That is great, and an encouraging sign. However, firework and thunderstorm phobias normally develop when dogs are a bit older. Typically around 3 years old.
Ollie and Fireworks
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Mia did not develop a fear of storms until age 7 when thunder struck close to our house. There was a huge bolt that took out some appliances. It was not normal thunder.
Yeah… THAT is COMPLETELY understandable!!! Poor thing!Mia did not develop a fear of storms until age 7 when thunder struck close to our house. There was a huge bolt that took out some appliances. It was not normal thunder.
My yorkie developed a fear of smoke when he was a puppy because my husband started the fireplace without opening the flue! The house got pretty smoked up before we figured it out. For years afterwards my yorkie would show fear around any kind of smoke. I guess we have a living smoke detector!
Well, darn! And here I was so proud of him. LOL The only thing I’ve seen him nervous of at all is when Canada Geese fly low enough overhead that you can hear them honking. I live near a river so he’s going to hear a lot of that. The first time he heard them, he turned tail and ran. I thought maybe I could get him to associate the sound with a treat but he was too nervous to even take one. Yesterday, he heard them for the second time and was noticeably nervous, but did take a treat. Hopefully I can desensitize him more on future walks. It’s weird sometimes the things they react to. 🤷♀️That is great, and an encouraging sign. However, firework and thunderstorm phobias normally develop when dogs are a bit older. Typically around 3 years old.
That’s a tough one, because you’d like to start treating him before he reacts, and it is likely that he can hear them LONG before you do!Well, darn! And here I was so proud of him. LOL The only thing I’ve seen him nervous of at all is when Canada Geese fly low enough overhead that you can hear them honking. I live near a river so he’s going to hear a lot of that. The first time he heard them, he turned tail and ran. I thought maybe I could get him to associate the sound with a treat but he was too nervous to even take one. Yesterday, he heard them for the second time and was noticeably nervous, but did take a treat. Hopefully I can desensitize him more on future walks. It’s weird sometimes the things they react to. 🤷♀️
That’s what happened today. He suddenly stopped and looked off into the distance. I wasn’t sure what he was seeing or listening to but gave him a treat just in case and then I heard the honking. He did eat three treats today and then listened, but didn’t try to run, until the geese disappeared. I‘ll have to take my cues from him and treat him if he looks worried when we’re in the spot where the geese tend to fly over. He may end up with a few more treats than usual but he won’t mind. 😉 He did recover faster today when the honking stopped. He gave himself a good shake and continued on his way with his tail up. 😀That’s a tough one, because you’d like to start treating him before he reacts, and it is likely that he can hear them LONG before you do!
Both my dogs will bark if large birds fly overhead. We do have birds of prey around here so I can't say I blame them. It is not really the sound that bothers them.
We have birds of prey here too. He only saw the geese the first time, the next two times, they were out of sight and he only heard them. I guess he thinks hawks honk! 🤣 I shouldn’t laugh, I know it’s all very serious to him. Actually, I’m kind of scared of Canada Geese myself!
Scout is a Canadian Goose chaser!We have birds of prey here too. He only saw the geese the first time, the next two times, they were out of sight and he only heard them. I guess he thinks hawks honk! 🤣 I shouldn’t laugh, I know it’s all very serious to him. Actually, I’m kind of scared of Canada Geese myself!
That’s a GREAT way of handling it!!!That’s what happened today. He suddenly stopped and looked off into the distance. I wasn’t sure what he was seeing or listening to but gave him a treat just in case and then I heard the honking. He did eat three treats today and then listened, but didn’t try to run, until the geese disappeared. I‘ll have to take my cues from him and treat him if he looks worried when we’re in the spot where the geese tend to fly over. He may end up with a few more treats than usual but he won’t mind. 😉 He did recover faster today when the honking stopped. He gave himself a good shake and continued on his way with his tail up. 😀
Pixel, who tends to be a worrier, saw a turkey INSIDE our fenced backyard. She FLEW after it and it jumped up and flew out of the back yard, over the fence. She SLAMMED on the brakes and turned to look at me. “Did you SEE that?!?! I chased it away!!!” She was two inches taller, all day long! LOL!Scout is a Canadian Goose chaser!
That's great!! We are on a peninsula surrounded by waterfront homes where the thing is to outdo your neighbors with launchers built into the yard. They launch them out over the lake. Pam and I will have a few dogs in the chairs with us behind our backs and buried as deep as they can get unti the show is over.
We probably have the most bombproof (literally) horses that anyone has. I used to sit out there with them years ago, but now they don't even lift their heads from grazing.
Decades ago, we carried one of our ponies and our daughter to a county fair that the 4H club was giving pony rides at for a fundraiser. Before the fair opened, the other people with horses there tied their horses to a chain link fence. They told us to tie Storm to the fence with the other horses while we waited for the gates to open. We politely declined. They said their horses were calm quarter horses, and could be tied to anything, looking down their noses at us.
When the fair opened, they simultaneously set off a big fireworks show. The calm quarter horses that could be tied to anything left with the chain link fence. Our daughter and Pam gave a long line of children lead line pony rides while all the other horse people went to find the other horses. Fortunately, none were injured.
We have a Lot of fireworks here, and don't need to go anywhere for a big show. We are in the middle of them.
We probably have the most bombproof (literally) horses that anyone has. I used to sit out there with them years ago, but now they don't even lift their heads from grazing.
Decades ago, we carried one of our ponies and our daughter to a county fair that the 4H club was giving pony rides at for a fundraiser. Before the fair opened, the other people with horses there tied their horses to a chain link fence. They told us to tie Storm to the fence with the other horses while we waited for the gates to open. We politely declined. They said their horses were calm quarter horses, and could be tied to anything, looking down their noses at us.
When the fair opened, they simultaneously set off a big fireworks show. The calm quarter horses that could be tied to anything left with the chain link fence. Our daughter and Pam gave a long line of children lead line pony rides while all the other horse people went to find the other horses. Fortunately, none were injured.
We have a Lot of fireworks here, and don't need to go anywhere for a big show. We are in the middle of them.
🤣🤣🤣 I’ve owned a few Quarter Horses in my lifetime. 😉They said their horses were calm quarter horses, and could be tied to anything, looking down their noses at us.
When the fair opened, they simultaneously set off a big fireworks show. The calm quarter horses that could be tied to anything left with the chain link fence.
I had a crazy neighbor here for a while that really worried me beaus he'd set fireworks off RIGHT over our paddocks, where the sparks would land IN the paddocks, potentially on summer-dry grass or hay piles. We DID stay out in the paddocks when the firework crazies were out, just to make sure they didn't set the horses on fire. (the horses never seemed to mind!)We probably have the most bombproof (literally) horses that anyone has. I used to sit out there with them years ago, but now they don't even lift their heads from grazing.
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