Four Fourth of July Tips for Dog Owners

Independence Day is a loud holiday, which means it’s not great for dogs.  So here’s a quick list of four tips to keep your dog happy and safe this Fourth of July.

1.  Make Sure Your Dog Is Wearing Its Collar.  This is the most important one, because if it gets spooked by fireworks, it might run away.  So make sure the collar is on, and the tags have the right contact info.

2.  Keep Your Dog in a Quiet Room.  If it really starts freaking out, draw the blinds, and turn on the TV or the radio to drown out the noise.

3.  Don’t Console Your Dog If It Gets Scared.  It seems weird, but most dog experts agree that if you comfort your dog when it’s scared, it reinforces the idea that it should be scared.

You’re supposed to just ignore the barking, and hopefully it’ll calm down.

4.  Don’t Bring Your Dog to a Fireworks Show.  They usually take place at parks or next to a body of water. . . which are two places you might normally bring your dog.

But don’t do it on the Fourth of July, because if he gets scared and runs off in an area he doesn’t know, it’s an even bigger headache.  And you also have to worry about all the traffic.