July 4th Woes:<\/b><\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Do your dog a favor and plan ahead:<\/p>\n
Find a nice quiet room in your house as far away from the noises as possible.<\/p>\n
Turn on the television or play calming music to help mask the noise.<\/p>\n
Provide something wonderful for the dogs to chew on during the fireworks\u2026Kongs filled with peanut butter, bully sticks, etc. Pull out the really good stuff.<\/p>\n
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 \u201csleep\u201d through the night. Exercise releases plenty of endorphins which can also help with mood.<\/p>\n
Use calming plug- ins or sprays to help. There are many aromatheric items on the market created to help with anxiety.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
If your dog is not bothered by fireworks, I suggest protecting him from the noise anyway. You don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Plan ahead and protect your dog. Help him to have as happy and relaxing 4th of July as possible.<\/p>\n
Click on the link below for additional information regarding noise phobias.<\/p>\n