Owners of nervous dogs are bracing themselves for July Fourth, when their pups shiver at the sounds of fireworks. With Independence Day falling on Thursday this year, explosions may happen days beforehand and after in some neighborhoods.
While homeowners shop the doggy downer aisle at the pet stores, owners of boarding kennels and dog shelters have the problem compounded.
“I pray for rain every day,” so people won’t be shooting off fireworks, said Mary Ann Engelmann, who runs the Sheldegren Pet Resort in Safety Harbor. In addition to her grooming business and doggy day care, Engelmann is booked solid with more than 60 dogs in her boarding kennel during a prime vacation week.
She plans to turn up the music in the kennel to distract dogs from the sounds of explosions in the sky. She drops blankets over the dog crates to help them feel hidden. She has also found that the lower-key dogs in her kennel can have a calming effect on the more skittish ones, so she pairs them up.
Just like humans with anxiety, some dogs are prescribed Valium and Xanax. There are also natural supplements and over-the-counter remedies that help calm nerves, such as Adaptil, Zylkene, Rescue Remedy and melatonin, and hemp oil-derived CBD products such as Swamp Yeti.
The Humane Society recommends heavy vests such as ThunderShirts that run $25-$50 and help anxious dogs. It is similar to the calming effect swaddling has on a baby.
Scott Trebatoski, director of the Hillsborough Pet Resource Center, advises pet owners to put skittish dogs in an interior room with blankets and toys. And since their instinct is often to hide when scared, create some options.
“If they want to hide, don’t stop them, and hopefully it will clear within a few hours,” Trebatoski said.
The SPCA Tampa Bay shelter in Largo is urging owners to make sure their pet is wearing proper identification and has an up-to-date microchip, since scared animals often bolt during a fireworks display. And prepare your home as a calming environment.
“One of the best ways to reduce your pet’s anxiety is to minimize the amount of noise and light they’re exposed to. This means closing the blinds, turning on the TV or radio or moving to a room in the house that’s away from the windows,” an SPCA advisory said. “You can also try playing calming music or white noise to help mask the sound of the fireworks.”
