing!,
My bitch Bella was 'rescued' about a year ago her owner developed motor neurone desease so not cruelty case but not socialised as pup either. She has issues with; men with hats, hairdryer, cats [chasing]lawnmowers,and HUGE probs with fireworks, she will launch herself at the windows in a really manic, barking, excited state. I put her in her crate last f/work night with a blanket and tv turned up but went out new years eve forgetting that there would be f/works and next door said she went nuts [thankfully crated]we dont have f/works ourselves. I was wondering if anyone had any advice i was thinking of buying a 'noise cd' with f/work bangs but dont know if that would work without the lights/flashes that accommpany the f/works?.
Ive tried telling her off and calming her but nothing seems to work!.
My older dog would sniff the touchpaper if he could hes very chilled but she is to the other extreme. HELP PLEASE.

I have the same problem with one of my dogs, she is also a rescue dog. Our other dog is just so laid back and sleeps through them!!!!!

Our vet told us to give her a big, heavy meal an hour or so before the fireworks usualy start (I know it's not easy to guess when they are going to start, so I just feed her heavy meals throughout the day) apparently it makes them sleepy and a bit more settled.

Also you can get plug in pheremones (sp?) that mother dogs give off to sooth her puppies, we used one a couple of years ago and she hasn't needed it since.

She will still have the odd bark and growl but is so much more calm now.

We dont have a crate, but we do make her a bed in a quite corner of the room and have the T.V turned up.

HTH

GGMM,
Thanx for that advice,she doesnt have a prob with being left alone as such she just goes to her crate its just those damn fireworks they seem to go from oct to dec/new year now! so did you just get this plug in thingy and start f/works night or did you do it the week before? as with most things in the doggie world timing is everything.
I've also thought about sedation but if i can get a 'drug free' solution to prob feel would be better.
Thanx.

p.s. that is sedation for dog NOT me.

I know someone who has to sedate a couple of her dogs when there are fireworks. That's what I'd do if I were you.

The sedative used for dogs on fireworks night is ACP and I have serious reservations about it after googling it. I read on a number of sites that it just relaxes the dog physically but not mentally so the dog is terrified but unable to do anything about it (i.e. run). That said, it doesn't seem like your dog is displaying abject terror (like mine - we now go away for fireworks week to a cottage in the middle of nowhere!)

I would suggest the fireworks CD - I have looked at that previously and it seems a really good idea.

Good luck!