Nine Tips For Keeping Your Doggie Safe This Independence Day

The sunshine and fresh air of summer make outdoor activities perfect for us and our dogs. With the fourth of July rapidly approaching, it’s a splendid time to take Independence Day safety into consideration for our four-legged family members. Keep your best friend in peak condition, mentally and physically, with these tips:

1. Make sure the information on your dog’s tags is easily readable and has your current phone number and address. Or consider a GPS collar tracker, or better, a microchip. Just make sure all the information is up to date there, too.
2. Keep your pups indoors during your celebrations. Find the quietest room in your house or apartment and turn up the TV or radio to help drown out the sounds of raucous revelling. Check out this playlist to relax Fido by the folks at Relax My Dog.
3. Give your dog lots of TLC and something to take his mind off of the outside festivities. Try a big, meaty bone or KONG dog toy filled with kibble, his favorite snack, or doggie-approved peanut butter.
4. Use natural calming aids. On its blog, Bring Fido suggests herbal treatments like lavender, valerian, and even hemp. You can apply them using essential oils, or buy them in chewable treats. With hemp, add a few drops to your dog’s food at dinnertime, or in a snack before the pyrotechnic fun begins.
5. Consider a ThunderShirt or other comfort clothes for your pooch. Stories abound of their effectiveness, with ThunderShirt boasting a more than 80% proven success rate. 
6. Put signs on doors to the outside, reminding guests not to let the dogs out. Woot! Woot! People who don’t own pets won’t have escape scenarios in mind when they visit.
7. Be careful with chemicals! Like babies, dogs check things out with their mouths. The chemicals in fireworks (spent or not), lighter fluid, matches, and things like glow jewelry will all make him sick. The same applies to insect repellant and even Citronella. Use pet-friendly products on your pooch, and you, too, in case of licking.
8. Watch for signs of heat-related illness and stay prepared to treat it. Check out The Drake Center’s list of heat-related signs to look for, and treatments should they occur. Never-ever-ever (times a million) leave your dog locked in a car. The inside of your vehicle can quickly reach 120 degrees, even in the shade with the windows cracked.