Protecting dogs during holiday celebrations like July 4th and New Years is more important than some realize. Every holiday, frightened dogs run away when fireworks begin, leaving families desperate to find them and bring them home.
Background
I have gathered some tips and tricks to help your dogs feel safe and keep calm during these times that bring us humans such happiness.
Total honesty is required here. When I first published this article, I did not have much experience with this topic. My family has always lived in a very rural area where people rarely set off fireworks, but it has always bothered me to see so many dogs frightened and alone when they should feel safe and secure with their families.
Since I originally published this article, I have gained experience helping my dogs cope with being frightened by loud noises, specifically gunfire. My family began learning cowboy mounted shooting a couple years ago and we have started practicing at our house. I get varying reactions from my herd of dogs but they all have one thing in common – the house is their safe place and they want to be inside.
One dog stands next to my chair and whines while shaking uncontrollably. Another dog tries to crawl right inside of me. She also shakes uncontrollably but does not verbalize. The worst one, if caught outside, will try to chew through our steel wire fence to get to the front door where he will then try to knock the door down to get inside. He will attempt to dig under the fence first and if that doesn’t work he resorts to chewing on the fence. As soon as he is in the house, he becomes oblivious to the noise and perfectly calm.
My hope is that the following ideas and tips will be of help to everyone who might read this. I hope no dog ever becomes lost and frightened because of fireworks again.
Making a Safe Place
First, create a safe place for your dog inside the house. This can be a small room with a bed and lots of toys or it can be a crate with a bed and some toys that they can chew.
I read a post recently asking people to “Please not lock up their dogs in “cages”, “How would we like being locked in a cage?” I disagree with this.
Wild dogs go to dens for safety and to sleep and rear their young. Our dogs are much the same. They need a safe, den like, place to go when they feel afraid or threatened. My dogs love their crates and if I can’t find them, they are usually asleep in their crates.
In times of stress or fear, your dogs need a safe, secure place to retreat to INSIDE THE HOUSE.
Please, if you anticipate a celebration involving any kind of loud noise or fireworks, put your dogs INSIDE.
Exercising Your Dog
Second, if you walk your dog every day, make sure you walk them during daylight hours before a big celebration.
Then, if you plan to go to the celebration, put them in their safe place and make it as dark as possible. Close windows and curtains and turn on the TV or music to mask the sounds of the celebration outside.
The best thing is to not leave your dog alone during these high stress times but I understand that life happens.
Identify Your Dog
Third, make sure your dog is micro-chipped and is tagged with his name, your name and a phone number. If all else fails and your dog does panic and escape, make sure he is identifiable.
Other Stress Helps
Fourth, there are diffusers available that put calming chemicals in the air to help calm your pet. There are also medications available through your vet.
Let’s all make the holidays a great time for our pets as well as our human family.