For those dogs that are noise, thunder or large car backfiring phobic, the 4th of July can be rough. For others, it's a walk in the park. Wherever your pooch may fall on the sound sensitivity continum, there are a few things you can do to help them cope, encourage confidence or to help prevent a possible firework phobia down the road.
For the sound phobic dog...
Imagine have ultra sensitive hearing, being left in charge to guard the house... and then there is an invisible invader! Yikes!
Many times a phobic dog will choose avoidance- and will hide or burrowing under a coffee table or lie in an open closet or a crate. On the other hand, folks can get into serious trouble if their dog is off leash and chooses to run away (think flight response). In this state of mind, your dog is literally in survival mode, and often finding a dog that is running scared can be a tough.
So, nobody wants to be sending out a search party for a scared, lost animal, so let's talk about what we can do to prevent drama and to sooth your dog on the 4th.
If you know your dog is sound sensitive...
• Keep walks to a minimum and make sure your collars/halters are fitted properly with identification.
• Create a safe haven where your dog can squirrel away if they'd like.
• Play a radio or white noise to provide relief in the house.
• Give your dog very high value, long lasting chewies (beef marrow bones) in their safe space.
• If you have a severely noise phobic dog that is on anxiety medication, you may want to consult with your Vet about
something for "acute" situations such as the 4th.
• A tight fitting garment on your dog may help them relax a bit as well (gentle pressure on the body can release endorphins, the "feel good" drug).
Even if your dog isn't totally stressed on the by sound, you want to keep an eye out for signs that they are stressed.
Stress signals include things like:
• Ears or tail plastered to the body
• More than normal drooling or salivation
• Pacing and panting
• A foamy beard of drool
• Whining
• Trembling or shaking
• Lots of "choppy" movement
If you see your dog displaying multiple stress signals, give 'em a break from the action. Take them inside and give them a quiet place and a good chewie! Have a safe and happy Fourth of July.
