I have a few very fearful dogs when it comes to loud noises. Before discovering the “Storm Defender Cape” I would take a blanket or a towel and wrap it tightly around my dogs torso and then try to distract them as much as possible or let them find somewhere smallish to hide. It has worked a ton for my dogs when it comes to thunderstorms and fireworks. One of mine just turned 11 and he is afraid of any noise. He still shakes and pants some but he no longer paces or freaks out on me when he starts hearing the noise he comes to me I put on his cape and he goes to his ‘box’ with his kong and hides until it is over.

ETA: I only have indoor dogs so not sure if that will work for outdoor dogs lol

arrrrgh! That would suck. Do you have a basement, cellar type place that’ll muffle the noise some?

Oh – it is the one really bad thing about the 4th – all the noise. 
My parents had a Golden dogs that was terrified of loud noises. She would start to get upset hours before a big storm and the 4th forget it!  All we could do was pet her and talk to her.

(((((((((((((((((((((( calming vibes for the pups over the weekend ))))))))))))))))))))))))))

PS. I do remember one 4th in NYC on a friends roof top – the best place in NYC to watch fireworks – when my friend said “Sure, for you guys it’s the 4th of July, for me it’s just another night on the Lower East Side!!! 

I hate the 4th around here because I live way back in the country around a bunch of country hillbillies lol they are the definition of hillbillies! So I don’t only deal with the fireworks I deal with them shooting in the air or at each other then the police come and sometimes they join in! And my oldest dog loves being outside and spends most of his day outside and comes through the doggy door when he wants in so he HATES it when I have to force him to stay in during any holiday that can be used for the 4th.

I had an outside dog when I was younger she would foam at the mouth pant pace run hide growl everything during the 4th I eventually couldn’t take it anymore and my mom wouldn’t let me bring her in so we got a sedative (xanax) from the vet until they were over. It was awful!

Do you guys know a place to buy Rescue Remedy in NY? I should try this for my dog. It’s been thunderstorming here for a week straight and she’s been handling it okay, just coming to me or hiding, but I think the fireworks might put her over the edge. What I’d really like to do is get her a friend but… I live with my mom.

Around the time my dog turned 3 she started being afraid of thunderstorms and fireworks. I took her camping in the Adirondacks and she heard a gunshot from across the lake and booked it up to the car. When it thunders, she hides either in the bathtub (I close the curtain almost all the way so she feels like she’s in a cave), in my mom’s closet, or up in the spare bedroom on a pile of stuffed animals. I set up a chair and a blanket by the animals so she has a little more cavelike privacy up there.

EDIT:  Oh, nevermind on where to buy =)  I went to their website and I found they sell it at Wegmans.  Are there any other similar products that I can use that might be cheaper?  Also, how much do I give her?  8 year old lab.

how’d you make out with the doggies mimz? yesterday was pretty loud here too… canada day also calls for lots of home fireworks not to mention that my city’s public fireworks are located within earshot too. the only thing i can calm my dog with short of pharms is by closing all the windows and turning on fans, the dehumidifier and turning up the tv to drown out the noise. he also finds comfort if he can get under something like a table or low shelf. poor doggies!

one of my girlfriends had to get valium for her dog (for thunderstorms when she knew her dog would be alone) after she came home one day to a blood bath. her dog had scratched so hard at the door trying to get out that she broke off 2 nails to the quick the valium works wonders for her dog. she uses it very very sparingly.

My dog is a scaredy-pup too. A word on the tranquilizers- they really aren’t a good solution, because your dog is still fully conscious and scared, he just can’t move. but i understand if its a last resort kind of thing. my vet prescribed xanax (zanax? how the heck do you spell that?!) for mine.

mine likes to hide in my closet- give your pups a small, dark, secure place where they can burrow for the night. also, giving them a kong (or like toy) filled with peanut butter calms them down- licking produces calming emotions.

Here’s a (crazy) suggestion: maybe a white noise type of buffer will muffle the impact. Try putting a radio or CD player in their space that plays continuous soothing classical music. Make it loud enough to be pleasant, but when a boom goes off, it isn’t much of a change. That way it will be more like a startling noise when you watch TV (also an option as background noise for them) than a bomb out of the quiet.