07/04/2022
4th of July is almost here, and for some dogs it's the worst time to be alive. Here are some helpful tips for those who's dogs are fearful.
First off, I think it's important to mention that fireworks is not something one can easily train. You might have seen suggestions about buying a CD that plays firework noise. And for some dogs it does work, but not for all. Why? Because fireworks has more triggers than just the sound. You have the sounds in forms of a long high pitched whistle sound followed by a loud sudden bang. Then you have the lights. The lights can actually trigger an epileptic seizure in some individuals. Then you have the smell of gunpowder. So, a CD may work for some dogs, but because there are more than just sound, it may not work for all individuals.
I also want to mention that there's many things you can do. Some things will work, some things wont. It's all about the individual and you are the only one who knows your own dog/s.
So what can one do?
📌 First off, you shouldn't leave the dog/s alone. The fear of fireworks is stressful enough, not having you as support can make it more difficult to remain calm.
📌 Medications, something most people use for their fearful pets. You can typically find them in most pet stores or even get a prescription from your vet. Generally you would want to give it before the fireworks even begin, not the same day but roughly 1-2 days before.
📌 Thundershirt, this works on some individuals, but definitely not all!
📌 Make a space at home where the dog feels safe. A room without windows is prefered so the dog is less likely to see and smell the fireworks. Put the dog/s in a crate if they're properly crate trained. If not, don't do it.
📌 Make sure to close the blinds and curtains at home.
📌 You can help decrease the amount of noise in your home by having more furniture and things on the walls. Catpets also helps lowering the noise level if your home doesn't have that.
📌 Physical and mental stimulation. This will help tire your dog out. During the day, make sure your pet gets enough exercise physically and mentally, if stimulated they will sleep more and hopefully not be as stressed out by the firework noise.
📌 Cotton balls. Put cotton balls in your dog/s ears. This will help decrease the loud sudden noises.
𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞.
Look lets be real for a moment, some people are simply disrespectful and sadly we can't anticipate where or when a firework may go off, even if you walk your dog during a time where there should be any there may be some. So, if you at any point start hearing fireworks (I started hearing some on June 30th) you should do the following.
📌 Make sure your dog has a microchip (or other ID) and updated information about you as an owner.
📌 Have ID tags on their collar. Even a simple tape with a phone number can be helpful.
📌 Have your dog/s double leashed, my tip is to have a harness that is properly fitted (not a harness like Julius K9, more a harness like ruffwear) clip the leash to a dog belt to ensure you can't drop the leash if your dog would pull. Have 2 collars, one choke chain or snuggly fitted martingale and a flat collar. Put the coke chain/martingale on first, then the flat collar. Clip on a leash on both of the collars. If the flat collar breaks or your dog backs out of it you will have a safety collar ready on your dog that will also prevent your dog from backing out of it.
I advice the above for anyone who's unsure if their dog will be scared or not, better safe than sorry.
📌 Try to keep reflective collars/harness' on at all times. In the events that your dog does manage to get lost, this will make them easier to see in the dark and when they're crossing traffic.
Every year dogs get lost during a celebration with firework displays. It's better to make sure your dog/s can't escape than having them running around being scared for their lives, possibly get hit by something and die.
