Is your dog not a fan of the fourth of July?

Does your dog get skiddish or nervous when they hear thunderstorms or fireworks? They want to hide in the farthest away corner or closet that they can find. I can only imagine what they are thinking when they hear these noises and not be able to see where or what it's coming from. Maybe that is why they are afraid because they aren't able to see the culprit? There are some dogs that along with fireworks don't care for the vacuum or the lawn mower, and then there are some doggies where those things don't bother them. A motorcycle or a firetruck screaming by doesn't faze them. What is that about?
I have read about doggies that are afraid of certain noises and wanted to share some of what I have found. Of course all doggies are different, so it may or may not work for your particular friend.

"Many dogs are terrorized by the sound of fireworks - or any other loud, explosive noises. Dogs run off and are never found again because in their panic-stricken flight they lose their bearings. If loud sounds startle your dog, there a chance he may react strongly to fireworks. Your best protection is to put him in a small space like a bathroom or even a walk-in closet (dogs often feel safe in a cave-like den) and close the door until the noise is over." 

For those of you in the San Diego area I have posted the link to the Sea World firework schedule so you can have a heads up for your dog and try to keep him as comfortable as you can.

http://www.seaworld.com/SitePage.aspx?PageID=115#FWSCHED

In the case of thunderstorms:

"Normally it takes years for this fear to develop and no one knows why. Many people have a dog who has not had any reaction to thunderstorms, and then suddenly one day becomes agitated and then unglued when there is thunder and lightning. The average age at which thunderstorm phobia begins is seven years old. Some dogs suffering from a fear of thunderstorms are also prone to being anxious in other situations. Which dogs suffer the most? Some breeds are more prone than others to experience terror around thunderstorms. Northern breeds such as Huskies and Samoyeds and some of the larger breeds such as Labradors, Retrievers and German Shepherds are prone to the phobia. No one knows why.

The worst thing you can do is show pity. It causes the dog to be more anxious. The more compassion you show, the worse it makes it for the dog. The best thing that you can do is show leadership and give him direction. Give the impression of confidence and take the dog's attention off of the storm by giving him direction. Give him clear direction with some obedience commands or try getting him to play his favorite games."

Unfortunately I don't have a schedule for Thunderstorms but thankfully we don't get them that often! :)

I have found this information in the book called The Dog Bible by: Tracie Hotchner. It has a lot of information on pretty much anything that you may have questions about. I found it in the library one time and then put it on my Christmas list. It was a book I wanted to have in my dog library!

Sebastian wasn't afraid of loud noises, but didn't mind hanging out under the blanket on a cool day! :)