Your dog and fireworks

 

People love their fireworks

Your dog and fireworks; not a great combination. Lots of people LOVE their fireworks around the Fourth. You’ll find towns with their annual presentations or just neighbors shooting them off at all times of the day or night. Maybe you even like to watch the fireworks.

Your dog, however, does NOT like them. Some dogs are trained to tolerate them, but the loud noises are hard on those sensitive canine ears. And some dogs are deathly afraid of all the ruckus.

Your dog and fireworks

Why are dogs so scared of fireworks?

• They are LOUD! Dogs’ ears are much more sensitive than ours, so each boom or pop causes pain.
• They don’t make sense. If a dog can understand where a noise comes from, like the vacuum, they can learn to tolerate the noise better since they know where it comes from.
• Without a canine acceptable explanation, the fireworks present a threat that must be defended against.
• The never-ending fireworks can cause your dog to feel trapped.

For more about the problems your dog has with fireworks, read this post from Reader’s Digest. How do you know if your dog has anxiety or fear? Read this post for more information.

Pills and potions

Every dog reacts differently to the chaos caused by fireworks. Some dogs appear to handle it fairly well, although they definitely don’t enjoy it. Others get frantic, running away in fright or digging crazily to try to find an escape. Unfortunately, lots of dogs end up injured or get lost in their attempts to get away.

If your dog is in the second group, you might want to consider anti-anxiety medicine prescribed by your vet. Some dogs tolerate fireworks much better with the use of pills. They do take some planning since the medicine takes a little while to kick in. These medicines also might cause your dog to be groggy or have other side effects.

Another method to try is CBD or hemp oil. These substances are credited with relieving anxiety effectively in many dogs. However, since CBD and hemp products are considered supplements, they aren’t regulated. That means that the effective ingredients aren’t all the same, so one product might work while another doesn’t. If you want to try one of these products, you’ll have to do some research, as well as some trial and error with your dog. They also require some planning so that the product can be working at the right time.

Strategies for your dog and fireworks

While substances can help your dog with their fear and anxiety, they aren’t always effective by themselves. Or you might not want to use them for whatever reason. If that’s the case, here are some other ideas that might help your dog tolerate the situation.

• Take a long walk. A dog that’s been physically active and has worn themselves out tends to be more relaxed and can often nap.
• Consider timing. Since fireworks often happen in the evening, any activities you do with your dog should be done during off times, like sunrise or the middle of the day.
• Distance can be their friend. If you can, taking your dog away from the fireworks, like camping or out in the country, can help them avoid the situation.
• Distraction might help. If you can’t avoid the fireworks, you might use music and/or crating to help decrease the effects.

Planning can help save the day

Your dog will probably always hate fireworks. You can make things better by being prepared to help your dog when the inevitable comes to pass. Using strategies to keep your dog as safe and happy as possible, you can make the best of an unpleasant situation.

Does your dog have trouble with fireworks? Tell me how you handle it in the comments below.