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My Lab/Golden, Layla, was not afraid of loud noises until she witnessed her best buddy, male GSD get hit and killed by a car. She was about five years old and she just shut down. Barely ate, slept a lot, didn’t want to play. After about a year we got her a new Lab puppy and that brought her back to life but she still freaked out on thunder, fireworks and gunfire when dove hunting season was on (we live near areas when hunting is allowed). We put her in a windowless bathroom with meds from the vet on July 4th, New Years, and hunting season. The new Lab learned to bark when she freaked out from the noises. We had to help Layla over the rainbow bridge in January (she was in advance stage liver failure). We adopted a 2 year old female Lab in February, she is bomb proof. The male Lab is 7 years old now. He barked a bit leading up to and on July 4th but and the new dog started in. I drugged them both and both slept through the worst of it. I think the new dog has taught HIM to not freak out. Fingers crossed for New Years…
Also used thunder shirt and Rescue Remedy. They both helped Layla along with Trazodone…
Tried the Thundershirt and CBD from the pet store. The Thundershirt didn’t work at all, CBD the first use, but not after that. She now gets Trazadone from her vet. Unfortunately, you never know how early the fireworks will start (especially the illegal mortars). This 4th we gave her a 1/2 tab at lunch and another 1/2 tab at dinner. This has been working for her for the last couple of years. Doesn’t like thunder either. Fortunately we do not get many thunderstorms and they are usually don’t last long. She’s a 13 year old cockapoo. I spend most of the day and night with her in the bedroom while watching TV during the 4th and New Years.
My current GSD developed fear of loud noises at the age of 9 and I also use Rescue Remedy to help calm her. My two previous GSDs developed the fear of loud noises at the age of 7; however, one developed it after being in her outside kennel and the neighbors threw firecrackers at her when we were gone as I found the remnants. Needless to say she never went back to her outside kennel. I don’t understand why the other two have developed the fear of loud noises, as they were fine and then they weren’t. During fireworks going off periodically during the summer, I just try to be home and have the TV or radio on.
I have found “Rescue Remedy” a Bach flower remedy has worked for my dogs. In fact, my current girl will go to the medicine cabinet & wait if a storm is close. It’s also useful if it’s put in the water bowl prior to a Tstorm if a storm is predicted. But I just squirt it in her mouth. Sometimes it takes 2 doses 15-20 min apart but always works. She was not afraid of storms before she turned 7. Maybe their hearing changes with age as does ours. This happened with 2 of my prior dogs as well.
I have had 2 great dogs in my lifetime. An Airedale and a Mini Schnauzer, neither were afraid of storms, fireworks or the sounds of gunfire… I really wonder why so many dogs are afraid of noises like that…
I call my Fergus a canine barometer. He is very sensitive to changes in weather, and often starts hiding when it is still clear out – before we have any idea there’s a storm coming. And don’t even get me started on fireworks…they used to be occasionally annoyances, but now they are legal in PA and go off in the neighborhood all summer long.
Our Shetland Sheepdog is the same – our barometer!
I wonder about “t-touch. I went to a seminar years ago. I will try it again on my new senior dog. It does seem to have fallen out of favor but I don’t know why.
I think fireworks should have been addressed also. Our area in Arizona gets very few storms, only during monsoon season, sometimes. We have the normal illegal and legal fireworks going off on New years and the 4th of July but the pyrotechnics people come a couple times a year for training etc.