Vera Behaving Oddly Options

[cindere528]

Vera has been behaving oddly recently whenever I've had the fire on. During the recent cold snap, I just had the central heating on all the time & didn't bother with the fire. Now it's not as cold, the heating is back on timed & I'm using the Calor Gas fire when I'm sitting in the living room.

Vera obviously doesn't like the fire, she will go outside & hide under the garden chairs if I let her. If I make her stay in, she'll try to stay in the kitchen. If I don't let her stay in the kitchen, she paces around the living room.

My first thought was carbon monoxide, so I went & bought a carbon monoxide alarm this afternoon. That in itself has caused Vera to have a near meltdown because when I fitted the batteries, it made a sound like a smoke alarm, which scares the living daylights out of her (& most dogs I know).

Anyway, the carbon monoxide alarm is operational now & the fire is on, so there's obviously no carbon monoxide leak from the fire.

Vera's finally settled down on the settee now, but can anyone throw any light on why she hates having the fire on please?

[Pam13]

Holly hated the fire, although it was the coal fire, and would freak out if we put coal etc on it. She was fine once it burnt down a bit but not at first in case it might spark and crackle. Like Vera she would bolt for the dog and prefer to sit in the cold through the back than be in the same room.

Could there be a sound or a smell that she's aware off when it goes on? They do have such sharpened senses that perhaps we aren't aware of it, and might never be, but sounds like it is something about the act of switching it on that perhaps unsettles her? Maybe the fire settles once heated up, hence Vera settled? She wouldn't have hurt herself on it and remembers or links it to something that happened that upset her?

Sorry not much advice but I just wanted to say I understood the issues.

[cindere528]

Thanks Pam. Yes, there is a lot of clicking & a smell of gas when I first turn it on. It could be that that upsets her. Next time I put it on, I'll try doing it when she's outside or in the kitchen, that could be the answer.

[bix]

I also was wondering if it could be the smell. Also does it hiss slightly?

[cindere528]

I also was wondering if it could be the smell. Also does it hiss slightly?

Not really a hiss, more of a popping sound, but she's kind of ok when it's been on for a while, it's mostly when I've just lit it that she freaks out.

[doggroomer]

It's a very log time since I used a calor gas heater, but I seem to remember there being a little rush of air puffing out when you press the button. Maybe it was that which frightened her

Chris

[nikirushka]

I worked with a dog once who reacted to the fire being put on. It was the ignition click in her case but any noise it makes might be a trigger.

Get counterconditioning - every time it makes that noise, she gets amazing goodies!

[cindere528]

I've not had the fire on today, but will bear that in mind next time I light it