How to Keep Your Dogs Relaxed When Things Go Boom this Week

How to Keep Your Dogs Relaxed When Things Go Boom this Week

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, so I didn't have this problem. I have had
greyhounds for over a decade now and didn't. I was
living in the Moines, right in the middle of town.
The Moines has you know, rules against you know, city fireworks,
or at least they did when I was living in
the middle, So I guess I didn't wasn't exposed to
super duper close fireworks, didn't really have my dogs super

(00:22):
stressed about it. And then I moved and all of
a sudden in a neighborhood now where they're firing them
off all over the place, and my dogs are incredibly stressed.
So can you kind of walk me through what this
the pet thinks is happening or what these dogs and
cats are feeling when they're starting to hear these loud,
you know, explosions in the sky.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, so you know, I'm just like people that this
is a loud boom, thunderstorm or fireworks that you know,
it scares them. It kind of comes out of nowhere,
it's loud, it rocks the house. Sometimes animals are about energy,
so they feel that energy. The challenges we're you know,
start new, and fireworks atret new. But our society now

(01:03):
has become much more emotional in how we deal with
our animals, and there's certainly some benefit to that. But
one other thing that's lost is they're looking for leadership.
So when they're scared, they's got to look to us
to see how we react, and it's more of it's okay,
it's okay, you're fine, instead of hey, look at me,
we got this right. So one, I don't let them

(01:26):
scurry around the house when I'm training an animal, or
even you can teach an old dog Nutrick. So this
applies to any age pet you have. You bring a
shelter dog, put them on a leash, engage them, keep
them with you. I say when I'm training, I tell people,
think service dog. I want the dog to have his
eyes look up at me if he's nervous, confused, scared,

(01:49):
or looking for his next queue. Right. So that's what's
really important is if you're engaged with them, you're not
going to have as much of an issue because they're
going to look up at you and you're going to
give them a queue. So you could start now we
still have a few days. Put a YouTube on on
your phone or TV and play fireworks down, start low,

(02:11):
but you stay mellow, you stay practical, you stay engaged
with the dog. Do sit, stay down, roll over, you know,
run through your repertoire, play fetch, but really be practical
instead of emotional for your pet, because that's what they need.
And then up the music a little bit. Do this
a few times a day for a few minutes, and

(02:31):
then you know, I challenge you to see if that
doesn't help you, if you take a different approach, if
it doesn't help you through it.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, this is a is a great observation. I think
for dog parents, I suppose to get a good read
on exactly why their dog is upset or scared about
this kind of thing. And I think that that can
get a little misdirected too. And that's something I've been
guilty of thinking, Okay, well, they're afraid of one thing,
when all they really are looking for is either that

(03:00):
positive reinforcement or, like you mentioned, just the idea of
being exposed to it a little bit more than just
you know, a couple of weeks out of the year.
So you know, is when you talk about the practice
aspect of this, when it comes to dog training at all,
is the same principle kind of apply with just the
regular exposure to this. And has there been a specific

(03:20):
kind of, you know, way that you've trained dogs in
the past to try to kind of overcome that fear
of these fireworks.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yes. So I've worked as an entertainer. I've had my
wheelhouse or horses and dogs that I've taken them all
over the country in North America, and you know, we
have fireworks at county fairs. I've been up against the
tilta world at a carnival, you know, all kinds of sun.
I can't train for every sound. What I do do
is train to make sure that when their nervous are

(03:51):
confused about anything, they look to me, like Heidi to
what's going on here. So that's I feel like I've
I've been a success when that animal either comes closer
to me if it's scared, and or gives me its eyes.
We have to connect with their brain. My father was
a genius at this, long before there was the horse

(04:11):
whisper and my grandfather we get in their brains to
connect with them, and it's really, honestly, it's about a
solid training program and that's the key forward. It also
is the key to ensuring your pets well being. For life,
whether or not you own them, because well, the hip pets,
well trained pets are typically don't end up in harm's way.

(04:33):
So it's twofold. There's so much benefit to this. But yeah,
it's role playing everything I do. Whether your dog's dashing
at the door when somebody knocks, I set it all
up and play through it so I can put fireworks
on YouTube. Now, when I was growing up, I couldn't
do that, but we just tried to simulate as much
as we could, but then really make sure that they

(04:55):
had a confidence and then if I'm not home, that
confidence carries them through. It's like a kin to raising
a child and helping them develop their self confidence and
self soothing. But it takes time, patience, you know, and energy.
So the day of get them a good walk. Make sure,
you know, try to do a little training before I

(05:16):
challenge you to do that. But get a good walk in.
But tire them out mentally and physically. Sometimes we only
tire our pets out physically, They've still got mental energy.
Get in their brain to have them do some you know,
some of their tricks or behaviors or that, and do
the same for yourself. Also, big takeaway biggest day for

(05:36):
lost and escape pets is the fourth of July. Please
make sure you don't leave your dog, even if they're comfortable,
don't leave them outside. They might something might happen to
echo off sometimes and you don't want them jumping that fence.
They could scale a high fence, believe me, So be
real cognizant of that that you don't want your pets
lost and keep them with you. Don't let them scurry

(05:57):
around and feed they get a feed on that of
a synergy, Bring it down, settle them down, put on
something you like on TV, or if they like the
dog channel, but you know, be there with them. And
then then at some point you'll be able to leave
them alone and they'll be fine. But right now you
need to help them with it. You take the medication,
your dog will do much better. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, this is a great stuff from Heidi Harriet who's
joining us on the phone line here. So that was
another thing, right, Like last year was the first year
I really noticed my dogs getting super duper nervous and
I had never experienced that before. And they would hear
you know, for a couple of weeks. You know, our neighbors,
you know, firing off fireworks and it's pretty close. We
couldn't sit outside. I mean, I mean, as soon as

(06:40):
the fireworks start going off, the dogs really start getting
that energy. And I know that there are a lot
of people that are saying, if you talk to your vet,
there is medication that can kind of settle them down
naturally already. Would you recommend that if that's something that
people you know are interested in trying, you know, maybe
even this last minute of trying to figure out if
there's a way to make sure that their dog dog

(07:01):
is safe.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
If you can't, you know, I still encourage you to
try to, you know, roleplay it up through the day.
But you know, this year we're getting up against it.
So if you need a medication, but make sure that
medication becomes a good training tool for you. It's just
a step forward. It's not the way out right. Training
is the way out. So if you do medicate them,

(07:25):
be still be present with them, still engage their brain still,
so let them just get past it, you know what
I mean. If you're using medication though, to rely on
for all of these things instead of just helping you
get stepped forward, then you're using that a in a
way that I wouldn't do. But yes, certainly you help.
Like your dogs, it's a new experience from where you were.

(07:47):
And again try yourself, see how much you can be
practical and see I challenge you to see if that
helps you get them to look at you, engage their brain.
They don't multitask, so if they're busy with you or
doing something, they really can't be overly distracted by the fireworks.