With July 4th coming up, it\’s easy to get yourself excited about fireworks and having a good time with family and friends. However, don\’t forget about your dog and their natural instinct to be scared of fireworks. Dogs and fireworks aren\’t a good combination, they are often afraid of booming flashing lights in the sky and many pet parents seem to forget how to safely protect a dog in this situation.
It\’s okay for your dog to be afraid of fireworks! It\’s always good to remember that dogs have much stronger senses than humans do. Don\’t be surprised if a firework makes your dog panic, however there are many ways to ease the firework phobia for your pet so that you both can enjoy Fourth of July together.
Not All Dogs are Afraid of Fireworks
Just like humans, dogs are individuals with their own set of fears and personality quirks. Just as some dogs can swim and some dogs can’t, some dogs are afraid of fireworks while other dogs aren\’t. For dog safety, pet parents should avoid making assumptions about how their dogs will respond to fireworks. Never force a dog to be near fireworks if you don’t know how they will respond.
However cats are a different story, it\’s safe to say just about every cat is afraid of loud noises from fireworks. Your cat will probably already have that \”safe space\” that we\’ll talk about later. However it\’s always a good idea to keep extra water and food in the area that your cat usually goes to be away from loud noise.
Plan Ahead for Pet Safety
It\’s always better to plan ahead for your pets safety. We talked last week about planning ahead during a natural disaster. It\’s always best to prepare to plan your activities ahead of time, this way you can better prepare your dog or cat by moving them away from the loud noise. If you plan to go somewhere and bring your dog with you, it\’s better to get them away from people to prevent accidental biting or nervous responses.
You should never force a dog to be in a situation they don\’t want to be. This not only can be dangerous for your pet, it can also be dangerous for you and other people around you enjoying the fireworks. Most dogs are afraid of thunderstorms and with fireworks that intensity can be even worse. The reason fireworks can be worse is that they come without warning, this can be very startling for dogs.
Create a Safe Space for your Pet
The great thing is you have tons of time to prepare for how your dog will respond. One of the best things you can do for your dog or cat is to create a safe space for your pet to experience fireworks in. This doesn\’t mean putting them anywhere near the fireworks, but you can create a safe space in a dim room, or one of their favorite rooms with familiar blankets and toys around them.
Having a safe space will help ease the experience of your pets negative response to fireworks while also allowing you to enjoy your Fourth of July experience. If you plan on leaving your dog at home always leave them a safe place to go and \”hide\” so that they can feel calm with or without you.
Communicate with your Pet
If you\’re going to be with your dog during the fireworks, it\’s always best to give them a calming message so that they know there is nothing to worry about. It\’s good to remember that dogs communicate with energy and will look for clues on how they should behave. If you\’re not making a big deal or showing excitement about the fireworks, then your dog will be less concerned as well. When you have kids running around and screaming you can see why a dog might feel scared.
This video may help your dog relax during the fireworks!
Helping your dog relaxed with calming energy is always important during the Fourth of July. It\’s always a good idea to take your dog for a long walk before the fireworks start to put them in a calm state. Don\’t feel guilty by leaving your dog at home, they won\’t know they are missing the excitement of the fireworks. When the big bang of July Fourth is over your dog will be happy that you made it a less stressful experience by reading our Splash and Dash July Fourth Safety article!
