[jarn]

I got Luc last Canada Day weekend (July 1). We had 2 straight nights of fireworks and on the second night I carried Luc part of the way home for the first time when he froze and basically shut down due to the fireworks, even though I was trying to get him home. That was back when he weighed 68lbs and I feel fairly certain we looked slightly ridiculous

He's heard fireworks maybe once since then, and done terribly. Basically I just kept him inside the house.

Today is Victoria Day, and the people across the street are having fireworks.

Luc isn't hiding! He started growling, and burst into one fit of barking. But between Teagan and myself, I've been able to redirect him and we worked on a little obedience before he took a nap (out in the living room)

When he started growling, Teagan came over to us and sat down calmly beside him, and he calmed down with her presence and as I started to have him do his obedience work.

I'm just so pleased - what a change from a terrified dog who I couldn't move except to pick up

 

[ldpeterson]

Yay for Luc and good job for you and Teagan!

 

[Sherush]

Hi there, good job. Jesse is 6 months old, tonight there were fireworks in our park so what we did was we took him in the middle of the park about 50 feet from where the fireworks were going off and at first he was a little scared but we turned it into a good thing and started playing with him with plastic bottles, sticks and a ball soon he was having a blast while all the banging was going on and near the end he just sat quietly and watch the funny things going up in the air.

 

[jarn]

thanks!

luc can be hard to distract since he doesn't like toys. but like what you did, i decided since he wasn't overly fearful to leave everything open so he could see and hear them. after they started a lot of coloured fireworks he woke up and went into my bedroom under the table, so i followed him in, and said 'Come on Luc, come on out w/us' and he followed me out and sat next to me - a bit nervous but he calmed down and watched them a bit.

i took the dogs out in the yard after the fireworks where done, and of course in the subway parking lot 150M away someone else was letting off fireworks - luc stayed calm, i called him over to me and he came tail wagging like the fireworks didn't even matter! yay!

 

[Sherush]

Excellent good for you and Luc that sounds great. Wow Luc doesn't like toys, shocking I thought all GSDs lived for fetch with balls, sticks or kong. Jesse loves to play with us, finds us very interesting even though we are in our 40's

 

[jarn]

it's so great to see his confidence increase.

he was in a shelter for 3 years, from a puppy, so i think that's why he doesn't like toys - apparently it's not uncommon in shelter dogs that they don't play w/toys.

 

[Sherush]

OMG Shelter for first 3 years of his life..... I am so happy you gave him a new wonderful, loving, caring home.

 

[Castlemaid]

Yeah for Luc!!!! What a turnaround! My first dog was afraid of thunder and fireworks. It never got any better, except that he gradually lost his hearing as he got olders. I always told people that the older he got, the braver he got!

Seriously, that is amazing! And good girl Teagan for calming Luc down. You did well to get her, she is exactly what Luc needed (other than you, jarn).

 

[jarn]

thanks guys! i'm lucky to have luc

teagan has been great for luc - her calmness in circumstances has helped him before (taking him on the subway is night and day if teagan is there to sit calmly next to him), but this is one of the first times i've seen her deliberately come over. i was so proud of both of them