It is no secret that on the 4th of July people all over the United States love fireworks. Whether they like watching them from the comfort of a blanket or soccer chair or actually shooting them off in their backyards and driveways, fireworks are a societal staple of celebration today.
However, there is one group that fireworks negatively impact: animals.
For the most part, dogs get incredibly scared when they hear fireworks popping and exploding constantly this time of year, and some pet owners may not know the proper ways to make them feel better.
Here are the five most important things you should do if your dog is scared on the 4th of July:
- Keep them inside your house. Even though they will still be able to hear the noises, it won’t be as loud and severe as it is outside. Additionally, July 5 is singlehandedly the busiest day for animal shelters across the country. Why? When dogs hear loud noises, their first instinct is to run away. If you keep your dog inside, only taking them outside on a leash to go to the bathroom, you will ensure that your dog will not injure themselves trying to get away and they won’t end up in a shelter. Another important aspect of this tip is to have your dog microchipped so you will be able to easily locate them if they do run away somehow. If they aren’t microchipped, the least you can do is make sure they have a collar with identifying information on at all times.
- Close any windows, blinds, or doors that could allow them to see outside. This will help prevent them from getting scared because they cannot see fireworks in the sky and they won’t be distracted by looking outside.
- Play calming music (classical music works really well most of the time), turn your TV on for white noise, or do anything that creates more soothing noise than the loud firecrackers. This tip also works during thunderstorms!
- Keep your house cool! This way your pets won’t get too hot if they get really worked up about the noises. If you are going out and won’t be at home to console them, make sure they have their favorite toys, soft blankets, et cetera to take your place. Make sure their bed (or yours) is easily accessible as well!
- Give them lots of hugs! Even though you should be hugging them all the time, when dogs are scared of fireworks, cradling them in your arms and letting them know you are there to protect them is singlehandedly the most important thing you can do for them. Giving them love in the form of belly rubs, kisses and cuddles will help distract them from the fireworks outside.
