Safety First this Fourth of July for Your Dogs!

Let me be the first to wish you all a happy Fourth of July!  The Fourth of July is a holiday for many people.  Therefore, many people take full advantage of that with plans with parties with family and friends.  Many times those parties include large groups of people as well as fireworks.  However, before attending or throwing that Fourth of July party yourself, take a time out to think of your dogs.  You may love the Fourth of July but most of the time, your dogs do not share that same sentiment.  There are many things about the Fourth of July celebrations, including those loud fireworks that seem to start in the early evening hours and last throughout the night, that your pet is not a fan of.  So, I have put together a few steps that you can take to ensure safety first for your dogs this Fourth of July.

1.  Leave Fido at Home:  Don't get me wrong.  I am one of those people who would take my dog everywhere if I could.  However, if you know that you are going to participate in festivities that are going to either include you observing or setting off fireworks yourself, you may want to leave your beloved dog at home rather than exposing them up close and personal with the very thing that scares them the most.

2.  Consider a calming shirt:  I have a previous blog that discusses what the calming shirt is so I won't go into detail about it here.  However, if your dog is like one of mine, who is very scared of thunder or fireworks, the calming shirt may be a wise investment.  It may not make them lie down and go to sleep but just may give them the calming edge they need to get through those firework displays.

3.  Be sure that the items you have for your fireworks display or fun is safe for your dogs.  We all know the burns you can get from the simple sparkler.  So, be sure if you are using these for entertainment that your pet is kept well clear of them.  Also, glow sticks are another fun item that are toxic to your dog if he or she should happen to get a hold of it and chew on it.

4.  If you have a dog that uses a crate then this may be a good place for him or her during the festivities as many times the dogs will feel more secure inside their crate or kennel.

5.  Be sure that your dog has up to date contact information on their collar ID in the event he or she does try to escape your home to find a safe place to hide.  My sister's dog was terrified of fireworks and when she let her out to use the bathroom one evening around the Fourth when people were setting off fireworks, the dog ran two blocks and showed up on our doorstep.  She was lucky that the dog came to our house.  Some people may not be as lucky and that is why it is so important to maintain proper contact information on their dog tags.

Now, I know that this list is no where near an all inclusive lists of things that can or should be done in order to get your dogs ready for the Fourth of July.  But, hopefully it gets you thinking ahead so that you can be ready in a few days.

If anyone has any other tips or ideas that they would like to add to this list then please do.  We would love to hear from you.

Happy Fourth of July!