Dogs With Firework Fear

by POPSUGAR Pets 1

Fireworks can be very frightening to a dog. Since it's the season of sparklers, I'm offering some quick tips to help your pets cope with these scary sounds.

1. While it's fun to include dogs in your activities, this is one they should definitely sit out! Please keep your animals inside during the noisemaking. If you've got a pet that goes out, make sure he does his business before the display or can wait until after it's done.
2. Close all doors, windows, curtains, and blinds. Turn on the television or radio to drown out the noise (as best as possible).
3. Try to distract your pet with special guests, brand-new toys, or rare treats right before the display starts, if possible in a room furthest away from the noises like a basement.
4. If your pet takes off into hiding, let him be. Trying to lure out a frightened creature while the scary stuff's still happening is not a good idea . . . and extra stressful!

If you're looking to build up your pup's ability to cope with the loud blasts, consider these free downloads (when you right-click). To use these audio effects with a pet, start playing at a low volume and build up to normal volume over time. If you play repeatedly, furry friends can get desensitized to the noise (at a level from inside the house).

Remember, if it's loud to you, it's definitely too loud for your dog — canines can hear sounds at an ultra-high frequency (like those "silent" dog whistles) and can register sounds three times greater than your ear can — keep your pets safe!