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It is but another New Year's eve without my dear, golden retriever dog, Cubby, who passed away in March 2007. But he will always be remembered especially on New Year's eve when I would stay beside him and give him comfort from the harsh and loud sounds of firecrackers coming from our neighbors. I would try to give him the assurance that there's nothing to worry about but still he would let out a yelp and cry and hide his head inside my arms. You see, aside from the toxic gunpowder from firecrakers, our pets have sense of hearing so much senstive than ours. They would go hysterical and would run from one place to another. They would act as if they are going nuts. They would do anything to fight their fear. I wish a lot of people will be sensitive about that because a one-night of trauma can cause a lifetime of fear for our pets. While some vet would advise that we put earmufs to our pets, some would advise that we sedate them. But here are some tips I've read from The Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SCPA), which, I hope will be helpful for both the human and the dog (pet) : What to do: Create A Safe Place: Try to create a safe place for your dog to go to when she hears the noises that frighten her. But remember, this must be a safe location from her perspective, not yours. Notice where she goes, or tries to go, when she's frightened, and if at all possible, give her access to that place. If she's trying to get inside the house, consider installing a dog door. If she's trying to get under your bed, give her access to your bedroom. You can also create a "hidey-hole" that's dark, small and shielded from the frightening sound as much as possible (a fan or radio playing will help block out the sound). Encourage her to go there when you're home and the thunder or other noise occurs. Feed her in that location and associate other "good things" happening to her there. She must be able to come and go from this location freely. Confining her in the "hidey-hole" when she doesn't want to be there will only cause more problems. The "safe place" approach may work with some dogs, but not all. Some dogs are motivated to move and be active when frightened and "hiding out" won't help them feel less fearful. -
Distract Your Dog: This method works best when your dog is just beginning to get anxious. Encourage her to engage in any activity that captures her attention and distracts her from behaving fearfully. Start when she first alerts you to the noise and is not yet showing a lot of fearful behavior, but is only watchful. Immediately try to interest her in doing something that she really enjoys. Get out the tennis ball and play fetch (in an escape-proof area) or practice some commands that she knows. Give her a lot of praise and treats for paying attention to the game or the commands. As the storm or the noise builds, you may not be able to keep her attention on the activity, but it might delay the start of the fearful behavior for longer and longer each time you do it. If you can't keep her attention and she begins acting afraid, stop the process. If you continue, you may inadvertently reinforce her fearful behavior.
What NOT to do: - Attempting to reassure your dog when she's afraid may reinforce her fearful behavior. If you pet, soothe or give treats to her when she's behaving fearfully, she may interpret this as a reward for her fearful behavior. Instead, try to behave normally, as if you don't notice her fearfulness.
- Putting your dog in a crate to prevent her from being destructive during a thunderstorm is not recommended. She'll still be afraid when she's in the crate and is likely to injure herself, perhaps even severely, while attempting to get out of the crate.
- Don't punish your dog for being afraid. Punishment will only make her more fearful.
- Don't try to force your dog to experience or be close to the sound that frightens her. Making her stay close to a group of children who are lighting firecrackers will only make her more afraid, and could cause her to become aggressive in an attempt to escape from the situation.
- Obedience classes won't make your dog less afraid of thunder or other noises, but could help boost her general confidence.
These approaches don't work because they don't decrease your dog's fear. Merely trying to prevent her from escaping or being destructive won't work. If she's still afraid, she'll continue to show that fear in whatever way she can (digging, jumping, climbing, chewing, barking, howling). Yes, if you love your pets, train them. If you have a budget for Obedience School, go for it. If you don't, then train them yourself (I could give you some tips, lend you my books, or help you do the research). Believe me, it will change your life forever. 
Happy New Year Y'All! (please go for fireworks not firecrackers)
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I am Mae German. 34 years old. Born in Mangatarem, province of Pangasinan. I was taught and trained by 
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