I have a 7 month old Lab puppy called Maya who I’ve come to love very much but have found very difficult to deal with to the point of feeling depressed and anxious about her and life with her. I thought things were improving with her a little but the fireworks over the last 2 days have set us back enormously. I’ve owned two other labs previously so am not a newcomer to the breed, but Maya is by far the most challenging puppy I’ve had. She’s always been over enthusiastic with everything in a way my previous chocolate girl wasn’t as a puppy and I’ve struggled and seriously wondered if we were the right family for her. Last night she really struggled with fireworks (there was a big display close by as well as people having their own events). She barked constantly when she heard any firework and tried to look out of the windows (I’d closed all the curtains). She ran around the room and cried as well. I suffer from anxiety and struggled to remain calm with her. I’d managed to get my previous labs not to react to fireworks and never had this issue. She calmed down when the fireworks stopped about 9.30pm but I’m finding myself questioning whether I can cope with her as this will happen again at New Year. Any ideas would be welcome.
Hi there Fireworks cause problems for many dog owners. My previous dog was ok until about 9 then he would visibly shake all evening. My current dog seems fine with them and in fact the first time he encountered them we were outside sitting in the garden. He was startled at first but took it in his stride. I don’t know what the answer is but there are lots of articles with suggestions. The search on the Labradorsite doesn’t seem to link to an article by Pippa. Can admin help with that? This may help in the meantime. https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/he...care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/fireworks/
