4th of July Woes…….

July 4th Woes:

The 4th of July has to be the worst day of the year for most dogs across the USA.  It can sound like a war is going on and many dogs have a difficult time handling the loud festivities.

Do your dog a favor and plan ahead:

Find a nice quiet room in your house as far away from the noises as possible.

Turn on the television or play calming music to help mask the noise.

Provide something wonderful for the dogs to chew on during the fireworks…Kongs filled with peanut butter, bully sticks, etc.   Pull out the really good stuff.

Make sure that your dog gets plenty of exercise before the fireworks begin.  It may or may not help the anxiety, but a tired dog may just “sleep” through the night.  Exercise releases plenty of endorphins which can also help with mood.

Use calming plug- ins or sprays to help. There are many aromatheric items  on the market created to help with anxiety.

There are over the counter calming agents which may help a slightly nervous dog.  However, if your dog is one that becomes severely anxious over loud noises, you may need to ask your vet for something a bit stronger to administer to your dog.

If your dog is not bothered by fireworks, I suggest protecting him from the noise anyway. You don’t want him to  wake up on July 5th with a new fear.  Remember that fears develop and behavior changes. One horrific experience can set your dog up for a lifetime of issues with noises.

Plan ahead and protect your dog.  Help him to have as happy and relaxing 4th of July as possible.

Click on the link below for additional information regarding noise phobias.

https://positively.com/victorias-blog/dealing-with-fireworks-anxiety/