4 Tips For Keeping Your Senior German Shepherd Calm During Fireworks

It's that time of the year, folks, when we here in the United States "let freedom ring" by getting together with family and friends to enjoy BBQs and cookouts where fireworks will most likely send us and our full bellies home with a bang! Surely a good time will be had by all! After all, who doesn't love delicious grilled food, ice-cold drinks, and fun into the night with family and friends that ends in the booming escapades of fireworks that light up the nighttime sky? Ummmmm....your dog. Sure he may be into the food and fun part, but I'd bet anything that he's no fan of the booming escapades of fireworks lighting up the nighttime sky. For him, it's just downright scary. Traumatizing even. Did you know that most dogs who go missing do so on the night of the Fourth of July? It's true! Lost pets increased by 30% between July 4th - the 6th. There are plenty of different ways to be proactive in keeping your dog safe from the noise of fireworks. Some folks swear by thunder shirts. Others ensure their dog's microchip and collar are updated with contact information in case they bolt. Some even exercise their dog considerably before fireworks to tire them out during the "big show." Again, all great suggestions. But we've put together an inforgraph of how we handle fireworks here at the sanctuary on July 4th. Sometimes we use one or two of these tips, and sometimes we use all of them, but one thing is sure, we ALWAYS stay home because it's not worth it to us to leave the dogs scared and freaking out while we go to see fireworks.

The truth is that we wouldn't even have a good time knowing what surely was happening back at the sanctuary. Check out the infograph below, and please feel free to share.