Firework-phobic dog home alone on NYE?
December 31, 2015 7:06 AM Subscribe
We haven't been out on New Year's Eve in the six years we've had this big baby, Clyde Drexler (obligatory photo - we like to call this his OK Cupid profile pic). This year, we have an offer we can't refuse.
"Just come home before midnight," you say? Yes, that would make sense. Except there's a club nearby that sets off fireworks for the kids at 8:30, which then signals the neighbors to light fireworks willy-nilly until around 12:30.
He's usually a miserable, shaking mess all night, even with Xanax and a Thundershirt. He's better when he can hang out in our bedroom with someone; we don't pet him or otherwise reinforce the anxiety, but I think he is comforted somewhat by the company.
Our dinner obligation will keep us away until 10 pm at the earliest. Any suggestions for how to prepare Clyde to be on his own? A few other info points: The animals have full run of the house; we have baby gates we could set up to confine him to a room (but he prefers to be able to pace around the house). We haven't crated him in years. We have plenty of Xanax and the Thundershirt. Probably too late to call a sitter.
Any suggestions, MeFriends? Thanks and Happy New Year!
"Just come home before midnight," you say? Yes, that would make sense. Except there's a club nearby that sets off fireworks for the kids at 8:30, which then signals the neighbors to light fireworks willy-nilly until around 12:30.
He's usually a miserable, shaking mess all night, even with Xanax and a Thundershirt. He's better when he can hang out in our bedroom with someone; we don't pet him or otherwise reinforce the anxiety, but I think he is comforted somewhat by the company.
Our dinner obligation will keep us away until 10 pm at the earliest. Any suggestions for how to prepare Clyde to be on his own? A few other info points: The animals have full run of the house; we have baby gates we could set up to confine him to a room (but he prefers to be able to pace around the house). We haven't crated him in years. We have plenty of Xanax and the Thundershirt. Probably too late to call a sitter.
Any suggestions, MeFriends? Thanks and Happy New Year!
My parents sometimes put on the radio for their dog - usually a talk radio station, and not too loud - just to give the illusion of human company. I don't know how well it worked, but they kept doing it, so it must've at least made them feel better, if not the dog.
It's worth a shot if you don't have any other options. (Though, yeah, see if you can find a friend at a loose end like cakelite suggests.)
Also, does Clyde have any particular high-value treats that he might pay attention to? A peanut butter-filled Kong, maybe?
posted by minsies at 7:41 AM on December 31, 2015 [4 favorites]
It's worth a shot if you don't have any other options. (Though, yeah, see if you can find a friend at a loose end like cakelite suggests.)
Also, does Clyde have any particular high-value treats that he might pay attention to? A peanut butter-filled Kong, maybe?
posted by minsies at 7:41 AM on December 31, 2015 [4 favorites]
Get someone to babysit him for the night. Preferably away from your home and the fireworks. Something like Rover.com or other dog sitting services might help.
posted by cecic at 7:49 AM on December 31, 2015
posted by cecic at 7:49 AM on December 31, 2015
Radio, Xanax at the max. dose, shirt. I would confine him to his favorite room, probably a bedroom where he can find a small space. My dogs won't eat treats when stressed. I would act as casual, normal, no-big-deal as possible. Preparation indicates that *you* are worried, and he senses that.
posted by theora55 at 7:51 AM on December 31, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 7:51 AM on December 31, 2015 [6 favorites]
Rover.com is a good resource for dog-sitters.
posted by vignettist at 8:49 AM on December 31, 2015
posted by vignettist at 8:49 AM on December 31, 2015
There may be someone willing to dogsit until ten. Lots of younger people don't go out until then, and it could give them their night's spending money.
The most important thing is his safety. Make sure there is nothing in the house he can hurt himself with, and make sure he can't jump though a window, open a door or escape in any way. Shut all the curtains, etc.
What has been his behavior on the bedroom before? Make sure he can recreate that. (If he goes in a closet, make sure the closet door is open, etc.)
Last option: are you driving? Could you leave him near you in the car? It would take him away from the club next door, and you can check on him as often as you need.
posted by Vaike at 8:51 AM on December 31, 2015
The most important thing is his safety. Make sure there is nothing in the house he can hurt himself with, and make sure he can't jump though a window, open a door or escape in any way. Shut all the curtains, etc.
What has been his behavior on the bedroom before? Make sure he can recreate that. (If he goes in a closet, make sure the closet door is open, etc.)
Last option: are you driving? Could you leave him near you in the car? It would take him away from the club next door, and you can check on him as often as you need.
posted by Vaike at 8:51 AM on December 31, 2015
In addition to any of the above you find suitable, exercise - tire him out thoroughly today before you go anywhere, so he will be inclined to sleep this evening.
posted by lizbunny at 9:33 AM on December 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by lizbunny at 9:33 AM on December 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
In addition to the above suggestions to tire him out, confine to a small and safe space, xanax, thundershirt, and closing the curtains so he doesn't see the flashes of light, I can also suggest creating lots of white noise (kitchen exhaust fan, air purifier, room fan, etc.) and also playing on repeat some music that will disguise the sound of fireworks--something with a noticeable bass line for instance. It's the randomness of the explosions that set my dogs off--if I can hide the fireworks in a piece of music that has somewhat similar sounds it helps a TON. They seem to have a hard time distinguishing the fireworks from the music.
Also, since you said "we don't pet him or otherwise reinforce the anxiety," I wanted to point you to a number of interesting pieces on the subject of whether it's actually possible to reinforce fear in dogs. We all have to come to our own conclusions but it's worth taking a fresh look at the old advice not to comfort a frightened dog.
posted by HotToddy at 11:00 AM on December 31, 2015
Also, since you said "we don't pet him or otherwise reinforce the anxiety," I wanted to point you to a number of interesting pieces on the subject of whether it's actually possible to reinforce fear in dogs. We all have to come to our own conclusions but it's worth taking a fresh look at the old advice not to comfort a frightened dog.
posted by HotToddy at 11:00 AM on December 31, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks, all. We're leaning towards having our son stay home with him - he wasn't too excited about being dragged out to this particular dinner anyway.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 11:19 AM on December 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Sweetie Darling at 11:19 AM on December 31, 2015 [1 favorite]
Late to the party, but we have a similarly troubled pooch. We had been using acepromazine but wanted to move on from the drug and decided to try Benadryl on colloquial and vet suggestions. Last night it worked perfectly and even seemed to be faster-acting than the ace.
Don't know if you've experimented with Benadryl as opposed to the Xanax, but it might be worth looking into.
posted by mwhybark at 10:16 AM on January 1, 2016
Don't know if you've experimented with Benadryl as opposed to the Xanax, but it might be worth looking into.
posted by mwhybark at 10:16 AM on January 1, 2016
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posted by cakelite at 7:37 AM on December 31, 2015 [2 favorites]