Pop! Bang! There Goes the Dog!
The 4th of July, a favorite American holiday, brings to mind family, friends, food, and firecrackers! However, for a lot of our canine friends this holiday means one thing and one thing only, big, scary noises that seem to never end and from which there is no escape!
If you have a pet that is fearful of the celebratory loud noises, here are a few tips to keep him or her as stress free as possible.
1. Do not take your pet to a fireworks display. It is very important for a dog to have the ability to recover from any fear before it happens again. Commercial firework displays generally become louder and brighter before they end and there is usually no break in between the fireworks. And finally, the intensity level usually escalates into the finale.
2. Plan ahead for the day. Designate a safe place for your dog to stay where he feels secure, and if possible, where the noise level is lower, for example, a basement. Provide a radio or television to help cover the noise and something “extra good” for the dog to chew on for distraction. If your dog’s fear is severe, boarding is a good alternative.
3. Do not leave your dog in the yard unsupervised or take him or her out to go to the bathroom without a leash. Dogs can become expert escape artists in a matter of minutes if their fear is great enough. Arrange your dog’s bathroom and mealtimes when the noise level is at its lowest.
4. Shelters are usually full on the 4th of July and immediately following due to pet’s escaping yards and sometimes their homes. It is not unheard of for a dog to go through a window or door to escape. For this purpose, always keep a collar with current identification tag on your pet.
By Mary Sellaro
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