well, thats not because you gotta work on the 2.
traditionally, the big festivities are on the 31., whereas the official "feier" (with guests speaking and other performances) are in the natural arena next to the "wasserturm", bruderholz.

personally i like the firework displayed there better than the one over the rhine. but maybe that has more to do cause i grew up over there

Thanks for the suggestions, Mrs. D and summerrain. I'll follow up with your advice. This morning Dizzy ventured out to the back lawn for a pee then bolted back to the door to go back to bed again. He still seems to be frightened of the outdoors.

Let's give him a bit more time. I could take him somewhere in the car tonight, if he can be persuaded.

Here I've been thinking to "brag" about how well Bonny did with all the noise - she really hardly twitched an ear.

HOWEVER, it is becoming increasingly obvious that she's a bit more clingy lately than usual. Sleeping actually ON me at times (she's not usually that much of a cuddly cat) and being very vocal if she notices that I'm about to leave as well as when welcoming me home.

Alas, this also coincides with a visiting dog going bake home so I'm really not sure if it is due to the noise or that she's missing the dog.

__________________
The Joys of Opticianry

The big bang in Geneva is on the 7th during the Fetes de Genève. It goes on for at least an hour.

There were a few fireworks going off the other night, Jimmy the cat just flicked his ears and went back to sleep.

Bumping this up.... as Aug 1 approaches, time to think about what to do with your pets.... Lily and I will be home, with the blinds down, and she'll have a lovely tranquilizer. I might join her if it gets too loud....but with a human variety.

My husband will be at the Uni Essex. I think I'd rather be here.

Thanks for this reminder. It will be our dogs' first time here too - though so far they have been unmoved by all the new year fireworks in the NL! Our one "intellectually challenged" dog has had enough scares this year with all the removal boxes coming and going, the other one was just very happy to see "her" arm chair arriving out of the removal lorry! I am hoping not to have any set-backs with the fireworks then....

You're not responsible for this blog, are you?

I wish I was! SO funny! our two are just like these ones! thanks for sharing this with us!

HELP!
We have had fireworks for over a week now, getting worse every day!
Is this normal? It starts about 8 am ,through lunch and up to 10pm plus. Our dog is going crazy. He is so distressed the kids are afraid of him and I can,t seem to find him a safe place. It also means I can,t leave him alone which is very tricky with 4 and a 2 year old, this means we are all going crazy!! Have no idea what to do? We have never had this before and he is 9. Just can,t believe it, I thought Switzerland was really strict about noise pollution?

that seems odd? is it kids doing it? maybe turn on the radio or tv all day at an acceptable volume to drone out the sudden noise

Fireworks in the day?

Have you mistaken it for gun-shots? Did you move near a firing range?

Thanks Anthony and Summerrain,
Yes it is kids doing it, I stand giving them dirty looks!. They vary in type from the persistent firecrackers to fireworks and they set them off in the kids play area outside. OK, so it,s not a fireworks display but even the quiet ones are driving him bezerk. I,m starting to wonder if there could be something wrong with our boy? Also is this normal acceptable behaviour in Swizerland or should I be doing something about it. We are new here and I don,t want to get off to a bad start with our neighbours.
PS. We do live near a firing range which he is totally ok with!?

funny some kid (actually 20+years old) just shot of a fire rocket also for no reason???? I remember in Montreux they did this also actually in the days leading up to the 1st, just kids for no reasons....

just try some rescue drops from bachblüten...you will get them in any drugstore. helps to calm down.

Well it's that time of year again fellow pet owners - so time to bump up this thread again, for those who are new to Switzerland since last Swiss National Day.

Be aware that fireworks both public and private will be going on; depending on the level of enthusiasm of your neighbors, normally quiet Switzerland can turn into what sounds like a war zone as your neighbors shoot off howitzers over your garden. It's loud. Very, very loud.

If your pets are bothered by fireworks or any loud unexpected noises, please take precautions. Every year dogs and cats get spooked and run away - and as pointed out upthread, every year some pets end up tragic statistics.

And an FYI, the traditional advice has always been to avoid acknowleding an animal's fear - the thought was that attention is a kind of reward, a reinforcer. However, there is some new thinking on the subject that takes a different tact. So FYI, for anyone whose pets are terrified of Fright Nite (as we call 1 August in our house ), a couple of articles by Patricia McConnell might be of interest:

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/the...-thunderstorms

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/the...der-phobia-iii

Keep your critters safe, everyone - and a happy 1 August to you all.

Our (rescue) dog is the same- she is a big girl but tries to get under my jumper if there is a storm or fireworks. Better recently as she is becoming quite deaf. After we had had her with us for 4 months, without any problems with leaving her alone if we went out, we went to spend New Year's Eve with friends. We lived next to a Pub, and they never had the courtesy to tell us that they were going to have a massive fireworks display that night- with some of those chinese fireworks that make more noise than display.

Got back at 2am, only to find she had gauged great big streaks into the 1920s oak doors in the dining-room/kitchen, had pulled up and torn the carpet, and blood everywhere as she had torn a claw. She was in such a State!

We are invited to friends for 1st of August BBQ down in the next village- but will go and ask our neighbours if any of them intend to have any fireworks- and if the answer is yes we won't go out. Fortunately the village's official fireworks are a long way away so she should be fine.

At least here, it's only one night, possibly 3. In the UK, with Diwali, Eid and Guy Fawks, we had fireworks non-stop for about 3 months.

It's not just the 1st August I'm worried about. Kids in our neighborhood keep letting fireworks off in the fields. With our windows open at this time of year the dogs get seriously spooked. One sets the other off.

I'm all up for positive reinforcement. At the end of the day it's in the dogs nature to respond by barking. After they've barked a few times. I close the window, acknowledge their warning and distract them.

They settle straight away.

Hi All
Thanks for all the tips here. After hearing that it will be 34 C on Wednesday, I decided to go somewhere in Germany with my Chica. Sounds like a good thing to do with dogs+kids not so far away from Basel
http://www.steinwasen-park.de/
On the website it says that dogs are welcome! I will call to confirm anyway.
Have a good SND

The Damascus Hilton is expecting a quieter than average August 1, bookings are significantly down from 2 years ago ....

And we think hotels cost a bomb in Switzerland.