Does Your Dog Hate the 4th of July?

It's that time of year again. Fourth of July is just days away, and with that, all the fun, food and fireworks that come with it. But what if you have a dog that's afraid of fireworks or thunderstorms?(although rare in central Texas, the ocassional thunderstorm does tend to pop up during our hottest months).

While everyone makes plans for their favorite summertime holiday, you sit there dreading the day because you know your dog will suffer. He'll tremble and shake, cower and tail tuck, hide and drool....in general have the equivalent of a complete nervous breakdown. So, what do you do? Sit home and watch your dog while others celebrate. Or just leave him for the day and hope that your house is still standing when you arrive home. Neither sound like a fun way to spend a holiday.

Luckily, there are a few tips that can make the Fourth of July more tolerable for you and your pet. The Whole Dog Journal has written a helpful article in this month's issue to address just this problem. The following are some of their suggestions for making fireworks, thunderstorms and other noise phobias a little less stressful for your dog.

1) Consider staying home. Don't abandon your dog in his hour of need. Just having you physically present may be all your dog needs to feel more calm. Invite some people over to your house and move the party to your place.

2) Make a soundproof place for your dog where he'll feel safe. My dog has recently become scared of thunderstorms. Even though he doesn't hear so well at 13, the lightening and vibration is enough to upset him. So, I put him in a crate in my bathroom, close all the doors and blinds. Cover his crate with a towel, turn on a fan and play relaxing music. (For a great cd recommendation specifically recorded to relieve dog stress, click here.) Once he's in his crate he feels safe. He is insulated from the lightening and distracted by noises other than the thunder. He settles down immediately.

3) Comforting your dog is okay, if done the right way. If your dog wants to be near you or lie next you, by all means let them. You can even practice canine massage or other "touch" methods to calm your dog. Do not show your dog that you are stressed or use words that would reinforce your dog's stressful behavior, such as "good dog" or "it's okay".

4) Practice counter conditioning. Buy a CD with sound recordings of thunderstorms. Or make your own CD of the sounds of fireworks. Play these CDs at the lowest possible volume when you can be home and be close to your dog. (For examples of sound CDs, click here.) Give your dog high value treats or play indoor games with him to make things as fun as possible. Gradually increase the volume. Remain calm and focus on acting normal while playing with your dog and treating him. As time goes by, your dog will begin to get used to the noises and may become less reactionary.

5) Speak to your vet about medication. There are different medications that can be given to your dog to help alleviate his stress. Be careful to use only those meds that work immediately and don't need time to "build up" in your dog's system. Acepromazine is a very popular tranquilizer given to dogs, but it's effects can last for a long time. In addition, it belongs to a class of drugs called "dissociative anesthetics" and instead of relaxing the animal, the drug actually "scrambles perceptions" that in turn can create even more stress for your dog. Drugs such as Xanax, a popular anti-anxiety medication can calm your dog and does not have the negative side effects of tranquilizers such as acepromazine.

Pets with noise phobias can be upsetting. Watching your dog "stress out" can be equally as stressful for you. Obviously, you cannot verbally reason with your dog and make him understand that you aren't going to let anything bad happen to him. However, if you practice the recommendations listed above, you may be able to alleviate his stress level when these events occur thereby alleviating your stress as well allowing the both of you to live happier healthier lives.

*These tips were summarized from an article in the June 2011 issue of the Whole Dog Journal. You can find the article in it's entirety here. If you want more information on noise phobias in pets, consider reading Dr. Foster's & Smith's article in the Pet Education section of their website here.

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