Most humans love Fireworks as the bright colors cascade across the sky; however, if you own a dog, then you probably know the adverse effect that fireworks and other loud noises such as thunderstorms can have on your furry friend.

Fireworks and dogs do not mix well, in fact, many dogs have a phobia for loud noises like fireworks, thunderstorms and if you live in the country like we do, gun fire may be a culprit of your dog’s anxiety.

I know this may sound a bit strange as dogs have always been bred for the hunt, right? Hunting dogs may do ok with fireworks if they have been trained from young puppies that these loud sounds are not threatening, and some dogs just don’t seem to be bothered by the loud sounds at all; however, even some hunting dogs may not like the light display that fireworks produce.

Here at The Wood Hound we have an array of different personalities in our dogs and some the fireworks do not seem to ever bother and then we have Tracker and Sassy that run for the hills anytime there are any type of loud booms in the area.

Tracker And Sassy’s Story

Here is a story about Tracker and Sassy and how we became aware they were so frightened of loud sounds….

When Tracker and Sassy were younger we had a wood shop downtown close to a ball stadium and at the end of games many times they would shoot off fireworks. We always enjoyed standing in our parking lot and enjoying the firework display.

We always took our hounds with us anytime we were working at the shop, and one evening we had another hound with us and thought nothing of it.

As the firework display commenced that night with the first big boom the extra dog we had panicked and ran inside the shop, along with Tracker and Sassy that had never been bothered before.

We found all three of them crunched down shivering in fright and so the battle of loud noises began with our fur babies.

One of the reasons I felt inclined to tell you this story is to help you become aware that a dog that seems fine with fireworks may someday just bolt and if you are not prepared may end up lost, in the pound or worse.

It is predictable that during the fourth of July holiday the kennels have a high rate of dogs coming in. These are normally the dogs that were frightened, and the owners were not able to find.

These unpredictable sounds can give a seemingly bold dog an anxiety attack that they have ever experienced.

To you, the pretty lights scattering all over above you on the 4^th of July or other festive holidays is fun and exciting to watch but to your dog, it may be a nightmare and is completely driving him nuts.

Please always be aware of how your dog may react as many times fireworks and dogs is not a good combination and even though we like to spend the holidays with our furry friends this is one that many dogs should not be included.

Why Are Dogs Scared Of Fireworks?

I mean compared to humans, they can hear better and this acute hearing will make those loud firework sounds shocking to the point of devastation to them, they get an increase in heart rate, not to mention the increase in the amount of circulating stress hormones.

Fireworks do pose a threat to dogs, by now you know that, right? The light and sudden booms all feel like an attempt on their life, it triggers the same response as humans to fight or flight as there is an adrenaline surge.

Some dogs may bark at the noise while running in erratic directions to avoid the sounds and some will bolt trying to get away as fast as they can.

While some dogs are accustomed to thunderstorms or even gun fire, they may not see fireworks as the same. In reality fireworks, thunderstorms and gun fire are all different and may have different effects on our furry friends.

Thunderstorms are more frequent and just part of nature. Many dogs are accustomed to the storms, as the dog can sense the warning signs, like changes in the weather and high winds which dogs can recognize and prepare for the coming loud sounds.

Depending on your dog and how it has been trained, the gun fire sound may not affect your dog like it does for Tracker and Sassy, especially those trained to hunt.

We have never hunted our dogs, so they were never exposed to the gun fire sounds till we moved to the country, and now I feel that they interpret the sounds with the anxiety they have for fireworks.

Just keep in mind that even though dogs are great on the hunt, they may still have issues with a firework display.

The sound and light display of fireworks are less frequent, less natural and do not usually have warning signs, their sudden appearance and unpredictability makes them really scary to dogs.

So, when it comes down to fireworks and dogs, as the holidays are approaching, it would be smart to ensure your dog is chipped and tagged in case he runs off, or better yet protected in a safe place, where they are not able to bolt and get away and if you know your furry friend is afraid, kept in a safe place and do you best to keep them comforted.

How Do You Know Your Dog Is Afraid?

Most times, dogs hide when they are afraid, they may show other signs like barking, excessive panting, hiding, whining, or even pacing.

How do you know your dog is afraid? If your dog feels threatened by fireworks, you may see them hiding in weird places, shaking with their tails between their legs, literally.

At that point, they may refuse to eat and will not come out of what they think is a safe place if they find one, especially if you, the owner, wasn’t around when they were going through the whole anxiety and turbulence that fireworks or other loud noises may cause.

In fact, one time we were taken by surprise with fireworks and had to literally dig Tracker out from underneath one of our storage sheds to get to him and get him in the house in a safer and more protected environment for him.

The instinct to be afraid is natural as the fight or flight response in triggered and causes them to overreact, so the stronger and bolder dogs try to scare away the threat by barking while the less courageous ones find themselves hiding, running, pacing and being restless.

How To Calm A Dog During Fireworks

When The Fireworks Start:

•  Keep him distracted with the radio or television, if he is indoors, try and close all doors and windows to reduce the loudness and light from the fireworks.

• Don’t try and pet him when he is afraid, it may seem to him, like his fright is a good behavior.

• Do not take your dog out of his safe zone, if he hides somewhere, let him be, don’t force him closer to the noise as this may cause some display of aggression.

Get Him A Safe Place

You can create an area in your home specially for your dog and for moments like this where he can run to and feel safe during the bustle.

If he is trained to stay in a crate, that may be his safe zone, if not, it should be an area, not directly exposed to the light and noise; you can keep music playing and a piece of bone to keep him entertained.

Thunder Shirts

The thing is, you wouldn’t always be there to give your dog the support he might need during moments when he is frightened by thunder or fireworks, on times like this a thunder shirt or jacket can help keep your dog calm, it will go a long way to lessen your dog’s anxiety when the noise begins.

Usually, these jackets are made from elastic, soft materials that allow comfortable breathing and can be fastened easily. What it does is to apply constant pressure in areas where it will give reassurance to your dog, more like a blanket to a child that just had a bad dream. The jackets are in an attempt to make your dog remain calm.

Other Natural Solutions

• Phosphorus 30C:  If you consult holistic vets, this is usually their first recommended remedy as it is known to have an almost immediate calming effect.

To administer, you can put the palettes directly under their tongue or in the side of their lip. For those that seem to spit them out you may dissolve the palettes in filtered water for five minutes. Shake and give half a tablespoon to your dog orally.

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Medication Prescribed By Vet

• Benadryl: It is not a wrong choice to administer this drug to dogs to reduce fear, but it is important that you talk to your vet about it beforehand. Dogs that have mild anxiety can be calmed by this drug; it may not be a solution to severe anxiety. Side effects are majorly dizziness.

• SILEO: is usually prescribed by vets as it helps frightened dogs keep calm especially when they are frightened by loud noises. It is clinically safe and fast-acting; it doesn’t work as a sedative and can be administered at each noise event; however, by there is a long list of illnesses in dogs that are not able to take the drug and it is advised that humans do not get it on their skin. Here is the prescribing information here

My Thoughts On Fireworks and Dogs

As we found out from this article Fireworks and our furry friends are not a good mix, however, there are measures we can take as responsible dog parents to help your dog get through your dog’s frightening event.

So, to do a quick recap some of the tips and tricks discussed in this article is create a comfortable safe place for your dog, play relaxing music to help drowned out the sounds, turn on a fan for more noise and render a supplement like CBD like we do at The Wood Hound if they need it to help them cope. If you are in doubt about which supplement to give your pet, please as always, check with your vet.

Hopefully now we are ready for another year of fireworks and I hope that you have a wonderful fourth of July holiday for you, your family and those fur babies.

As I bring this article to a close, please remember to keep these tips in mind when dealing with thunderstorm and gun fire as well, especially if you dog has a reaction to these issues.

What have you tried? I would love to know, drop a comment or question down below.

Thanks for helping keep our dog healthy, happy and well-adjusted.