03 Jul8 ways to keep your dog safe on the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is estimated to be the number one day of the year that dogs go missing. Of course, that's not the kind of independence you want to be celebrating! Here are some ways to help make sure your dog stays safe on this holiday.

1. If possible, keep your dog at home, inside. This will both make it less likely that your dog will run away, and will help deaden the sound of any fireworks. If you know that your home is going to be particularly loud because of nearby celebrations, consider parking your dog (and yourself) at a friend's.
2. Keep your dog on leash. If you are going to be outside with your dog, don't let him or her off leash. If you want to give him a bit more liberty than a normal leash will allow, you can fashion something longer by hooking together multiple leashes, or getting an extra long leash (available at most pet stores). If possible, use two leashes: Affix one around your waist with a belt, and hold one in your hand. This way, if your dog does try to bolt, you have two points of connection.
3. Don't tie up your dog to a table or chair. If you're partying outside and your dog is with you, it might seem convenient to tie them up for a moment, but a panicked dog can easily turn over almost anything he is tied to, or can chew through the leash. Elect someone else to hold your dog's leashes (see above) while you refill your beer rather than trusting a plastic chair to do that job.
4. Make sure your dog has your phone number on his collar. If you don't have an engraved tag and can't get one last minute, at least write your number on some duct tape in Sharpie and attach it to his collar.
5. Have a recent photo of your dog on hand. This is an easy one for most people, but worth mentioning just in case. Should your dog get lost, a picture can help you locate him and prove that he is yours.
6. If you are keeping your dog inside, consider putting on a white noise machine or play classical music to help mask the sound of fireworks.
7. If you have to have your dog with you in a situation where you know there will be fireworks, consider putting cotton balls in his ears or using noise cancelling ear muffs. They do make these for dogs; the human ones of course aren't ideal as they aren't made for dogs, and won't fit many shapes of dog's head, but in some cases they can be useful.
8. Keep peanut butter handy! Or any high value treat. Use treats to try to help your dog make a good association with the loud noises he is hearing. Simply feed before, during, and after the blasts. A dog who is extremely frightened might not want to eat at all, of course. If your dog is too scared to eat, that's a good indication that it's time to think about point 1: Bring your dog home.

(Featured image by Tony Fischer, license cc by 2.0)