One Little Firecracker

Some dogs will hear the sound of fireworks and not even flinch. Other dogs will hear one pop and they will hide in terror. Last night, I had that experience with Homer, my beagle.

I recently learned that he didn't like the sound of fireworks. It just takes the slightest sound when we were out for a walk. I tried to take him fuarther and he refused to budge. I turned around to go home after just reaching the corner and Homer couldn't get home fast enough. The same thing happened today and it wasn't even sunset yet.

Luckily, once Homer is back at home, after his initial scare, he calms down and will not go outside until the noise stops. One good thing about the 4th of July is the fact that after one big night, things go back to normal. But, if your dog gets anxiety easily, it can be unbearable for that dog as well as the owner. They will pant, shiver and drool until the noise is gone.

How To Manage Anxiety

Up to 20% of dogs suffer from noise anxiety. However, in time, it can be desensitized. Here are some tips:

• Don't coddle your dog! While we think our words and praise will be comforting, it's just reinforcing that it's okay for the dog to act that way. It's best to ignore the sounds, because if you don't make it a big deal, then your dog is more inclined to follow your lead.
• Let them hide. We may worry about our dog being isolated, but ideally, dogs will want to be in a safe place when they are fearful. You can even arrange a bed or a pile of blankets as a haven for your dog.
• Close the windows and draw the drapes. Insulate and drown out the sounds. Dogs won't see the flashes of bright light as much, and the sounds will be more muffled. Also, sounds from the tv, radio or even living in a noisy area will distract your dog too.
• Take 'em out early and frequently. The extra walks will get rid of their excess energy will tire them out and may even help them to sleep through it.
• Use an anxiety aid. Some shirts like the Thundershirt or Anxiety Wrap are great for alleviating anxiety

Let's Discuss!

Those are my thoughts for dogs with fireworks anxiety what are yours?

Holiday Wishes

Wishing you all a very happy and safe Independence day.

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4th of July Tips

4th of July Tips

Well, it's that time of year where fireworks are going to be a huge part of the American Independence day celebration. Many dogs will not feel like celebrating though. With their acute sense of hearing and the noise of fireworks can be very disconcerting to them.

If you are planning on bringing the dogs with you to the celebration, the best thing for dogs is not to. If they are not on a leash, many will bolt at the first sign of noise. The combination of the smell of the gunpowder and the loud noises of the fireworks will make them nervous. My old Rhodesian Ridgeback, Elvis would pant and shake when the fireworks would happen. All this would happen when he was inside. All we knew how to do was comfort him and wait out the show.

I did read a couple of steps you can take to help your scared dogs adjust better.

1. Put the air conditioner on. The sound will help muffle the noise.
2. Have some relaxing music on.
3. Give your dogs one of those dog toys that you can stuff something in the center. An example of this would be a Kong toy with peanut butter put in the middle.

Thanks for stopping by, feel free to share your July 4th memories. Also don't forget about our 3 month anniversary contest. Well, I hope all my American friends have a great holiday. For all of you guys who live in other countries, have a fabulous weekend!