By Austin Wilson
While the 4th of July is a time to celebrate and cheer for people, the holiday can be a nightmare for your dog.
20% of all dogs have a fear of loud noises. Holidays like New Years and Independence Day are scary for a lot of dogs. Its up to us as pet parents to make sure our anxious pups are as comfortable as possible when we have fireworks shows.
• While your dog sleeps, play a firework show on your phone or tablet on medium volume. This will help desensitize your dog to the noise of the fireworks. Exercise your dog early that on the day of the fireworks. Small dogs usually need 2 hours of exercise every day or 2 miles of walking. Large breeds need 3 hours or 3 to 4 miles.
• When the evening arrives, put your dog in the most quiet room of the house. Put their toys, bones, treats and blanket in there to make it more comfortable. Make sure to leave an extra full bowl of water in their space. When dogs get stressed they pant a lot so they need to drink lots of water.
• Close your curtains and blinds so the dogs cant see the flashing lights. Turn on a TV, tablet or radio to distract them from outside noises.
If your dog is extra anxious, you have many over the counter calming remedies to try out. Petsmart and Petco have a variety of options from Thundershirts, hemp, and socket plugs. PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USING ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS.
Because a lot of shows are getting cancelled this year, you can probably expect a lot of fireworks at home (legal or otherwise). So even if your local event was cancelled, you should assume that your neighbors will be having parties and fireworks shows of their own and follow the instructions listed above.
So be safe, be mindful of your pup, and have a happy 4th of July.