1. Keep your dog indoors. Insulate her from the loud noises as much as possible by keeping her indoors, preferably in an interior room. The day after fourth of July is the busiest day of the year for dog shelters, because nervous dogs dig under or go over the fence trying to escape the loud noises.
2. Don’t take your dog to the fireworks display. It’s like someone forcing you into a room full of snakes if you were scared of them. This can cause all kinds of psychological damage to your dog.
3. Play music or keep the television on to help mask the sound.
4. Have one of the family stay home with them if possible, or you may return to a destroyed house.
5. If they are showing signs of stress, try wrapping them in a blanket or use a thunder shirt. If your dog has struggled in the past, you may want to try synthetic pheromones like Adaptil. Just be sure to administer it before the fireworks start. In extreme cases, medication may need to be prescribed by your Vet.
6. Comfort her. It is a myth that you can make a dog’s anxiety worse by comforting them. They need our reassurance. Just make sure they are asking for help. Don’t assume they want you to hold them. If they are pulling away, let them.
7. Give them extra tasty treats like chicken or hot dogs. Food releases pheromones that help the dog to feel good. Keep the treats hidden, and when the fireworks begin, feed her the treats. If there is a pause in the fireworks, put the food away. When the fireworks resume, so do the treats. Fireworks predict treats.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks