As the end of June approaches, pet owners everywhere have a looming concern. It’s almost July and that means Independence Day. The 4th of July holiday celebrates America’s Independence. Chilling in the pool or camped out in the shade. The celebrations include grilled hot dogs with all the fixins, Grandma’s notorious potato salad, baked beans. An endless buffet. Time to feast and enjoy some time with friends and family. Up until the sun sets – and the fireworks begin.
If you’re a pet owner, you know what the exploding noises can do to your pet. Once the anxiety and panic take hold, it is a helpless feeling to see your best friend in such distress. My dog Louie hated fireworks. He was a social dog. Very social, never met a stranger. His tail wagged constantly. He loved people and car rides. Happy go lucky pup. Until fireworks started. The explosions gave him such PTSD that he would retreat to the bathroom and hide behind the toilet. For hours. I’d turn the volume of the TV as loud as it could go, trying to drown out the noise. That helped. But it got me thinking about another possible, non-pharmaceutical solution.
My number one tip, what helped Louie the most – the thing that I’ve done for years – is start watching western movies. Right now is the perfect time to start. The 4th of July is less than two weeks away. Pick a good shoot ’em up western, too – a movie (or TV show) with lots of gun fire. Let your dog snuggle with you on the sofa. The random sounds of gunfire resemble the exploding fireworks to come. Get your dog acclimated to the noise now. Hopefully when the fireworks begin, it won’t seem like you’re under ‘attack.’ Your dog will still respond to the fireworks noise, but I noticed a discernable difference in my dog Louie, all due to watching a western movie several times before the fireworks started. I would stream the western every night for two weeks before the 4th. My favorite pick was The 1995 version of The Quick and the Dead. This remake features Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and a young Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s less than two hours long, has a good plot and a female gun slinger (Stone). Not your average western.
OTHER SOLUTIONS
If at all possible, move pets INSIDE for the night, even if your dog lives outside. Fireworks are so disruptive to the dog’s psyche, the noise can make the calmest dogs BOLT.
PUT an Identification collar on your dog. Just in case.
Give your dog a ‘safe space.’ Some dogs might cope better if their in a small room by themself, others might cling to you and want to sit in your lap. Keep the water bowl filled. And a soft blanket close by.
Try the Thunder shirt. The concept is similar to swaddling for babies. It’s made of cotton material and attaches with built in Velcro, so it’s easy to put on your dog. You can purchase these at any pet supply store and some big box retailers.
Ask your vet for medication. Some medicines work really well, others do not. This is my last resort due to the complications from the drug side effects. If your dog is really sensitive, the risk may be worth trying.
Curtains and mini blinds should be closed. Block out the flashes of light outside that precursor the big BOOMS.
Here’s to everyone having a safe, happy, stress-free Independence Day. Until silent firecrackers become the normal, enjoy the Great American western movies.
And who knows, your pup might become a cowboy. Or would that technically be a dogboy?