My old dog was a puppy when the local baseball team won the world series. We took him outside after the game, and our neighbor behind us started lighting off some pretty big fireworks.

The first one or two startled him a little, but he saw that we weren’t reacting and quick settled down. Then he started to enjoy them. He’d watch the neighbors light one up, watch it shoot into the sky and explode, and then back to the neighbor, tail wagging waiting for another one.

After that, any time he heard them going off somewhere he’d run around to the windows trying to get a better look. If he could find a good angle he’d happily stand there and watch the entire show.

My current dog just doesn’t react to them at all. We got her at about a year old, so I don’t know what, if anything, her previous humans did to desensitize her, but at most she just kind of groans and rolls over if they’re close enough to disturb her nap. I actually use them as a good excuse to take her for a walk because she is kind of dog-reactive and I know no one else is going to be out walking their dogs during the fireworks.