DOGS AND FIREWORKS DON’T MIX (courtesy of realsimple.com)
Some dogs are afraid of fireworks (and their loud noises) and suffer acute anxiety during shows, and some may even attempt to flee the noise. Here’s how to calm your dog down and keep him or her safe during fireworks shows….BringFido
1. Bring your dog inside for the whole day and night leading up to the 4th, or even a few days before, if you know people in your area plan to celebrate early. Your dog may not be a flight-risk, but if he or she is spooked by the fireworks, it could be all too easy for him or her to escape your yard and attempt to run away.
2. If you know your pet is afraid of loud noises, do not bring him or her to a fireworks show. Your pets will not suddenly overcome their fear, and the last thing you should do is introduce them to a situation where they will be stressed and panicked.
3. Be sure your pet is wearing a well-fitting collar with up-to-date ID tags. Should worse come to worst, you want to be able to easily identify Fido (or let whoever finds him find you) if he does manage to get out of the house.
4. Tire your dog out. Preempt any jitters by taking her on a long walk, run, or fetch session before the fireworks are set to start. If you’re lucky, she’ll sleep through the show or be too tired to pay attention to the sudden noise.
5. Surround your dog with comforting things, like a white noise machine (to muffle noises), a Thundershirt (proven to comfort anxious dogs), or a distracting treat, like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or a new bone. If your dog is distracted and happy, she may not even notice the fireworks outside.
If your dog suffers from severe anxiety or presents extremely erratic behavior during fireworks or other surprising events, consider talking to your vet about options for more long-term treatment or working on behavior modification techniques in advance of next year’s show.
(The above article was written by Lauren Phllips 6/29/2018 and is reposted here courtesy of realsimple.com.)