[Aislinn]

I was had. Very simply, Dakota pulled the wool over my eyes and got what she wanted. The night before New Years Eve my neighbor began the fireworks. To explain, I live very rural and my neighbors just down and across the road have a bigger fireworks display than any professional one I've ever seen. They begin at about seven and it's nonstop until about 12:30 am. But the night before New Years Eve is the preshow, which is about three hours.

My son and Daughter-in-law had come over, they live in the back of my property, and we were all visiting. The fireworks start and because I had the Papillons were running around the house, Dakota was in my bedroom in her crate. She went crazy. I put the paps up and let her out. She jumped from lap to lap. My son was having a semi-bad day, (He's a disabled vet who suffers muscle spasms), and I couldn't have her jumping in his lap. She's just over a year old, so still pretty puppy. I put her back in her crate. After she had her paw caught in the door and then her head and was bleeding, I pulled the crate into the livingroom so I could watch her and she could see us. Then she was fine.

I dreaded the next night. We took her out for a long run ahead of time so she would get all her energy out. My son was having a bad day and so stayed home, with Dakota's sister hiding under his legs. Dakota never bated an eye. She was in her crate in my bedroom, curled up and sleeping like a baby. She whined to go out and we took her out, watched some of the fireworks over our heads and then went back in. She curled up on the floor next to me and chewed on a bone. Yeah, I was had the night before. Sometimes she is just too smart.

 

[bioteach]

Nugget isn't too fond of fireworks; but luckily, he doesn't freak either. Fireworks are allowed to be sold here although it is illegal to set them off in Phoenix. Nevertheless, some people shoot them off anyway and this year managed to burn down a house just a mile away from us.

Nugget was more interested in the sirens from the firetrucks than the fireworks.

 

[Aislinn]

Both girls were puppies about three months old when we had the house fire. We had fire trucks from seven different companies, even from Texas, (I'm in Louisiana) to put it out. Sirens from fire trucks, the sherriff's department, raining and icy cold out, strangers running around all over, the firemen looking like who knows what to the puppies in their full gear... Since then they sometimes have a hard time with strangers or loud noises. The Papillons I saved were put into an expen and acted like it was all for their benefit to have everyone petting and loving on them. Of course, they are used to the show scene with lots of noise and people. The GR girls were not. I had them in a saved expen as well. I wonder now if I could have done something different, but at the time I was in shock, watching my house burn, mourning the dogs who had ran back inside before we could get/find an expen, worrying about the cats (whom I did lose).

I think I tend to see that experience as a reason for Dakota's behavior when she reacts to situations with strangers or noise. I need to stop enabling her, but it sometimes hard to tell the difference. Hence her fooling me the night before New Year's Eve. I hope that makes sense.