[Episode 48]

9 Ways To Keep Your Dog Calm On The 4th Of July 

One of the easiest ways to create fear is to be unprepared during the 4th of July.

Fear and anxiety isn’t something a dog is born with, it’s something they develop if they are not properly introduced to it or prepared for it.

If your dog isn’t used to the sound of fireworks, the 4th of July can be a very stressful time. Dogs have much sharper hearing than humans, so the loud bangs and pops can be quite overwhelming and sound like a war zone. 

Today you’re going 9 Ways To Keep Your Dog Calm on the 4th of July.

1. Take your dog on a long walk in a quiet park or somewhere new during the day.

2. Use interactive food toys like a stuffed Kong or Toppl during the firework show.

3. Use CBD oil or an Adapil collar to take the edge off of the noise.

4. Use pharmaceuticals from your veterinarian such as trazadone. Dr. Karen Overall does not recommend using not Ace. Here’s why – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-GsmrFYHKk

5. Use a calming wrap like a Thundershirt.

6. Find a safe place in your house farthest from the noise for your dog to be in during the firework show .  Use calming music, white noise in the room.

7. Rent a hotel room in another city. It sounds silly, but it’s not easy to see your dog in distress. I have friends that do this every year.

8. Calm them if he becomes frightened or worried. Remember, you can’t reinforce fear, so it’s ok to comfort your dog.

9. Use two forms of attachment when walking them

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Article by Dr Dr. Marty Becker, Don’t Ace the Fear: Why Acepromazine May Make Your Dog’s Fireworks Fears Worse

• Lorie Huston DVM, Is Acepromazine a Good Medication For Anxiety?

   

• Amazon Store to get our favorite food to use for dog training

• The Dog Academy is our online DIY program where your dog will learn all the basics and advanced skills needed to be well-behaved and listen better. Learn more about The Dog Academy and watch our FREE Master class, The 3 Secrets to a Calm Dog That Listens Without Jerking the Leash, Yelling or Getting Frustrated by clicking on the link.