Post by Boothros on Oct 28, 2011 3:33:57 GMT 1
Half an hour after arriving at work this evening I got a panicked phonecall from my husband to tell me that little Ace wasn't himself. He was shaking violently, panting hard and just wouldn't be comforted. 'Are there any fireworks outside' I asked and of course the answer was in the afirmative.
Now I havn't had Ace quite a year yet so I wasn't really aware of his firework adversion. We actually got him when the first of the heavy snowfall arrived last year and as he is completely white, we actually nearly lost him for two days but thats another story.
My other dogs couldn't really give a monkeys about fireworks, well actually thats not strictly true, I'm sure the girls imagine rockets and bangers to be extra large cats or really noisy birds as when they hear them go off they become absolutely furious and waste no time in tearing outside to let them know what for. Fin continues to sleep on through everything dreaming as always of sausages and up until now all has been well.
Now Ace is a simple creature, he doesn't do too much of note, he doesn't smell that great and mounting Fin is his favourite pastime but we love him and we don't want him to be upset. However, it was during a late Summer storm when he started quaking so badly that I thought he was actually having a fit that I realised that loud bangs put the fear of God into him. I asked a few folks on forums how to calm a terrified dog and the general concencious was to leave him alone to get on with it thus 'not rewarding undesirable behaviour' This is easier said than done when you think your little friend is about to have a seizure and certainly very distressing to see.
Now this week I have been debating whether or not I actually have a spare £50 to buy a pair of Babyliss Wave Makers to give my hair that 'straight from the beach look'. At the moment it's got that 'straight from the Thames look' which is not the same at all.
However, after hearing the distressed phonecall about Acey's impending doom, my concience realised that if I could buy my dog a better life through Google, then it was my sworn duty to do so. I also thought it only fair dear reader that if I was to spend copious amounts of cash on these important items, I should share with you news of their successes or failures either saving you some money or forever changing bonfire night for the better whichever the case turns out to be.
And so the shopping list began.
Item 1 Storm - Vest by Orvis Usually approx £30 but I've just found one on sale at £24. Supposedly has an 85% success rate for calming dogs that are wearing it. No one knows how it works. Even the man who invented it doesn't know this but apparantly that doesn't matter and they give a cast iron guarantee that if you don't like it you can send it back. I just hope I can get it in the next few days, the company looks American.
Item 2 Dap Diffuser Approx £20 which will last up to 4 weeks and is refillable. Seemingly the best way to approach this would be to buy the Dap collar which squirts some pheromone out when the dog starts shivering but I couldn't see anyway of replenishing the stuff so I thought this too pricey an option.
Item 3 Bachs Recue Remedy Range. Approx £4-£8 depending on size. Now for an extra few quid I can get a special mixture made up specially for my dog which I might go for so that I know I have covered all the bases. I would hate for the experiment to fail for the want of just a little more Rockrose.
My only concern is that I will be quite unable to stop the other dogs drinking from the elixir of confidence and I just hope it will have no adverse effects on them. Fin for example is fightened of nothing (apart from no more sausages ever being made) and I worry that if he becomes any more laid back he may slip into a coma. However this and other worries like it are troubles that I will face as I come to them.
Tomorrow I shall order the items and await their delivery with my usual impatience and I will let you know how we all go from there.
Please wish us luck.
Now I havn't had Ace quite a year yet so I wasn't really aware of his firework adversion. We actually got him when the first of the heavy snowfall arrived last year and as he is completely white, we actually nearly lost him for two days but thats another story.
My other dogs couldn't really give a monkeys about fireworks, well actually thats not strictly true, I'm sure the girls imagine rockets and bangers to be extra large cats or really noisy birds as when they hear them go off they become absolutely furious and waste no time in tearing outside to let them know what for. Fin continues to sleep on through everything dreaming as always of sausages and up until now all has been well.
Now Ace is a simple creature, he doesn't do too much of note, he doesn't smell that great and mounting Fin is his favourite pastime but we love him and we don't want him to be upset. However, it was during a late Summer storm when he started quaking so badly that I thought he was actually having a fit that I realised that loud bangs put the fear of God into him. I asked a few folks on forums how to calm a terrified dog and the general concencious was to leave him alone to get on with it thus 'not rewarding undesirable behaviour' This is easier said than done when you think your little friend is about to have a seizure and certainly very distressing to see.
Now this week I have been debating whether or not I actually have a spare £50 to buy a pair of Babyliss Wave Makers to give my hair that 'straight from the beach look'. At the moment it's got that 'straight from the Thames look' which is not the same at all.
However, after hearing the distressed phonecall about Acey's impending doom, my concience realised that if I could buy my dog a better life through Google, then it was my sworn duty to do so. I also thought it only fair dear reader that if I was to spend copious amounts of cash on these important items, I should share with you news of their successes or failures either saving you some money or forever changing bonfire night for the better whichever the case turns out to be.
And so the shopping list began.
Item 1 Storm - Vest by Orvis Usually approx £30 but I've just found one on sale at £24. Supposedly has an 85% success rate for calming dogs that are wearing it. No one knows how it works. Even the man who invented it doesn't know this but apparantly that doesn't matter and they give a cast iron guarantee that if you don't like it you can send it back. I just hope I can get it in the next few days, the company looks American.
Item 2 Dap Diffuser Approx £20 which will last up to 4 weeks and is refillable. Seemingly the best way to approach this would be to buy the Dap collar which squirts some pheromone out when the dog starts shivering but I couldn't see anyway of replenishing the stuff so I thought this too pricey an option.
Item 3 Bachs Recue Remedy Range. Approx £4-£8 depending on size. Now for an extra few quid I can get a special mixture made up specially for my dog which I might go for so that I know I have covered all the bases. I would hate for the experiment to fail for the want of just a little more Rockrose.
My only concern is that I will be quite unable to stop the other dogs drinking from the elixir of confidence and I just hope it will have no adverse effects on them. Fin for example is fightened of nothing (apart from no more sausages ever being made) and I worry that if he becomes any more laid back he may slip into a coma. However this and other worries like it are troubles that I will face as I come to them.
Tomorrow I shall order the items and await their delivery with my usual impatience and I will let you know how we all go from there.
Please wish us luck.