8 Steps You Should Take Today to Keep Your Dog Calm During Fireworks
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Fourth of July is in just a few weeks and for many dog owners this means a night of dealing with a panicked and stressed out pup. Fireworks are a source of fear for many dogs, and for good reason. The loud sounds, smokey smell, and flashing lights can all be scary to our dogs who don’t quite understand the celebration. Before the holiday arrives, it’s important to be prepared if you think your dog may have some firework fear. Today, I’m sharing 8 steps you should take right now to keep your dog calm during fireworks.
1. Determine Whether or Not They’ll Be Afraid
Before you start your preparations to keep your dog calm during fireworks this year, determine whether or not they’re actually going to be afraid and how severe that fear really is. If you know your dog has shown signs of fear or stress during fireworks in the past it is safe to assume this year will be no different. However, if this is your first firework heavy holiday or event with your pup, you may not know what to expect.
While many dogs are scared of the loud displays of light, that doesn’t mean all dogs will be. When trying to predict how your dog may react, ask yourself two questions: is your dog afraid of thunderstorms and are they a more fearful dog in general? If your dog has ever given you any reason to believe they might be afraid (jumps at loud sounds, scared of new surroundings, etc) then you should plan accordingly. If you genuinely have no idea how they’re going to react, plan to be safe rather than sorry.
2. Give Your Dog a Safe Space
It should go without saying that if your dog is scared of fireworks you definitely shouldn’t bring them to the show. But where should your dog be during the event? If you plan to be home while the fireworks are happening, it’s safest and probably most comfortable for your dog to be with you. Let them sit on the couch or in bed with you or another person they feel safe with.
If your dog is going to be home alone, determine where their safe space is and set them up there before you leave. This could be a crate, a bathroom, or even a bedroom. Wherever your dog feels the most secure is where they should be allowed to stay.
Note: do not leave your dog unattended outside during fireworks. More dogs run away on the Fourth of July than any other holiday as dogs tend to run from their fears. If your dog must be outside, ensure they are properly restrained and cannot get loose.
3. Don’t Feed the Fear
While comforting your dog while they’re stressed is great, some dog owners tend to feed into the fear rather than console it. If you’re stressed, your dog will feed off that energy and become even more stressed. It’s important that you remain calm to show your dog that they can too.
When it comes to comforting your dog, talking to them in your usual tone of voice is best. Repeating statements such as “it’s okay, it’s okay” in a high pitched and frantic tone will only make their stress worse.
4. Use Distraction
Distracting your dog is your best bet for keeping them calm during firework displays. Noise such as music, the TV, or even white noise can help drown out the loud booms and keep your dog calm.
You can also use toy or treat distractions. Buy a few new and exciting toys and give them to your dog right before the fireworks begin to keep them distracted. Other toys and treats that may work include:
- Chews such as bully sticks or beef cheek rolls
- Lick mats
- Puzzles
- Enrichment feeders such as a Kong or West Paws Toppl
5. Invest in a Thunder Shirt
Thunder Shirts are tightly fitting shirts that are designed to calm dogs. It works by applying a constant pressure to your dogs torso which in turn releases a calming hormone such as oxytocin or endorphins. Putting a Thunder Shirt on your dog before the noise begins may help to prevent some of that panic they’d otherwise feel.
6. Exercise Your Dog
I always say that the key to a good pup is a tired pup. Making sure your dog gets extra exercise during the day before the fireworks begin is a great way to tire them out in hopes that they’ll sleep through the loud noises. Both physical and mental exercise should be practiced during the day before the nighttime festivities are underway.
Take your dog on an extra long walk or two, feed them with an enrichment feeder such as a dog puzzle or slow feeder bowl, and spend some time playing fetch, working on tricks, or anything else that tends to tire them out by the end of the day.
7. Update Identification Information
Unfortunately, Fourth of July is known for being the day that the highest number of dogs run away. This is because fearful dogs tend to run away from what they are afraid of. If your dog is outside, or has access to a door that goes outside, they may run away as a result of panic.
Should this be the case for your pup, be sure that all of their identification information is up to date prior to the holiday. This includes name tags on collars and microchip information as well.
If your dog does run away, call every local animal shelter and vets office to let them know as this is where most stray animals are reported or dropped off.
8. Talk to Your Vet
Some dogs can be kept calm during fireworks with a little extra TLC and preparation, but this is not the case for all dogs. If your dog is known to have an absolute panic attack during fireworks, talk to your vet about medications that will sedate them just enough to keep them calm. Your vet should be able to prescribe something that’ll help so that everyone can enjoy their holiday stress free.
Is your dog afraid of fireworks? What do you do to help them through it?