Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe During Fourth of July Celebrations!
If you live in the Tails on Trails coverage area, you have an array of opportunities to celebrate the Holiday from Annapolis to Washington D.C. to Baltimore. And like most pet lovers, there’s a pretty good chance you’d like to hang out with your pet this holiday.
So we’d like to remind you of the importance of keeping them safe during this Holiday!
Many holiday celebrations have some of the same concerns–keep food out of reach of dogs, give dogs a place to rest away from crowds, keep alcohol out of reach. We’ve discussed these issues in previous blog posts that you can freshen up on: Memorial Day Safety Tips and Winter Holidays.
For the Fourth, essentially all of the same rules apply–whether you’re celebrating at a friends house with your pet or your own, keep your eye on him/her. There are many more distractions, dangers, and people and you never know how your pet is going to react.
However, the Fourth of July has some added issues that you should really consider before you begin your celebrations with your pet.
As every good American knows, the 4th is the time of year that fireworks begin happening from every corner of your neighborhood, park, city, etc. Despite laws that might say otherwise, it is really not uncommon to hear loud bangs down the street, see kids running with sparklers, and more.
For those of you with pets, this is your reminder to think of these sounds and sights from your pet’s perspective. No matter how many red, white, and blue bows you put on your pet, he or she still does not know what fireworks are and that we’re celebrating the birth of our nation. All they hear are loud, scary, unpredictable bangs.
If you couple these loud, unpredictable noises with the number of intoxicated people and kids running around extra excitedly, the holiday becomes a minefield even for the most calm dog. The best thing for your dog is really to be left at home, safely inside away from all of the celebrations. If you decide to do this, be sure to give him/her plenty of exercise early in the day. Leave a TV or radio on, even if you normally don’t, to drown out the noise from outside. Lower the shades and give your pet something to distract them like a frozen kong!
For those of you who are intent on bringing your dog or feel they would be safer by your side, take extra precautions to hold your pet on a leash as tight as possible throughout the day. If your pet is usually great off leash, consider using a leash today anyways. The 4th of July has many unpredictable loud noises and many dogs react in unexpected ways. Better safe than sorry!
Some statistic say that more dogs go missing on the 4th of July than any other day. Please keep this in mind when you’re making your plans for the day. Safe is ALWAYS better than sorry when it comes to your pets.
For more tips on 4th of July Safety, check out the ASPCA and AKC Websites.