Train Positive Dog!

The 4th of July is nearly upon us – fireworks are coming!  Here is what you can do to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in your dog:

Be able to recognize signs of fear, anxiety, or stress in your animals: even before you see an obvious fearful reaction to fireworks, your dog may display increased panting, pupil dilation, fidgeting or attention seeking behavior.

https://fearfreehappyhomes.com/ has information and training for you, the pet owner.

Exercise your dog early in the day (before the fireworks start) and make sure your pet has been able to empty their bladder early in the evening before the noise begins.

Provide a safe, quiet place indoors where your pet can get away from the noise.  Make sure your pet has your contact information on his collar.

Turn on the radio at low volume or a white noise player if you have one. Or, consider playing Through a Dog’s Ear (https://icalmpet.com), which you can download or stream.

Consider using a body wrap such as Thundershirt® (www.thunderworks.com), or Anxiety Wrap®            (https://anxietywrap.com/).

Use a pheromone calming spray such as Adaptil® (https://www.adaptil.com/us/) for dogs, and   Feliway® (https://www.feliway.com/us) for cats.

If you know your pet reacts badly to fireworks, ask your veterinarian in advance for a short term medication that will help to reduce FAS in your pet.