Can Dogs Have Nightmares About Fireworks?

Another 4th of July celebration is complete. Our yearly reminder of just how bad dogs would be in a war. It definitely was a rough night for most four-legged family members.

Just watch Addison the Boston Terrier trying to sleep on July 5th. Is she having nightmares about roman candles and Black Cat bottle rockets?

Since dog’s dreams often take events from their day and present them in a way that allows the dog to learn and process from these situations, it only makes sense that sometimes dreams can be categorized as nightmares. Think: the loud sounds emanating from the vacuum, thunderstorms, cars or cyclists in the street — basically any danger the dog has experienced in real life is fair game for a nightmare version of that situation. -Dogster.com

According to Pets WebMD, dogs can also develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after going through a natural disaster, a serious accident or military combat. Here are some of the signs a canine with PTSD may be showing stress:

• Tucked tail
• Pinned back ears
• Panting
• Crouches low to the ground

Even without major trauma, some dogs can show signs of anxiety due to a fear of fireworks and thunder.

To find out how to treat dogs with emotional problems, CLICK HERE.