Which is exactly what people should do if they dislike the fireworks are unable to handle them mentally. It’s up to people to adapt for themselves, not force the world to adapt to them. Good on you.
When my cat was younger she used to go wide-eyed, race low-to-the-ground under my chair and then press herself up against the backs of my ankles during fireworks; then after she would crawl under the covers and purr all night.
Now, in her twilight years, she just waddles over to the center of the house, flops down and looks back at me with mild annoyance until its time to put me to bed.
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Sounds like you haven’t experienced…marriage…yet? Maybe? Just guessing is all. No offense intended.
I was being facetious. I don’t hate the 4th.
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Fireworks aren’t even tradition in my town this way, because private displays are still illegal here. It’s just legal to buy in the state of PA. Which it also didn’t use to be so wasn’t even tradition then.
Honestly fireworks are pretty dreadful for the local wildlife in general. Like it disrupts birds and other nocturnal animals; not just dogs. For example those 5000+ wild birds that rained down, very dead, onto a town in Arkansas back in 2010.
My understanding is that they were startled by the events and slammed into tree branches, signs, houses, etc, en masse, and just sort of that was that.
Yup. My good boy spent the night under the desk while I played through some cloak grind on my rogue. That is until he decided to go to the couch with my wife where he was assured many cuddles and pats.
We had so many last night… really hate it.
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You know, some times I wonder from over here in Australia how America can be so bafflingly stupid at times. Then I see idiocy like this and it all makes sense.
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Thunder vests help a lot of dogs, but for some dogs, certain fears are intractable, and the older a dog is, the less likely you’ll be to see complete reversal of a behavior.
For the foster we had (who was like five years old – we couldn’t be certain) who was terrified, we simply placed a dog bed for him to hide in under our bed (since he went there anyway), and he used it, so I think it gave him a modicum of comfort. His adoptive family was fully informed, and they made him a similar set-up in their house with a comfy crate he could use to hide in one of their closets.
Nothing would have convinced this dog that he was safe in those moments, and dog brains are not like people brains. Some behaviors and some fears are just not trainable, and if you have a traumatized dog who cannot eat or engage or focus during his triggered fear time (it’s called “shutting down”), you cannot train him out of being afraid by exposure to more of that thing. You have to start smaller.
Medication from the vet is probably the best way for your MIL’s dogs to go, Tovi. Vets can give anxiety meds for this kind of thing, and when you can predict it – like with Independence Day fireworks – you can administer them ahead of time and minimize the upset.
I hope you guys can figure something out. 
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My dog was absolutely terrified, trembling violently and pushing up against my leg as hard as it could. My cats were fine. Cats > Dogs confirmed.
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Oh I almost gave you an upvote but this is a big NOPE
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Well nothing says “celebrating freedom” like firing off some Chinese made fireworks potentially made with child and slave labor. Plus it scares dogs, so really no win here.
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Hahahhha.
Cats do have an uncanny ability to ignore things. Mine for example have completely ignored 15 years of conditioning and feel perfectly entitled to sleep in the kitchen sink.
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We have two dogs, one is a bulldog mix of some sort and he turns into a great big panzy around fireworks and sometimes thunder. Our three pound(?) chihuahua though gave no pucks - he just kept trying to find where the sounds were coming from as he did his usual mark all the things as his territory.
All Countries Matter.
Am I doing this right?
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It happens once a year. Get over it.
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People light fireworks more than one day a year.
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More actually. The first often has fireworks, sometimes Memorial day as well. Depending on region it can be multiple times a year. Although I agree with the statement.
Yeah but how often are fireworks done in residential areas out of 4th of july? Next to none
Gee, some people are displaying a disturbing lack of empathy.
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