Fourth of July Golden Safety
Volume 26: How to Minimize Stress and Missing Pups During the Holiday
Fourth of July is a fun time to get together with friends and family and celebrate the holiday. However, this is the case for humans, and not our furry loved ones. The loud noises from fireworks can spook our dogs and cause them stress. As a result, more pets go missing from July 4th to July 6th than any other time of the year (Nordquist, 2023). This is a scary statistic! It is important to know what we can do to limit pets becoming lost and help them be more calm and comfortable. Below, we will discuss some safety tips that you can follow for the holiday festivities.
Setup a safe and secure area that your dog can retreat to when they are scared and anxious. This can be a crate or a room in your home. The area must be quiet with any windows or doors closed to minimize outside noises and prevent them escaping. Close any blinds or curtains in the room as well. Also, put their dog bed and blankets with their favorite toys in their safe area.
Earlier in the day before the fesitivities begin, ensure your pup gets a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to tire them out. A puzzle toy or a long walk are great ways to mentally tire your dog out so they are not as affected by the loud noises. You could also get them a new toy or bone to keep them busy.
Try to muffle the fireworks with a white noise maker, TV or music. Your pup not being able to hear the outside noise will help calm them. The ambient noise will distract them and may even help them to fall asleep.
If your dog is not microchipped already, this is the perfect time to do so. Make sure your contact information is up to date. If your dog escapes you will have a higher chance of being reunited if there is a way for someone who finds them to get in touch with you. Also, make sure your dog is wearing a collar with ID tags to make it even easier for them to be brought back to you. There are also GPS tracking collars that will locate your dog for you. Just make sure the battery is charged up ahead of time.
Anti-anxiety aids are also a great way to keep your dog calm during the festivities. There are a plethora of items to choose from. There are ThunderShirts, CBD oil, calming supplements as well as pheromone diffusers, collars and sprays. If your golden has severe anxiety, you may want to inquire with your veterinarian about having them prescribe medicine to your pup to help them stay calm. As always, consult with your vet before giving any supplements to your pup!
Keep calm and have a positive attitude to help your dog be at ease. If you act anxious or scared, your dog will feed into that behavior and act the same way. Also, do not reinforce their behavior of being scared or anxious by overly comforting them or providing positive reinforcement because it will have the opposite effect. They will think acting this way is what they should do and will continue to do so. Instead, act normal and engage in distracting activities that will redirect your dog’s attention from the outside noise.
If you can help it, do not leave your dog alone. This will 100% ensure they are safe and secure during the holiday festivities.
Fourth of July can be a fun time to celebrate as long as our pets are safe and secure. We hope these safety tips will help your dogs be protected and comfortable so everyone enjoys the holiday. Comment below if you have any other useful tips to add to this list!
References
Nordquist, C. (2023, June 30). Tips to protect your pets during July Fourth fireworks, celebrations. ABC 27 WTXL Tallahassee. https://www.wtxl.com/tips-to-protect-your-pets-during-july-fourth-fireworks celebrations#:~:text=%2C%22%20she%20added.-,More%20pets%20go%20missing%20from%20July%204%20through%206%20than,a%20microchip%2C%22%20she%20said.
Please note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Below are the linked items in post:
