4th of July Celebrations & Pet Safety Tips
With the 4th of July coming up, and as part of a sponsored post through Collective Bias, I’ve decided to help post a few Pet Safety Tips during the festivities. Did you know that the 4th of July is the number one time of year when pets run away?
If you ask most pet owners, you will likely hear that our pets are our family. Hubby and I started our family six years ago with our beloved pug, Pepper. When she passed just after the boy was born, it took us a long time to find just the right pet for our family. Once the boy started getting a little older and we saw that he loved dogs, we knew it was time to add on to our family again.
When you put as much thought into adopting a pet as you do in having a child, you tend to want to keep them safe. Here are my tips during this time of year when the parties are happening, the alcohol is flowing, and the fireworks are popping!
Top 5 Pet Safety Tips during 4th of July
1. Leave your pets at home!
Parties and activities that are chaotic and loud are just no place for your dogs unless you live in this type of environment. My dogs are used to a loud television, but nothing wild and crazy. They are primarily inside dogs and they just don’t know what to do when they are accidentally set free in the front yard. They tend to run in circles away from each other and have no regard for the traffic around them. They wouldn’t know what to do if there was a car or loud noises, such as fireworks. They would become disoriented and possibly run away to get away from the noises.
Leave the dogs at home this time and they will be okay. If you come home to a mess after being out, try not to be too upset. They have just been through a traumatic experience, in some cases.
2. Consider staying home with your pets.
It may be the ultimate sacrifice for a member of your family, but consider staying home to keep your pets company. Many times pets become overwhelmed and scared. They need that extra comfort that they will be okay and that you are okay as well.
One of my dad’s dogs is terrified of thunder and lightning and they would never consider leaving the house on a night when fireworks are possible. Losing your pet because they became scared and ran away is just not worth it!
3. Don’t change your pet’s diet during this time!
If the festivities are going to be at your place or if you are planning to take your pet along, don’t decide that now is the time to add something new to your pet’s diet. Dog’s tummies are very sensitive and even the slightest changes can affect them. Watch for other party-goers who may want to “treat” your pet with table food or extra treats throughout the party activities. Take along some of your own dog treats in case someone wants to treat your dog.
We recently discovered Nudges dog treats for our dogs and they are in love. I ran to Kroger this week and picked up a package for our two dogs, Molly and Abby, and another package for my dad’s dogs, Missy, Sparky, Roxy, and Buddy. These treats are a great option during the summer for the dogs because they are light, but healthy. The jerky strips are Made in USA, from real high-quality chicken. They are safe for dogs of all sizes, from my sister’s toy chihuahua, Bitty, to our German Shepherd/Boxer mix, Molly, because I can give a full strip to a bigger dog or easily tear off pieces for the small ones and the older dog, Buddy. These tasty smelling strips have no fillers and no artificial flavors, and when I say tasty…no, I haven’t tasted them, but they are safe enough if you dare!
Before you go, go to nudgesdogtreats.com for coupon!
4. Keep your pets inside!
If at all possible, keep your pets in the house with you or with a television or noise maker that is comforting to them. The loud pops and cracks, seeming to be explosions to them, may just be more than they can handle. Let your dog know that you are okay by coming home as early as you can from a party.
Our dog, Molly, sleeps on the floor by my bed unless our boy is in his bedroom, then she sleeps in the hallway between the two rooms. When we are out late at night, she paces the floor waiting for us to come home.
5. Be sure your dog wears a collar and updated tags.
If your dogs must be outside during the holiday, update their microchip and tags and be sure they have on collars at all times. If your pup gets away, you want to be sure someone knows how to get them home!
Great tips! I think sometimes we forget about our pets on the 4th. It’s important to take care of them also.
Thanks for stopping by, Tammy!
Great post and great tips! I have cats that are always inside, but they just get so jittery this time of year with all of the fireworks.
Robyn Wright of Robyn’s Online World recently posted..#GSCrunch Twitter Party! Nestle Crunch Girl Scouts Candy Bars July 16
Robyn, I hope they did okay on the 4th. My dogs did great and we gave them lots of treats when we came home!
Thanks for these great tips!! My son and his wife have a sweet dog who becomes totally overwhelmed by the noise of fireworks, and they have to stay home with him on the 4th. These doggie treats sound perfect for our own dog, I can’t wait for him to try them!!
They smell so good and our dogs love them!