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July 4th is quickly approaching and there are always lots of celebrations to take in for this special occasion. Many people like to include their dogs in as much of their daily events as possible including holiday celebrations. Many towns and cities have all kinds of special events to celebrate Independence Day, including parades, live entertainment and fireworks. If you are taking your dog with you to celebrate Independence Day or if you live in an area with July 4th celebrations, you are going to want to check out our safety tips to keep your dog calm during July 4th fireworks, including the fireworks. Dogs and fireworks don’t always mix but having a plan in place can help to keep your dog safe. Have fun and keep your dog safe at the same time.
Safety Tips To Keep Your Dog Calm During July 4th Fireworks
1. Use Natural Calming Aids
Many dogs find fireworks stressful but there are things that you can do to help your dog cope with the loud sound of the fireworks.
Use A Calming Spray
A calming spray can be used on the go. Pack the spray in your bag and use when needed. You can spray the calming spray on your dog’s bedding, inside his crate, in the car or on his bandana, leash or collar.
For more information or to purchase a calming spray, click HERE.
Use A Natural Supplement
There are natural remedies that you can use to help keep your dog calm during July 4th fireworks. A very popular remedy is called Bach Rescue Remedy. This remedy is safe, gentle and made for pets. Rescue Remedy contains a blend of 38 flower remedies that help your dog cope in stressful situations. To use, drop 4 drops of Rescue Remedy directly in your dog’s mouth or add it to his food, water or in a treat.
For more information or to purchase Rescue Remedy, click HERE.
Another natural supplement to help calm your dog during fireworks is call Richards Organics Pet Calm. This all natural solution is used to prevent anxiety during stressful situations, such as fireworks or even thunder. The dosage is 1mL per 10 pounds but the dosage can be adjusted as necessary.
For more information or to purchase Richards Organics Pet Calm, click HERE.
Use An Edible Supplement
Vet’s Best Comfort Calm Soft Chews are a calming treat that you can give to your dog. A healthy treat filled with natural ingredients that will help to calm your dog in stressful situations.
For more information or to purchase Vet’s Best Comfort Calm Soft Chews, click HERE.
Use A Thundershirt
Thundershirts provide a gentle and constant pressure while your dog is wearing it. This provides a calming effect for most dogs and is especially helpful during stressful times like fireworks or even thunderstorms…that’s how it got it’s name!
Not only do they help dogs in stressful situations, thundershirts are also known to help dogs that are easily excitable or hyper with strangers.
For more information or to purchase a Thundershirt, click HERE.
Use A Feliway Diffuser (For Cats)
Cats can also suffer from stress due to the sound of fireworks. This option is for your home since the diffuser needs to be plugged in to an electrical outlet. Feliway is a synthetic form of the feline pheromone used by cats. Cats use this pheromone to mark an area as safe and secure. This synthetic version of the pheromone can help to comfort cats that are in a stressful situation or have a change to their environment.
For more information or to purchase a Feliway Classic Diffuser Starter Kit, click HERE.
2. Have lots of water for you and your dog.
Stay hydrated! This is important for both you and your dog. It can be quite hot on July 4th, so be prepared. Take water with you as well as a portable water bowl so that your dog can be offered water regularly.
3. Make sure that your dog has access to shade.
Your dog can quickly overheat if he is out in the hot sun for long periods of time. If you are going to a beach or a park, take a shade tent with you. If you are going to a street celebration or a place that you can’t take a shade tent, find a shaded area to hang out in with your dog. You can also purchase a dog cooling mat or a dog cooling jacket to help keep your dog cool.
4. Check pavement temperatures.
On hot days, the pavement can quickly become very hot. If your dog is standing or walking on hot pavement he can burn the pads of his paws. Consider wearing summer dog boots on him or stay on the grass to keep his feet safe.
For more information or to purchase dog boots, click HERE.
5. Wear a life jacket for both you and your dog.
Many Independence Day events can include the water. If you are out on the water for Independence Da,y both you and your dog should be wearing a life jacket. Even if your dog is an excellent swimmer, if he falls overboard in deep water he could panic. A life jacket will keep him safe.
For more information or to purchase dog life jackets, click HERE.
6. Don’t take your dog if he is not ok with crowds.
You may like to take your dog everywhere that you can but if he is uncomfortable and anxious in crowds, leave him home. July 4th celebrations are often crowded and busy. If your dog can’t handle this situation, it is much better for him to stay at home. He will be much happier and you won’t have to worry about him being stressed in a busy and crowded environment.
For those times that you leave your dog at home, you can invest in a dog cam. With a dog camera you can talk to your dog, see what he is doing and some of them even have a function where you can toss him a treat. How cool is that!
7. Don’t Take Your Dog If He’s Not Ok With Loud Noises
With July 4th comes fireworks. If your dog minds loud noises leave him home! Fireworks can be very scary for a dog, leaving the dog shaking and wanting to flee the scene of the fireworks. Many dogs get spooked and get away from their families during fireworks. If you spend much time on social media, you will notice that the amount of lost dog posts increase after a holiday like Independence Day where there are fireworks. Keep your dog safe during this time.
8. Wear pet ID and a GPS Tracker.
Wear a collar with a Pet ID tag on it if you are taking your dog out to the fireworks celebrations with you. And better yet, put a GPS tracker like this one, on his collar. If something does happen, you can track your dog’s location on your phone and find him quickly.
For more information or to purchase Dog ID Tags, click HERE.
9. Use a leash if you are outdoors.
Whether you are out at an Independence Day celebration or you are at home near a fireworks celebration, only take your dog outdoors on a leash in the evening. Even if there aren’t fireworks, some people will shoot off a gun to celebrate July 4th or they may have their own private fireworks if it’s legal in your area. Always take precautions to keep your dog safe. Once he gets spooked, it can be difficult to catch him if he gets into flight mode.
10. Consider Keeping Your Dog At Home
This is the safest option for your dog when you know there is going to be fireworks. Keep your dog at home. Turn on the radio or the TV for him to block out the outside sounds so that he doesn’t hear the loud banging of the fireworks. If he is still nervous with the noise, try giving him one of the natural calming aids listed above.
Keeping your dog safe is always a priority but some holidays such as Independence Day can make this challenging. If you have any other tips to keep your dog calm during July 4th fireworks, please share them in the comments below.
