Many of us will be enjoying outdoor activities this weekend: barbeques… picnics… watching fireworks… When making your plans, its important to take a few minutes to consider how your pet will be spending their time. Even though your dog is a member of your family, it’s not always best to include them in your holiday celebrations. Fireworks are a major source of stress to dogs (and cats). Pet experts recommend keeping your pets indoors as much as possible during backyard parties and Fourth of July festivities. Neighborhood celebrations usually contain loud fireworks and sparklers, so you need to use the same caution for your pets as you would for human children. A frightened animal will act out of pure instinct, often behaving irrationally. Sudden, loud noises trigger an instinctive startle reaction, and the crack of thunder or boom of fireworks can make the most well behaved dog bolt in a frantic effort to reach safety. Plan ahead to create a safe haven for your pet so they’ll be less likely to panic and get hurt.
Here are some tips to minimize stress from fireworks and the summer thunderstorms we’ve already started to experience:
–Keep your pet safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home. This is especially important if you’ll be gone for the day and your pet is home alone.
–Turn on the air conditioning or radio to mask the noise –
–Provide a distraction. Most dogs love a hollow Kong or other hard rubber toy stuffed with peanut butter or cheese whiz. A new Nylabone chew (no rawhide, please) might also do the trick.
–Take an extra long walk or play an extended game of fetch early in the day. The extra exercise may help your dog to relax so they’ll be less stressed later on.
–Consider other options. Sometime pets can be calmed with pheromone-mimicking scents, available at most pet stores. If things get really bad you might need to consult your vet about giving your dog a sedative.
–Check their ID. If you’ve moved recently or changed your phone number, don’t forget to update your pet’s tags with current info.
Whatever you end up doing, hope you and your pets have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend!
