The 4th of July can be a particularly stressful time for dogs. Fireworks are not only set off on the holiday itself but often continue for days before and after, causing prolonged distress for pets.
The loud booms and bright flashes can trigger a flight-or-fight response in dogs, leading to signs of stress such as panting, pacing, whining, hiding and destructive behavior. To help your dog through this challenging period, it’s important to take preemptive measures before the fireworks begin.
This blog explores various effective methods to calm your dog during the 4th of July and provides tips to make future loud holiday celebrations less stressful for your pet.
Exercise Your Dog
Go for a long walk or have intense play with your dog a couple of hours before the start time of a fireworks show. The goal is to exhaust them and allow them to release any built up tension they already have in their bodies. With less energy, your dog will feel less overwhelmed by their emotions and experience reduced stress.
Create a Safe Place for Your Dog
When the flight response is triggered a dog’s initial instinct is to hide. This is a reasonable reaction.Do not stop your dog from seeking distance from what scares them. Instead, create a safe space where they won’t harm themselves or anything else.
Provide Distractions for Your Dog
Engage your dog’s senses to distract them from the fireworks outside. Play a calming TV show or music to help drown out the loud booms and crackles. This provides your dog with alternative sounds to focus on, reducing the impact of the fireworks. Additionally, giving your dog an interactive toy or puzzle can help keep their mind off the commotion outside.
Calming Coats and Shirts for Dogs
Calming coats and shirts act like a hug. The fabric tightly wraps around a canine’s torso with an even pressure, decreasing anxiety in dogs. It’s most effective to put the coat or shirt on the dog before the fireworks start. Afterwards, it might be too late to take effect.
CBD for Dogs
CBD products are great calming aids for canines. This single compound works with their nervous system to help them regulate their emotions in a more controlled way. Standard practice is to give your pooch CBD oil 15-30 minutes before the fireworks begin. Mix the oil with a bit of food. If giving CBD treats, use the same time frame but do not add any food.
Medication for Dogs
A vet may prescribe your dog a medication to help with their noise phobias. The drug Sileo is the first and only FDA-approved medication that is meant to treat dogs with noise anxiety.
Alprazolam (Xanex) is a short term anti-panic drug that is more commonly used to treat dogs with fears of thunderstorms. Prozac, Clomicalm and Elavil are all long-term drugs that are normally given to dogs who experience anxiety at baseline levels. Talk with your vet first on which of these over the counter medications are best for your dog to use as a stress reliever. Remember to never give your dog human anxiety medications.
Future Independance Days
Fireworks are likely to remain a part of the USA’s birthday celebration. While the suggestions above can help during the holiday, pet owners might also consider year-round training to ensure the next 4th of July is smoother than the last.
Dog Relaxation Training
Relaxation training is a way to teach your canine to bring their own anxiety levels down to a calmer state of genuine relaxation and essentially teaches them to not be so afraid of their fears.
This type of training is done through positive reinforcement first in a safe environment. When the dog learns how to relax in controlled surroundings, the next step is to gently expose them to their noise phobia in small increments. As the canine continues to practice their relaxation training, they will be exposed to higher levels of the scary noises.
This training is best to do when their noise phobias are out of season. It takes months and requires patience to get your dog to a place where they can initiate their own relaxation in stressful environments. The hard work is worth it. This training helps your dog learn to control their responses to fear and have an overall calmer mind. Learn more about relaxation training here.
Plan Ahead
Unless you live in an extremely remote location, it’s nearly impossible to escape fireworks around the 4th of July. The holiday doesn’t need to be stressful for dogs and owners, however. If your pet struggles with anxiety and fear during fireworks, the best thing you can do is to be proactive and make a plan before your pet is triggered to ease their emotional and physical reactions to disturbing stimuli.
We hope the tips in this blog help you get through the holiday without your beloved pet cowering in fear. Visit your local Smoochie Pooch location before the 4th to stock up on CBD products, toys or puzzles to help make their holiday less stressful.
