Does Your Dog Get Anxious During Fireworks? Here are 7 ways to help calm your dog or other pet.
July 4 is a celebration of our Nation’s Freedom, and the festivities almost always include fireworks. Fun for people, but not so much for our animal companions. Fear and anxiety can set in. So what is a caring pet owner to do?
1) Do not take your dog to fireworks displays. This is just too much for most dogs and you don’t want a frantic pet while you are trying to enjoy yourself. You could also traumatize your pet by putting him in this kind of situation. This is one time to leave your pooch at home.
2) Never leave your pet outside on 4 of July. This is when so many dogs escape their yards and end up running away and scared. Don’t let your pet wind up at the local Animal Shelter, or even worse, on the loose! It is best to have your dog, cat and other pets securely in your home.
3) Make sure your pets have ID tags and micro chipped with current owner information. In case they do get out, you will have a much better chance of being reunited with your precious pet.
4) Manage the environment. By this, I mean making your home as stress-free as possible during all the noise. Close the drapes and windows to reduce the loud sounds and reflections from fireworks. Turn on the TV or soothing music on the radio. Check out “Calm Your Dog” station on U-Tube. All of my pets seem to relax with this playing and so do I. Also, you can try running a fan to help muffle the noise.
5) Stay home with your pet. Sometimes just having you there to comfort them can help. You can try distracting your pet with favorite toys or load up a Kong ball with treats to give them something else to think about.
6) Try other ways to calm your dog. Thundershirts are a calming vest that wrap tightly around your dog’s body (kind of like swaddling a baby) and can help ease anxiety. These help a lot of dogs and cats with stressful events and separation anxiety. Go to for thundershirt.com for more info. Other things to try are Bach’s Remedy. These are drops you put into the dog’s mouth which help calm them. There are also calming pills and chews that reduce stress that you can give to your dog, available at your pet store. In severe cases, you may need to speak to your veterinarian about prescribing something stronger to help with anxiety and stress.
7) Hire a professional pet sitter to stay with your pet while you go out and enjoy the festivities. At Kelly’s Pet Sitting we are experienced pet care providers and we have experience with a variety of pets. We can help your pets to relax, and can check in with them to make sure they are doing alright.
Kelly’s Pet Sitting, Medford, OR. Loving Care When You Can’t Be There.
541-601-7461. Web: kellyspetsitting.net
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