# Scared of fireplace



## Finnigan (Feb 15, 2015)

I have a 2 year old Vizsla who is now afraid of the fire in our fireplace. He had no problem when he was a puppy, but this year, he shakes and pants, and goes to other rooms as far away from the fire as possible. We've tried ignoring him (not "praising" him for his fear), but he won't relax, even in his bed (safe place). Does anyone have any advice on what to do so that we can get back to enjoying fires again?

Thanks!


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

I would try two things. First, I would start making positive associations with the location of the fireplace. You might try moving either his food bowl or his treat place closer to the fireplace a little bit each day while no fire is burning just to get him back to being comfortable in the vicinity of the fireplace. If that doesn't work in your home, try some games like tug or find-the-toy that take him throughout the room back and forth next to the fireplace and away from the fireplace. Second, after he has become comfortable in the room without a fire burning, I would let the house get a few degrees cooler than usual while taking him for a long, tiring outing. Hopefully he will decide falling asleep next to a nice, warm fire is a good way to end a fun, exhausting day.

Good luck!


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Our first V loved sleeping in front of the fire. Until he was burned by a flying spark. After that he would just quietly leave the room when a fire was started. For the remaining 14 years of his life he avoided a fire. It's remarkable how strongly he was conditioned by that one incident.

Bob


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

My Foxy loved the fireplace, couldn't get close enough to it as a pup, but as she got older she din't like the popping and snapping of the embers. I don't know if this reaction was related to her (Valley Fever) illness, or just a mature respect for the loud sound. Since we have had Fergy, it has been to hot, even in winter to light up, so we have no experience to relate to.


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## Finnigan (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks for the advice so far. We've had a few fires this winter, with mixed results. He's not afraid of the fireplace unless there's an active fire. He'll lay in the sun during the day, 3 feet from the source of anxiety the night before. I've been trying to set the fire up (cleaning out old ash, then setting up logs) in small doses before lighting a fire, sometimes hours apart. He seems ok with this. Last night I let him play with the newspapers I was wadding up as kindling, as he loves to shred balled up paper like he's opening a peasant. When I lit the fire, he still played a little, however hesitantly, until the first crackle as the logs caught. The pops from the logs seem to cause him the most panic. I wonder if he's anxious about the flames, the smell, or the pops. Or if this all just adds together?

It feels like he's slowly improving, but I also don't want to overdo it. I've read about Vizslas becoming gun shy if they're not introduced properly, and that in that case usually they're "ruined" for hunting. Is it likely that I can condition him enjoy the warm fireplace again, or is he scarred forever?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

To test the theory that it's the noise you could play youtube videos of yule logs, slowly increasing the volume over a few days or so and see if he reacts. Then if that does seem to be the issue, you could probably recondition him to like or tolerate the noise, by keeping the volume low while treating him for calm or non-reactions.


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## Canadian Expy (Feb 27, 2013)

Our guy loves to relax beside our gas fireplace. He lies there with his nose as close to the glass as he can, sprawled out across the floor. However, our woodstove at the cottage is a totally different story. 

I believe it is the scent of the burning wood. As soon as he smells burning wood he removes himself from the area. We have tested this buy removing a piece of kindling from the fire when he is nearby. As soon as he smells it he leaves and buries his head/nose is someone's lap/armpit/behind their back. If we are camping and light a campfire, he goes to the tent and asks to be put to bed. As a puppy he would jump up on a campchair and sit with us no problem. The crackling doesn't bother him. He has never been burnt/harmed by fires in the past. Our guy is also 2, and now it is like he has figured out that the smell of fire = danger. 

All dogs are different, but you could test with a burning stick to see how he reacts to it to determine if it is a scent issue with yours as well.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

I have 2 things to suggest: 
1st - try a really small fire. Just kindling, no logs. These shouldn't pop and should be all-round less alarming. If that's OK, gradually build up to full scale. Use distractions in front of the fire - toys, food, wadded paper.

2 - not all fire wood pops. It all crackles, but our fires seldom pop. We burn well dried maple, oak, ash.

Bob


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