Independence Day will be here soon and many people will celebrate with fireworks. You probably already know that some dogs are very sensitive to the booming and bursting noise of these celebrations. Fireworks can be very frightening for dogs. Some dogs hide, cry, or may even try to escape and run away.

My Beau is very scared of fireworks and loud noises. Thunderstorms leave him shaking. During fireworks and storms he shakes, pants and wants to climb in my lap. I try to accommodate him, but he's 97 pounds, so that doesn't always work. I do hold him and pet him, but I try to keep a happy voice and tell him there's nothing wrong. (I had to take that back last week during a thunderstorm. Beau was being scared and I was petting him, telling him he was being a big, silly dog. Suddenly I saw lightning run like a lit fuse across my kitchen counter! It scared me half to death! I guess Beau was right that time.)

There are some things you can do to help your dog handle fireworks (and storms).

1. Keep your dog indoors and as far away from crowds and the commotion of a fireworks celebration as possible. This is important, too, if you have neighbors who celebrate with fireworks.

2. Play soothing music or keep the TV on, or turn on a fan to drown out the booms and loud pops from the fireworks.

3. Try to distract your dog with some of his/her favorite things, such as toys, treats, or play a game that he likes.

4. Try desensitization techniques. You can make a tape of fireworks or thunder and play it in the house at stress-free times, playing with your dog while it's on, to help him associate the sounds with happy things.

5. Many people swear by the herbal Rescue Remedy that can be found in health food stores. You can also try putting some Peppermint Oil on the pads of your dog's paws. (Peppermint is a stress-reducer.) Valerian and Scullcap are other herbs which can be used to reduce stress. Always follow the recommended doses for your dog's weight. Beau usually relaxes when I give him some of the Valerian (in pill form) I keep for myself. If you are going to try an herbal remedy for your dog, you should make sure that you give it well before the fireworks or storm begins because it takes a while to feel the effects. Always make sure you research an herbal medicine before using it. Just because something is "herbal" or "natural" doesn't mean it is safe.

6. Talk to your vet about a sedative for an especially anxious pet.

The most important thing is to try to allay your pet's fears and anxiety and help him get through an event that is upsetting to him. I hope these tips can help.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 28th, 2007 at 8:25 am and is filed under Dog Health, Dog Training, General Dogs' Topics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.