The Fourth of July is an important celebration for America. Around Portland, we’re big fans of the yearly shows put on during the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, the Oaks Park 4th of July Spectacular, as well as the show over Lake Oswego. Unfortunately, our country’s celebration is quite possibly one of our dog’s most dreaded nights and confusing weeks. Many dogs, having limited experience around loud noises, don’t know how to handle fireworks – most dog owners should be aware of this. Thunder shirts for dogs and crating your dog for the time of the show are often helpful for dogs who don’t handle loud noises very well. Beyond these points, there are other things to consider, too.
Safety measures:
Firecracker safety – Most importantly, keep your dogs away from lit fireworks. While many dogs are scared of flashing lights and explosions, some dogs are excited by them. Please don’t let this be your dog.
While we’re talking about it, be sure your dog doesn’t decide to grab unlit fireworks, as well. Be sure to pick up your used (and especially your unused) fireworks at the end of the night. Potassium nitrate, heavy metals and coloring agents make for pretty aerial displays, but poor chew toys. Also, keep in mind that while you know to pick up your mess right away, your neighbors might not be so efficient. Making the extra effort to keep your dog on a leash for a few days before and after the holiday isn’t a bad idea, either.
Decoration safety – Fourth of July home decor and costumes are often cheaply made, and therefore easily destroyed. While they’re not explosive, they too don’t make for good chew toys and it’s important that your dog not have the chance to discover such an opportunity. Likewise, while it’s cute to dress up your dog as Uncle Sam, keep in mind that costumes can be stressful to dogs, too. If they’re into wearing a star spangled top hat, awesome. If they’re not, do them a favor and don’t make them wear it. Explosions are stressful enough.
Food safety – During times of stress, keeping your dog on a steady diet can be helpful to keep their insides feeling well and your carpet looking clean. Also keep in mind that certain foods such as grilled chicken (particularly the bones) and corn on the cob can be choking hazards and other foods such as, chopped onions, and chocolate can actually be poisonous.
Training tips:
It’s a week-long event – While the holiday celebrates a specific day, who can resist making things explode? Often people start lighting fireworks days before the holiday, so dogs can be affected earlier than anticipated. Be ready for it.
Work your dog physically and mentally to wear them out – The old saying, “a tired dog is a good dog” can be somewhat translated to “a tired dog is a calm dog” on the Fourth of July. Running your dog (provided it isn’t too hot outside) prior to the show, or simply working him mentally by teaching him a new trick or two can make a big difference in how he handles the loud noises and flashing lights.
Don’t coddle your dog – Lastly, while it’s natural as humans to coddle our young ones when they’re feeling scared. It soothes them and calms them. The same is not true with dogs. By providing comfort such as hugging or even verbal reassurance, you risk reinforcing their fear by essentially saying to them: “Yeah, you should be scared.” A relaxed and calm demeanor will be more helpful in getting them through the night.