5 Tips for Keeping your Dog Calm this 4th of July!

We love to celebrate the Fourth of July and all of its wonderful things, but our furry friends often have other opinions of this holiday. Firework displays putting off loud booms and flashes of light, and parties with many strange guests and smells, the Fourth of July can be stressful for your dog or any animal. We all want our pets to feel safe at home during these times, so here are our tips for keeping your dog calm during fireworks.

1. Exercise

Any time you’re going to be out of the house for an extended period of time, or there’s a potential of a stressful situation for your dog, its always a great idea to tire them out beforehand. When your dog is tired, they will be much more calm and less likely to react to the sights and sounds of fireworks.

2. Stay Indoors

With fireworks and warm weather, most of our activities happen outdoors. Keep your pet inside and away from windows to help prevent escapes. During fireworks, your pet can become very scared, an escape proof kennel or even a well-insulated room, like an internal bathroom, may help your pet feel safer during these stressful times. Another tip is the close the curtains to help lessen the bright flashes of light from entering your house.

3. Music

Playing music during fireworks helps to drown out the noises they produce. Even though it won’t completely drown out the loud booms from fireworks, it can help lessen the effects it has on your dog. White noise machines and turning on the television can also help in the same way.

4. Treats/Games

Giving your dog a puzzle treat that they can work on for an extended period of time can help distract them from what’s going on outside. With this tactic you are changing their focus to the treat and not what’s going on outside. We recommend using a KONG toy filled with peanut butter and freezing it so it will last longer.

5. Thundershirt

Thundershirts are special vests designed to gently hug your dog in order to reduce stress. It provides the same sensation as when you hug your dog to comfort it. You can try slipping on a small shirt, spandex, or even use elastic bandage to simulate the same effect. You can find them on Amazon here: https://amzn.com/B01FN4GW2M

Help your pets feel more relaxed this holiday season by trying our tips for keeping your dog calm during fireworks. If those don’t help sooth your furry friend, you may want to contact your veterinarian for more options. We hope you and your pet have a fun and safe Fourth of July!

Remember, if your pets make a mess of your home during this holiday season, Peerless is here for you. We often get called after the holiday season for Carpet Cleaning and Upholstery Cleaning.