The Fourth of July is a time for fireworks and celebration, but it can also be a difficult time for our four-legged friends. Dogs naturally get scared when they hear loud noises, so the sound of fireworks can be very distressing to them. If you have a dog who gets scared during the Fourth of July, then there are some simple steps that you can follow to help keep your pup calm!
1) Make sure your pet has a safe place in their home where they feel comfortable and secure. This may mean bringing inside an outdoor kennel or crate if necessary.
2) Play some calming music on low volume while you're cooking dinner or doing other activities that make noise outside. The goal here is to drown out the sound of fireworks or other loud noises that might be happening outside. My favorite playlists for this are "Study Music: Cloudy Day" and "Calming Classical Music." They're both on Spotify!
3) If your dog seems scared, it may help if you let them know where they can go in their home - like a basement or bedroom with closed doors. Make sure all entrances to these rooms are blocked by baby gates so pets cannot escape when startled by unexpected sounds. If possible, consider putting sheets over windows so sudden flashes of light from explosions don't startle dogs inside.
4) Give them a nice treat they can chew for a while in order to calm their anxiety during the fireworks. A good treat can be a bully stick , a gullet stick or an ear to chew.
5) Remind yourself that they cannot predict where the next explosion will happen and there is nothing wrong with them if they startle when one does happen. We just need to calmly reassure them it was only an 'unexpected noise' and not warn them beforehand.
6) Keep your dog indoors as much as possible while an event takes place outside like firework shows; there seems to be no reason why animals should be exposed unnecessarily to such noise pollution if we can avoid it.
So, if you have a dog who gets scared during the Fourth of July and want to help them stay calm this holiday season, take some time to read through these tips. You may find that your pup will be able to enjoy all the festivities without feeling stressed out! We hope our blog was helpful in providing pet owners with information about how they can keep their dogs safe from fireworks stress during Independence Day celebrations.
This post was last updated at May 21, 2025 10:15
