Saturday, July 2, 2016

July 4th Fireworks and Dogs

Used by Permission, GraphicStock
WOOF!! BARKS! WOOF!! For us dogs and cats, the most pawful holiday in the human universe, except for maybe Halloween, is coming up on Monday, Independence Day, the 4th of July!

As many humans decide to start celebrating it early, like days before, my human is pawsome as he chooses not to celebrate it as he knows I don’t like it! BARKS! Pawsome though, he loves me hanging out so close to him during this frustrating holiday.

Being so close to Washington D.C., and so many cities close around, the celebrations seem to be nonstop for a few days- pawsingly, our freedoms established by so many who’ve gone before, humans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The firecrackers and fireworks seems to be non-stop causing most dogs and cats to be fearful of the noise! WOOFS!! .

With all the firecrackers, fireworks and other celebration stuff going on, most dogs and cats are fearful of all the noise. Unfortunately. Some humans laugh or tease their animals when they see them cowering. That is not nice. G-G-G-R-R-R-R-R-R-R! BARK!!!!!

Humans need to be aware of these safety points for their dog and cat during the upcoming weekend and the July 4th holiday:
  • While the fireworks are going off, humans should spend the entire time petting and cuddling their pets by giving them pawcellent favorite treats and plenty of fresh water. WOOF! BARKs! 
  • Keep your pets indoors whenever neighborhood fireworks are likely. Be sure to let them "out" before the festivities begin like before 5 p.m.. If they need to go "out," go with them so you can keep an eye on them. Some dogs get frightened and take off running. 
  • Play music or the television louder than normal to drown out frightening sounds. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture or the July 4th Celebration from Washington D.C. aren’t good choices!
  • Spend the entire time practicing giving your pet a massage! A pawfected pet massage is worth its weight in doggie treats so practice, practice, practice! WOOFs! 
  • Keep pets away from lit fireworks at all times including those in your backyard. Some pets might chase bright moving objects and are at risk to be burned or blinded in the process. 
  • Do not take pets to firework events. They could get scared, panic and run off or even bite a human! 
  • Secure dogs in a room and play music or turn on the television to drown out the frightening sounds. Do something distracting. Bring out your dog’s favorite toys and play a game with him. Keeping his mind focused on something other than the end of the world, er, fireworks, happening outside will alleviate some stress. 
  • Be friendly, but don’t fuss. It’s fine to pet your dog to comfort him, but anxiously stroking his head while repeating, "It’s OK, it’s OK, it’s OK,” might instead produce an even more stressed-out dog. Dogs can pick up on your emotions, so try to stay calm yourself. Then, in an upbeat manner, occasionally give your dog a pat when he comes to you for comfort. Even better: If you catch him acting calm and collected, that’s the perfect time to smother him with affection. 
  • Ensure that pets are wearing current identification tags. 
  • For the ultimate identification protection, all pets should be microchipped so that they can scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary office. 
  • If your pet does go missing over the holiday, check with local animal shelters immediately. Go to the shelter in person to identify your pet, rather than calling or emailing the shelter, as staff may not be able to respond in a timely enough fashion to ensure your pet’s safety.
Used by Permission, GraphicStock

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