Fireworks this week

[Valerie]

So in the US the 4th of July is coming up and I'm sure there will be fireworks every evening for the next week and probably the week after that too. What should we be doing with our dogs during this high stress time? What are you doing?

I've been very frustrated with Eka lately and I realized part of it was that I was getting lax about the crate and would just have her on a shortish lead but there was still too much access to things to chew.

Now with the 4th coming Eka has been barking like crazy at the fireworks in the neighborhood and I thought this was going to be awful. So here's what I'm doing, I'm doing a more strict crating routine (again) and just keeping the crate in my room, I was dragging it out to the living room but then it was so big in there she kinda became the focus of the room, next to the TV. So crate is in my room, she is in the crate if she's not outside or not on lead headed to or from the crate. I have to have her on a leash inbetween or she will pick up things off the floor and chew on them along the way, which is so annoying.

Then the last two days I have not fed her until the evening when most of the fireworks happen. So when the fireworks get going and she is barking we go outside for her one big meal of the day and she runs around and barks a bit and I praise her (is that ok?) and then do the Ready - Eka! or Ready - Ekashie! and she pushes. And she has actually been pushing really hard the last two nights.

Maybe these two weeks of added fireworks stress will actually be great learning and pushing weeks for us. Anything else I should be doing or not doing this holiday?

[Sang]

What are her barks like when she's barking at the fireworks? Are they kind of yappy, or are they deep, more resonating barks that come from her gut?

I can't remember if you've ever mentioned it before, but will she also play tug or bite a toy in those moments? If you can introduce that as well, it would also be a big help.

But definitely her pushing is going to be pretty strong this week, as you're finding out, since those fireworks are going to be triggering her battery more than the stuff she normally encounters. So you're definitely on the right path.

[BrownieNJoyce]

I'm glad Valerie asked about this. I've been wondering also. Fortunately fireworks are more short-lived around here, i.e., they haven't started yet. Nonetheless it has occurred to me that the weekend nights may be like really long thunderstorms of which we have had two this summer and during which Brownie initially comes to me, curls himself into me and presses his head into my chest/belly. It's amazing. I do feel like I'm at the center of his emotional universe when he does this. When the next clap of thunder hits he starts to get up to go away but I just reposition myself around him and keep him as snug as possible and he settles into the contact again. Brownie is not yet tugging except on rawhide ropes which is progress but I can only really give him one a day and we can only get about 6 or 7 tugs out of it cause he has to chew on it a bit (while I hold it for him) til he can get a good hold and then he initiates pulling and I, of course, try to get as much out of it as I can while always letting him win. His pushes are consistently strong now and he voluntarily hops onto the box to work on sit, down and stay. So I like the idea of saving up food so it's available when fireworks are happening or I'll just work with the cuddling which isn't bad for me, except that it isn't helping him overcome the fear, just cope. Or I'll just get him some noise-cancellation headphones so he can listen to his favorite tunes til the fireworks are done

[neilsattin]

Valerie, what you and Joyce are describing are great ways to deal with the stress of fireworks for your dog. And as Sang points out, it wouldn't be all that surprising to know that the fireworks are stirring up more emotional energy for your dog.

For people who are reading this thread whose dog's won't push or tug during fireworks, it's also worth reminding yourself that sometimes this kind of stress is just something to get through. It sounds like Joyce's dog has found a good way to plug into their connection to try and stay grounded, and that's fine too. So finding a way to "manage" can be good. Or simply giving your dog a safe place to be (den-like crate, bathroom in the basement, etc.) works too.

Stress that gets internalized during fireworks/thunderstorms can be mobilized and dealt with after the fact through your sessions of pushing and tug in less intense moments. You can revisit and release the emotion in a less stressful situation.

Sometimes you can also give your dog a "problem that they CAN solve" in a situation like that. So having your dog focus on balancing on a high platform, for instance, gives a place for their attention that allows them to actually "succeed" in a situation where they otherwise feel out of control (loud booming noises that are surrounding them). It doesn't give the emotional energy a place to go, but it does help keep the situation manageable for your dog.

More than anything, try to stay relaxed. Show your dog YOUR relaxed confidence through the situation - as there's potential for the worry that you experience (about your dog's emotional state, etc.) to feed the problem.

Thanks for bringing this topic up!

[Valerie]

Thanks for chiming in!

Neil, Eka does push during the fireworks and when I run out of food and another firework comes she comes back to me expectantly which is a good sign. I just can't keep feeding her all night! So it's good to have some management options as well. Joyce, she will sit at my feet with her back to me. Let me know how you keep the headset on

Sang, She won't tug during the fireworks, but she will eat food, push, heel, sit, down, and would probably do box work I just haven't been doing that.

I'm not sure about her barks. I can't always tell where her barks are coming from. The difference seems to be when the bark includes whining or growling. The bark behind it sounds similar. Outside with the fireworks she seems to be using the more growly bark. Her bark+whining happens more when often she is in her crate. I believe she is what Kevin calls 'addicted' to me. So something else to figure out at some point.

Another thing I just realized last night is that she is in heat again for the 3rd time. How could that affect things?

[donnieo]

yesterday was canada day up here and I saw it as an opportunity to try and work with Jinxsie on her fear of fireworks. I fasted her for the day and took her out to push, but as soon as the fireworks started she had a huge panic attack. I tried a few things to get her to relax, like running with her but nothing worked. After it was over, she pulled all the way home. It was very discouraging and I have to admit that I lost my temper a bit with her as she was pulling me around. It was very frustrating and really feel like we took a huge step back last night.

Right niw I feel like I've hit a wall in our training. She doesn't want to give me any more of her energy and I don't know how to get past feeling angry, frustrated and sad about it.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by donnieo

Right niw I feel like I've hit a wall in our training. She doesn't want to give me any more of her energy and I don't know how to get past feeling angry, frustrated and sad about it.

I'm sorry to hear of your setback and frustration. Believe me I've 'hit the wall' so many time and wanted to give up. Try not to give up as it's all part of the learning curve. On those days 'failed days' I now just take a break for a few days then slowly work back into some pushing and lots of play and fun stuff etc and see how it is.

[Sang]

Hey Donnie, it happens to all of us. Consider it growing pains

Always keep in mind that everything your dog does is right. Even when it feels like you've taken a step back, it actually means you're moving forward. It was a struggle I went through myself, as I would watch one of my dogs seem to "regress" at certain points of the process. But the regression is just part of the forward progress.

The panic attack Jinxsie had was something she needed to experience in that moment, and even though it may have seemed like you took a step back, she metabolized that experience in which she got to dump some energy through the panic attack. But at least she got to dump it. Remember that the behavior in any given moment isn't really what's important. It's the fact that you're continuing to build trust with her. When she starts to have that panic attack, don't get frustrated, just be there with her. Don't freak out, just be calm and relaxed, and let her experience it. Then tell her good girl, and then get her out of the situation and move on. Focus on gaining her trust and nurturing the relationship. Once you get that she'll start giving you more than she has been.

One of the biggest challenges of going through this process is letting go of all the guilt and judgement associated with your own dog. Through this process, you have to let go of the idea that there's progress or regression. There's only what's happening, and whatever is happening in the moment is right. If she can't handle a situation and goes into overload, then ok, she's not emotionally there yet. No big deal. Just keep working with her and she'll eventually get there. It's an organic process, and there are no milestones that need to be achieved. No benchmarks of progress. There are no real definable steps, because every dog and situation is unique, so every dog will go through the process in his or her own way, in his or her own time. So don't feel pressured that you aren't moving fast enough, or that you haven't achieved what you want to achieve. This isn't a race. Goals are arbitrary. Like I said, earning her complete trust is the most important thing right now.

And sometimes it's important to take some time off from all the training and just relax. Just spend a few days where all you do is go on some nice walks with Jinxsie. Hang out in the park together. Go for car rides. Any activity where the 2 of you can just enjoy being together, without any expectations or strings attached. It will give her time to metabolize the stuff you've been working on. We all need a break every now and again.

[Lee Charles Kelley]

Originally Posted by donnieo

yesterday was canada day up here and I saw it as an opportunity to try and work with Jinxsie on her fear of fireworks. I fasted her for the day and took her out to push, but as soon as the fireworks started she had a huge panic attack.

Sometimes we want to push a dog to go faster than they're ready go.

I agree with Sang's suggestion: it's not a bad idea to back off from training once in a while, and just let the dog be with you in the moment, or better yet, let yourself be with the dog, in the moment.

Dogs are great communicators, but we have to learn how to override our own thoughts to be able to listen to what they're telling us with their behavior.

Finally, on a certain level, your impulse to fast her for a day and do some pushing was good. The reason it seems to have backfired is that for optimal results, the fasting exercise is usually done at a place and time when there are as few external distractions as possible. In other words, you kind of have to build her drive to connect to you before you put her into an overload situation. (Have you taught her to speak on command?)

You don't have to prove anything to Jinxsie or anybody else.

LCK

[Lee Charles Kelley]

Hi, Donnie,

As I was out with a couple of dogs I realized something that I sometimes tell my clients when they inherit a dog with the type of name that may have negative connections: "Li'l Bastard," "Prince of Darkness," "Spawn of Satan," etc. So although Jinxsie may not be able to tell the difference between her given name and a new one like Genie or Dindi (pr. Jeen-gee),* but, on an unconscious level, if we're always calling our dog by a name that has the slightest negative connotation for us ("That damn dog is jinx!"), it can actually affect the dog's behavior because of how we unconsciously relate to the name itself.

I inherited my Dalmatian, Freddie. And he came to me with a name I had no love or affinity for. But try as I might, I was unable to find a satisfactory replacement, or at least one that he'd respond to. So I searched my brain to see if I could find any "Fred" in history or popular culture, and realized that one of my favorite songs, "On the Street Where You Live," was sung by the character of Freddie in My Fair Lady. The character was sort of feckless, but he was hopelessly in love with Eliza Doolittle (which is why he sings that wonderful song), just as I was hopelessly in love with my dog Fred. Once I came up with a positive emotional connection with Freddie's name, I no longer held anything back when thinking about him, or calling him, or ... whatever. All I felt was pure love.

So I always recommend that people use a name that will have a purely positive connotation for them because it will also automatically have a positive effect on their dog's behavior.

Food for thought.

LCK

*Dindi was the nickname of a Portuguese singer. Antonio Carlos Jobim wrote a song about her. An English-lyric version was sung by Frank Sinatra and others. It's a lovely tune.