7 Tips for Keeping Pets Calm This 4th of July
Here in the United States, July 4th is a beloved and fun filled holiday. Backyard barbecues with friends and neighbors and exciting and beautiful fireworks displays are staples in most celebrations of this holiday. Many humans look forward to these events, but did you know that many of the things we do to celebrate our nation’s independence are frightening to our pets?
As a professional trainer I invariably get dozens of calls each and every year about the family dog that is scared out of his mind of fireworks. If your pet is traumatized and unable to cope to the sound of fireworks, we have waited too long to do training to desensitize them to the noise or smells associated with them. However there are some things that we can do to alleviate their anxiety and help them stay calmer.
Tips for Keeping Pets Calm This July 4th
Talk to your vet.
It surprises people that this is my number one recommendation. People underestimate their vet’s ability to help with behavioral concerns. Now, not all veterinarians are behavior experts (unless your vet is a certified veterinary behaviorist), but all will be able to assist you in planning for the best medical care for your pet. If your pet has a phobia of loud noises or of the specific noise that fireworks make, you may need to discuss if behavior modification drugs are a safe option to relieve your pet’s anxiety and mental anguish. I am NOT a veterinarian and I am nowhere near qualified enough to tell you if your pet is a candidate for these types of medical solutions or what kinds, but I am qualified to recognize the signs that this is bigger than just training. I recommend speaking to your vet specifically about medications ONLY when the pet has an extreme response to fireworks. This would mean that the pet is not just startled by the fireworks, a true phobia means that the animal is unable to recover from their fear until the event passes. Please remember that minor or mild anxiety is not a cause for animals to be medicated, but panic attacks are. If your pet is unable to concentrate on other activities because they are so stressed, if they are unable to eat or take treats, if they are so afraid that they become destructive (chewing molding, doors, their crate, etc.) or perform self harming behaviors (licking their paws, chewing to the point of cutting their mouth or breaking their teeth) then you need to discuss medications with a qualified professional. If your pet is worried, but has a mild response, skip right to the second tip.
Try natural solutions to reduce anxiety.
For most animals that experience fear during this holiday, this fear is not severe enough to necessitate a call or visit to your pet’s veterinarian. If the pet experiences mild or non severe anxiety there are a number of products available to provide relief to your furry friend. For dogs and cats, Thundershirts can be a great option. Thundershirts and similar types of anxiety relieving wraps were designed using the concept of pressure therapy. Constant gentle pressure can induce a feeling of safety and calm in many species (including humans). Pheromone sprays, collars, and diffusers can also be helpful. The best brands of these items release a species specific pheromone designed to soothe. Many of these products have actually been used in vet clinics to reduce anxiety and promote healing after surgery and medical procedures. You can read about those studies here. LINK
Provide background noise to mask the noise
For many cats and dogs, it is the sound that fireworks make that cause the most severe responses. Try to muffle the sounds of celebrations with background noise. Anything that will cover some of the noise should help. TVs, radios, white noise machines, fans, podcasts, audio books, anything that will hide the sounds that worry your pet. (At our house we usually use it as an opportunity to watch Independence Day or another action movie. Hahaha.)
Plan a fun activity during neighborhood celebrations.
Play a game with your pet, pull out their favorite toy, or give them a tasty treat. If your cat has a favorite teaser toy, pull it out during times like this to see if we can keep their minds off of their worry. Special treats or chews can also be very helpful in these types of situations. For our dogs we often use loaded Kong toys full of peanut butter or another pet appropriate treat for them to enjoy during times of stress. If your dog LOVES to play fetch, go get their ball and play with them! The more fun activities we can pair with these events, the faster and stronger our results will be. In addition to making them feel better, this is also a way to use counter conditioning to improve their behavior and emotions. “Fireworks are scary, but wow when I hear fireworks my family gives me my favorite treat!”
Keep pets indoors.
This is a major safety concern. MANY pets are lost on this day every year because they become scared and disoriented during fireworks displays. ALL pets need to stay indoors until all celebrations are over. Close or block off your pet doors, keep your indoor/outdoor cat inside, only take your dogs out on leash to potty EVEN if you have a fenced in yard. This is extremely important! Dogs can become so panicked that they attempt to escape from areas that they haven’t previously, and they sometimes succeed! It is not worth the risk, leash up.
Give your pet a safe and quiet place to seclude themselves when they are afraid.
If your pet is scared, they sometimes want to go off on their own to hide. If you know this is what your pet prefers, plan ahead and create a safe haven for them. Some animals have places that they are naturally drawn to, and we found out recently that our hound, Tule, wants to be in my walk in closet when she feels overwhelmed by anxiety. We have decided to use this to our advantage since it is safe for her to be in there. I will provide a loaded Kong or another chew for her in there, in addition to her regular bedding or even a shirt with our scent on it. (Bedding and clothes are NOT appropriate for all dogs. If your dog has a tendency to eat or destroy fabric, DO NOT do this as it could result in severe medical distress. I also would NOT try this with puppies or adolescents. Adults only!) If your dog is crate trained, this is an easy way to help comfort them. For cats or dogs that are not crate trained, this is going to require a little more effort and creativity on your part. Where does your pet go when they feel anxious? We want to set this space up for them, or recreate the feeling if it is not a safe option for them. Most animals like to hide somewhere small with only one entrance. Underneath beds or under other furniture are typical hiding spots, especially for cats. Put a favorite snuggling blanket in their under the bed hiding spot with their favorite treats or even a can of wet food for your feline friend.
Comfort your pet.
It seems so silly that this needs to be said, but it does! If your pet wants and needs attention from you when they are afraid, please give it to them! It is okay to comfort and soothe our beloved critters when they are worried and in distress. This will not teach them to be afraid, they already are afraid, and ignoring that pain is cruel and unkind. I had someone explain it to me in this way before, and it has always stuck with me. Unfortunately I don’t remember who used this description or I would credit them. I will paraphrase. “If I have a terrible and traumatic experience and I go to my best friend’s house to talk about it, the expectation would be that my friend would console and comfort me. We might hug or embrace. None of these comforting actions cause my anxiety or fear to increase. If my friend handled this the way that many ill informed people tell us to treat dogs, my friend would ignore me or even tell me that they can’t discuss this with me because it might reinforce my negative emotions. If this happened, I would find new friends immediately.”
Please have a safe and happy 4th of July celebration with your friends and family. I hope that you can use some of the ideas here to keep stress levels low for our non human family members. Good luck!