It’s the holidays again, a wonderful 4th of July, and not only that, storms are heading right toward mid-Missouri in the next few days, so your pets, especially those that dislike loud noises, are going to spend the next few days a little on edge. It’s the time of year when noise phobias become apparent, especially during thunderstorms and fireworks. It is more common in dogs, although a few cats might have it, but more than likely, a cat will just bolt and you’ll spend hours looking for it. Dogs do a number of distressing things: howling, urinating, and defecating are just a few. Research is not 100% complete in this area, but it seems to conclude that it’s even more common in certain breeds of dogs, like Collies and German Shepherds. If you think you’ve seen quite a few dogs that seem sensitive to fireworks of one breed, you’re probably correct to assume and prepare if you have the same breed. Since it’s too late to train your dog to be desensitized to the loud noises of fireworks at this point, I’ll give you some tips to help your dog through this holiday. Happy 4th of July! 1.) Take them to a room without any windows, even better, in the center of your home or in the basement, which will muffle some loud noises and block any flashes of light through windows. 2.) If they already take an anxiety medication, go ahead and pre-medicate them before the fireworks or storm so they are not caught unaware. 3.) Purchase a Thunder Shirt. They apply gentle, constant pressure that will soothe your dog. It won’t cure a severely affected dog, but it helps. 4.) If your pet has been pretty active during the day, they may be too tired to act out as much during fireworks or a storm, so take a walk and let them out to play earlier in the day to wear them out. 5.) Create white noise to block out storms by turning on a fan, air conditioner, the radio or the television. 6.) Don’t fret over them excessively when they are reacting to loud noises. I know, right. That seems mean. You just want to pick up your pup and snuggle him through the scary noises. They will see this as a sign that something is wrong. Pet them, and use a calm, gentle voice to settle them, but go about your business like it’s completely normal. 7.) Keep yourself calm. They can read your behavior. If you’re scared of storms (or fireworks) your dog will read this from your body language. If you also get tense in these situations, medicate yourself with a glass of wine. Have a great 4th of July! You may have a dog that is not afraid of fireworks whatsoever. Look up “Roman Candle Dog” on Youtube for an example of this bad behavior. If so, lock that dog up for the safety of all. Did you see the larger dog toward the end of the video? He had a noise phobia after that, for sure. (I would link it and make it easier for you to find, but legally, I can’t.) Stay safe, keep your pets safe, and no matter how many times they beg, do not let your dogs have any of the table scraps. If they’re begging you for some, then they are begging everyone else at the barbeque, and you can bet 50% of them are suckers that have already handed over part of their hot dog. Your kid that never finished his meal without a fight ate all his food in five minutes?! No way! Yeah, really, no way. Happy 4th of July! Enjoy!
1 Comment
Rebecca Harbison
7/4/2017 06:20:33 am
We have one dog that is so scared with any kind of storm, and especially fireworks. We made a place in the closet with a dog bed and keep the door open so she can get in and out when she needs too. It is dark and although it doesn't completely solve the problem, it does give her a place to go.
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Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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