Wednesday, July 3, 2019

How to Have a Calm 4th of July with a Nervous Pet

   Tomorrow is the 4th of July in America and while we hope our neighbors respect the rules to not pop fireworks, there are always a few rebels. I understand the excitement and fun of fireworks. We used to blow up lots of cool fireworks when our kids were young. They never bothered our dogs and frankly, I never gave much thought about it. Growing up, the 4th of July meant fireworks. Then came Bentley.

   Bentley HATES fireworks. He does not enjoy how they light up the sky. He does not marvel at their brilliant colors. You won’t find him howling along to You’re a Grand Ol’ Flag or Yankee Doodle. Nope, he is pretty sure that the 4th of July is a trial run for the apocalypse.
   I don’t expect anyone to change their family’s holiday traditions for the sake of my dog. I wish they would, but since that’s not going to happen, here are a few suggestions that help Bentley. They'll be useful for anyone else suffering through the booms, whizzes, and explosions that are part of this mid-summer celebration.
Bring your pets inside even if they usually stay outdoors. More dogs are lost on 4th of July than any other day of the year. Panic causes them to bolt in an attempt to get away from the explosions.
• Watch television and turn up the volume. We switch between the local Houston and national fireworks shows. There is great music and their fireworks help make any neighborhood celebrations more white noise. 
• Treatibles soft chews have made an incredible difference in how Bentley reacts to thunderstorms so we are hoping they will help him relax during the fireworks. I find giving them 45 minutes to an hour before a storm is his timeline. I’ll give him a soft chew around dusk on the 4th so he should be fine if he hears any ka-booms after dark.
• Walk before dark. Make sure your dog has been given a chance to walk and take care of their business before the fireworks start popping. Bentley has held it as long as he could one year and when we finally coaxed him out, someone lit firecrackers. He made a beeline for the door and that was it for him for the night.
• Distraction is a great way to keep your pet focused on fun. Playing games or giving a long-lasting treat can help pass the time. Who can hear fireworks over all that chewing?
• The day after the 4th of July can be very dangerous. Don’t allow your dog outside until you have scanned for burnt fireworks. When you go for a walk, keep an eye out for any “spent” fireworks along your route. Ingesting fireworks could be fatal and require an immediate trip to the vet’s office.
We hope that you join us for the worldwide Pet Parade blog hop hosted by Dash Kitten and co-hosts Basil & the B Team and me! You can share a wordless or wordy post or tweet to be shared on social media. Show us your holiday photos!! All DOGS, CATS and any other pet blog is welcome. If you want eyes on your post, don’t let the Parade pass you by!


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20 comments :

  1. we fear the day after such events too... there are things on the streets what are dangerous and disgusting too ...why some people think that all special events and howlidays are booze parties? weird...

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  2. I feel the same way about fireworks as you do, Bentley. I'll be spending lots of time on mom's lap tomorrow night.

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  3. Great tips! We wish it was just the 4th of July.Here it seems like the whole week is filled with boomers. We plan to watch a couple of loud action adventure movies for the next few evenings.

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  4. I hate fireworks, thankfully my animals don't mind them. Unfortunately, it's usually a couple weeks of random fireworks in my area.

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  5. We hope your 'howliday' is safe and peaceful. 🇺🇸

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  6. I am lucky that my Alex is not bothered by fireworks (or thunder). Have a fun and safe 4th of July!

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  7. I have my first ever fearful fireworks dog (not the Poodles) and our opinion about loud noises is all different now. We suffer along with her.

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  8. Fireworks are so war-like; isn't it time that we found another way to celebrate? I mean, really...so noisy, lots of debris and smoke, and how many people injure themselves or set something on fire each year? We should have 45 minutes of silence, for the people who died in our War of Independence, rather than 45 minutes of boom, bang, pop.

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  9. Thank you for those tips. We just stay home and turn the TV up. That works great.

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  10. We hope things stay peaceful here again this year, and hope Bentley gets through it all OK too! I'm surprised our young neighbor who is always doing target practice doesn't enjoy fireworks too. Knock wood. The gunshots are the worst thing for Luke, but his weighted blanket helps with that; so we'll get that out if needed. We also close the windows and turn fans on if needed.
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

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  11. Sending tons of calming vibes for a decently quiet 4th
    Hugs Cecilia

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  12. I want to live where YOU live where fireworks are prohibited!! UGH! Here they can set them off until 11:45pm (and trust me, they go much, much later). Your tips are great, we do the turning up the TV thing and the distraction thing, it DOES help. I think Dakota's hearing isn't as good as it was a year ago, so as much as that saddens me, I am hoping he can't hear the fireworks as much. Have a happy and safe 4th!! xoxo

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  13. We hope everyone's July 4th is a great one.

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  14. Fortunately it's hot here...one time we'll say that we're glad it's hot. So the air is on and all the windows are closed. That helps keep the noise down.

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  15. Have a Grand holiday tomorrow, and be thankful fireworks are not allowed in your neighborhood!

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  16. Great tips. Have a happy 4th!

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  17. Those are great tips, I hope all the animals are safe tomorrow and the days ahead.

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  18. we wish at least it was limited to the one night if at all. Dad has hoses strung out just in case some idiot starts us on fire
    hugs
    Mabel & Hilda

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  19. Yeah, they are SUPPOSE to be illegal here, butts you know how that goes! Some asshat always has to get his rocks-ets off doin' the big bangs. I would really loves to bite them in the you knows where!
    sigh. STay safe my furiends!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  20. Those boomers go off until the wee hours of the morning since they're quite legal here...right across the street at our lake. Happy Independence Day from all of us!

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