Some Advice About Fireworks From Dear DeDe!
Oh Dog! It’s time for another visit with Dear DeDe! That’s me!
Fireworks are scary to pets, so keep us safe!
This week those of us in the US will celebrate the birth of our country on July 4th. It’s often a grand affair with cookouts, parades, and fireworks! And today is Canada Day in… well… Canada! They also do some celebrating with fireworks.
It’s those fireworks I want to remind you about.
Animal Control agencies will tell you that July 5th is one of their busiest days of the year. Why? Because dogs become afraid of the fireworks and run!
Even though we’re in drought conditions in 3/4 of our country, and even though much of the Eastern US is like an oven (including here), fireworks are still for sale. And if people buy them, they’re gonna shoot them. Right? They’ve been shooting them in our neighborhood and it’s so dry here it’s scary.
So make sure your pets are safe. This is NOT a good time for pets to be roaming free. They can be injured accidentally or even on purpose. Remember the old trick of tying firecrackers to a cat’s tail and lighting them? Supposed to be funny, right? No, I don’t think so either.
Keep them inside. A fence or run isn’t enough. If dogs can bolt, they will. And don’t assume inside is safe either. An Associated Press article on the subject noted that a dog was so frightened it jumped through a plate glass window!
Keep them calm. If your dog is crate-trained, this is a good time to use your crate. If not, how about a small room with comfort objects, food and water. And if you can hide the noise with TV or music, that’s a good idea too. If your dog is fearful, consider trying the Thundershirt. Many dogs report they work wonders!
If your dog does become lost, be sure to notify Animal Control. And if you find a dog, do the same. If you can provide the dog with temporary shelter, that’s fine, but you want to be sure that you leave lots of information out there so the dog’s owners can be found. After all, you’d want someone to do the same for your dog.
So be safe, and enjoy your holiday!
.
Links:
Associated Press: Fireworks Scare Dogs
ASPCA Blog: Pet Parents, Prepare for the Fireworks!
ASPCA Pet Behaviorist: Fear of Noises (a great article on what you can do if your animal is afraid)
Bunny’s Blog also has a great post about pet safety during the holidays
July 1, 2012 at 6:18 AM
un petit salt chez toi mister Rumpydog
good day for you
July 1, 2012 at 7:16 AM
Have a great day!
July 1, 2012 at 6:29 AM
If it starts 14th of july on my place, I have a bombshelter in my wardrobe.
July 1, 2012 at 6:36 AM
Awesome! It’s great you have a plan!
July 1, 2012 at 6:58 AM
Excellent post! Fireworks began in our neighborhood last weekend and Jeffie’s nerves are shot!
July 1, 2012 at 7:15 AM
Those mid-week holidays mean two weekends of fireworks around here… even though there’s a burn ban in place *sigh*
July 1, 2012 at 7:17 AM
Fireworks do not scare me at all. But when the Poland Spring guy brings those giant deadly bottles of spring water to my house, I am paralyzed with fear till Mom puts them into the closet. Be brave, dog friends. Trust your humans to keep you safe. Maybe they can put the fireworks into the closet….
Love and licks,
Cupcake
July 1, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Those water bottle dudes can be dangerous!
July 1, 2012 at 7:18 AM
Great reminder! Mickey is all cozy in his little house, a.k.a. his crate! Thanks!
July 1, 2012 at 7:21 AM
Yay for Mickey!
July 1, 2012 at 7:27 AM
There do seem to be almost too many good reasons to let off fireworks these days. Lovely as they are, they’re a menace in the wrong hands and a terror to ALL wildlife and pets.
July 1, 2012 at 7:29 AM
They certainly are! But humans don’t always consider the plight of other species.
July 1, 2012 at 7:55 AM
They’re illegal N owr parish but peepuls go 2 teh nayber parish & bring tehm home. Me & Poppa (who wuz in Vietnam) stay insides tehn. NOT luking 4ward 2 Winston Xperiensing his 1st 4th heer. He’s just calming down gettin’ yoosta tihs place! Mom sez is best fur peepuls who leik fireworks 2 go downtown 2 teh Mississippi Ribber & wach teh pros do tehr fing on teh levvy wher iz byootiful, safe, free & far away from Poppa, Winston & me!
July 1, 2012 at 8:43 AM
You make a good point BobButtons! Many humans are afraid of fireworks too!
July 1, 2012 at 8:17 AM
My dad would always bring his dog in on fireworks night (Guy Fawkes in NZ) .. we would celebrate on the beach. After making sure all the kids were home, my dad went into the bathroom to take a cool shower, he took off all his clothes and reached in past the shower curtain to turn the water on. He did not realise that our big dog Gin had been hiding behind the shower curtain in the shower. As the cold water hit the dog she erupted with force out through the curtain, into the legs of the father, knocking my naked dad headfirst into the shower stall taking the curtain down with him! All we saw was a wet dog running madly through the house and all we heard was a roar of fright from our dad. The rest, thankfully we did not see. We laughed about that for years. Morning Dee Deec
July 1, 2012 at 8:43 AM
Oh Dog! That’s too funny!
July 1, 2012 at 8:28 AM
Those darn fireworks are scary and those are some great ideas. We have been lucky so far and have not had fireworks around here. Sure hope we don’t have them this year. Take care.
July 1, 2012 at 8:42 AM
I hope you don’t too!
July 1, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Lola hates fireworks! People have been shooting them off in anticipation of July 4th, so she’s been nervous for a few days. I know she’ll be glad when this week is over and so will we.
July 1, 2012 at 8:56 AM
Poor Lola! Take care my friends!
July 1, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Here that’s all year round, but specially late May early June, we had 2 casualties on May when 2 dogs got scared and ran away, crossed the main avenue, so sad. Luckily Doggy does’t get scared.
July 1, 2012 at 9:54 AM
That is VERY sad. I don’t get scared either but sometimes DeDe does.
July 1, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Thanks, DeDe! You always give out great advice. A dog wonders why people have to be reminded every year about this. I guess it’s because they aren’t afraid of the noise. They forget to think like a dog or cat, and don’t realize just how frightened we are of those things we don’t understand.
July 1, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Yes well I hope they remember but many don’t. If they remembered, they thought nothing would happen to their dog.
Several years ago a child was killed when his father lit a firework, the dog bumped table it was on and it went right into the child’s chest. Had the dog been inside, that child would be alive.
July 1, 2012 at 10:08 AM
DeDe, those are the people who will say, after the fact, “I don’t know HOW this could have happened.” A little forethought would prevent a lot of these incidents.
July 1, 2012 at 10:34 AM
yep!
July 1, 2012 at 10:34 AM
That is very good advice. I am wearing a Calming Collar to help me stay relaxed the next few days.
July 1, 2012 at 10:37 AM
good idea Daisy!
July 1, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Out of all our doggies here at the ranch only two are scared of fireworks, and thunder. On those occasions they both like to lay under the bed… which is obviously the safest place in the house. I also give them each a few drops of Rescue Remedy diluted in a little water. That seems to calm them both right down, and as long as i stay close by (occasionally i have to get under the bed too) the panting and trembling slowly disappear and soon enough they are sound asleep.
July 1, 2012 at 10:38 AM
More great advice! We’re fortunate that no one has severe anxiety, but DeDe does sometimes get upset… and bark!
July 1, 2012 at 10:39 AM
Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors.
July 1, 2012 at 10:41 AM
It was fireworks (obviously it wasn’t July 4th ones here!!!) that did for Austin. He was gone for 18 hours. Longest 18 hours of my life!!! Good advice DeDe xx
July 1, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Oh Dog! Poor Austin! Yes, I noticed they like shooting fireworks on your side of the pond even more than we do!
July 1, 2012 at 11:03 AM
No fireworks here so far and we are very happy about that. They are banned here this year. Over a thousand dollar fine and mandatory court appearance for anyone caught using them. We wish they would ban them forever. Hugs and nose kisses sweet DeDe…great post.
July 1, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Tomorrow our city council will vote to decide whether to ban them here this year. I say that’s silly…. people have been shooting them all weekend! And now that they’ve bought them, they’ll shoot them, ban or no.
July 1, 2012 at 4:21 PM
That’s true. They’re banned here, and there have been fireworks going off all over for two days.
July 1, 2012 at 4:35 PM
I guess they want to be able to say they tried…. *sigh*
July 1, 2012 at 11:12 AM
This brought a big smile to my face Rumpy… today is our ‘Territory Day’. It’s a day when we allow every moron who’s had a skinful of beer let of fireworks. Sigh. Rather than go and watch the official disply down at the beach I stayed home to be with the animals. George was okay (not 100% happy but okay). Fergus wasn’t in the least phased as the fireworks exploded from all directions but Flo really needed her pack around. I put the tv on, turned it up and acted as normal as possible but she was still panting and anxious, following me from room to room, leaning against my leg whenever I stood still. It was pretty hard, but I actually tried to ignore that behaviour and really praised her when she was lying down and being calm. By the end of the evening she was sleeping through the bangs, fizzes and crackles.
It wasn’t a pleasant evening.
July 1, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Oh Flo! I am so sorry you were scared, but it sounds like you did some important work through the ordeal. I hope next time it won’t be so scary for you.
July 1, 2012 at 12:37 PM
We have lots of fireworks in Japan, especially in summer! Fortunately, I’m not scared of fireworks and thunders, but I know quite a lot of dogs hate them.
You, too Dear DeDe? I hope Jen turns the volume of music really loud against fireworks! Have a great holiday, Dear DeDe!
July 1, 2012 at 1:34 PM
BOL! Thanks Kevin! I do ok with the television on and Rumpy and Jen close by.
July 1, 2012 at 3:06 PM
Dog TV channel is a wonderful distraction for most dogs.I like to keep my dogs in a bedroom when the fireworks start with Dog TV on.However, Animal Planet and Disney channel have proven to be great distractions from the noise of the fireworks.Also making sure that your dogs and cats are micro chipped in case they do run off.Woof! Have a great holiday!
July 1, 2012 at 5:22 PM
Good info DeDe! We’ll be inside chewing on our toys.
Bella and DiDi
July 1, 2012 at 5:58 PM
I have a lab who is 13 years old. The older she gets, the more thunder and fire crackers scare the bejeebers out of her!
July 1, 2012 at 6:17 PM
How sad! Our Sage used to be afraid also. Have you tried the Thundershirt? They work well for many dogs.
July 1, 2012 at 6:34 PM
Great post! Some of our collies do not like the firewroks! Others dont pay them any attention.. interesting…. thanks for the reminder!
July 1, 2012 at 6:41 PM
Excellent advice
We might have had fireworks here if England had won the football – Euro2012 lol but in the absence of that pleasure it is likely to be November 5th before that becomes a problem here 
That’s when the UK pets start really freaking out!
July 1, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Hi Y’all,
Hope everybody takes heed!
Y’all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
July 1, 2012 at 8:01 PM
Our city doesn’t allow fireworks, but that doesn’t stop the stupid humans from setting them off anyway. We had two big fires here this weekend each caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette. We hope those dumb peeps are heeding the warnings about the risk of fire.
Have a safe Fourth.
Woos – Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning
July 1, 2012 at 9:18 PM
It’s too bad we in NY can’t share the rain we’ve been getting. Then all areas of the US could celebrate the 4th with fireworks.
Happy 4th of July.
DeDe – you have such a sweet face.
July 1, 2012 at 9:38 PM
Great advice Dear DeDe… I hope that the humans will take notice..!
July 1, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Great post! We had a lab that would jump our 6 foot fence when the fireworks went off. She taught us a lot and now we make sure our dogs are inside when the fireworks are going off! Have a great 4th!
July 1, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Great post DeDe and good advise.
July 2, 2012 at 12:13 AM
As long as we get hotdogs and burgers, we don’t care about no stinking fireworks! That’s our recommendation for calming our four-legged friends out there. Lots of love and adoration and a burger or two!!
July 2, 2012 at 3:04 AM
Hello rumpydog. I just wanted to wish you a beautiful day and thanking you very kindly to support my blog and posts. Thank you
July 2, 2012 at 8:33 AM
Great post DeDe! We’ll be sharing it on Wednesday morning on our blog!
July 2, 2012 at 10:24 AM
Great Advice DeDe! Stay inside and soak up the AC instead. Maybe your owners will turn on some classical music for you to keep you calm.
July 3, 2012 at 3:23 AM
Dear DeDe, thank you for your wise advice on this matter.
July 3, 2012 at 4:59 AM
My pleasure!
July 3, 2012 at 9:20 AM
[...] animals are scared of fireworks so make sure your pet is safe on the 4th this year! Our friend Rumpydog posted about ways to keep your pet safe on this very special holiday. Be sure to check out [...]
July 3, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Reblogged this on The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond© and commented:
Good advice for pet owners for keeping your dogs safe on the 4th!
July 4, 2012 at 3:05 PM
Thanks DeDe.