January 01, 2008
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In this issue you will find:
- Happy New Year Message!
- Dogs and Fireworks
- Just Added
Hi all!! I would like to say happy new year to all my readers and I wish you all the very best in 2008!
I hope your new year started with a bang! Ours certainly did! Those fireworks had my poor dogs crying and whimpering under the table!
However, after this happening to my dogs again, I have decided that next time there are fireworks I do not want them to go through the same thing. I want them to be able to enjoy themselves as well.
So I did a bit of research and I am going to try to desensitize them to the noise in time for next year’s displays!
Dogs and Fireworks
When carrying out my research I came across the following article, (taken from the bbc news website), which I have included in this newsletter in case anybody else wants to help their dogs.
Helping dogs fight fireworks fear
Pet shops in Northern Ireland are selling sedatives to help dogs cope with the explosive bangs of Halloween fireworks.The tablets are aimed at ending the upset caused by the sudden loud bangs of exploding fireworks.
Pet shop owner Jackie McCourt said the sedatives did not knock dogs out, but they made them less stressed.
But a local vet has urged people to consider playing CDs of fireworks to desensitise animals to the noise.
Ms McCourt, who owns The Pet Stop on Belfast's Upper Newtownards Road said the demand for tranquilisers increased at Halloween, as customers worried about the effects of fireworks on their animals.
"The dogs are petrified. They go into hiding and are very nervous. It is not a great sedative. It is not going to knock them out. But it calms them down and makes them less stressed," she explained.
The drugs can also be used for hyperactive or aggressive dogs.
Alternative therapy
"People just don't stop to think, unless you have an animal like that and are in that situation, people won't stop to think," she said. Craig Reilly, chairman of the Northern Ireland branch of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, urged dog owners to consider alternative ways of calming their pets.Using diazepam or valium is "old fashioned", he said. "It is about re-education," he said. "It is a behavioural problem. What we are trying to do is to educate people to desensitise the dog. If you introduce the noise very quietly - you can buy Cds with fireworks on them - play them at a low volume, build up the volume over a number of days and the dogs realise they don't need to worry."
Mr Reilly also suggested a product, like a plug-in air freshener, which produces a calming hormone into the air to soothe the dog.
I personally do not agree with giving your dog a sedative pill, however I do think that the whole desensitizing is a brilliant idea. Lets see how it goes!
Just Added
New Puppy Advice – The Don'ts Of Adding A New Labrador Puppy To The Family..... Read More..Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this e-zine and tell me what you think!
From all of us here at Labrador Lounge have a great month! We look forward to hearing your comments and getting the next edition of Labrador Lounge ready for you and your friends!