Fireworks and Pets: How to Keep the Stress from Overflowing this 4th of July
The Fourth of July can be a wonderful celebration for people; it was definitely one of my favorites as a kid! For many pets, however, it can feel more like the apocalypse has begun. Nothing takes the fun out of a holiday like knowing your beloved pet is going to be miserable.
This year may be especially challenging for your pet. Much of the country has seen unusual increases in severe weather, causing typical storm seasons to last longer with repeated, severe thunderstorms. Additionally, there is the possibility of bigger, longer celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary this year. This means that many pets may already be carrying extra stress before they even hear the first serious pops, cracks, and booms of the season.
I have good news, though! The best time to help a frightened pet isn’t when the fireworks really get going, it’s before. Meaning that it isn’t too late or too early to learn and take action to insulate your pet.
We’re going to revisit this common noise phobia for dogs, cats, and horses for the facts and actionable tips you need to create a Fourth of July game plan worth celebrating.
In this post…
Prevention, not Recovery
Prevention, not recovery: this is the key to a far better experience for your pet this year! Preventing fear and stress from really kicking in or turning into outright panic needs to be your foundational goal. Everything else is built upon that concentrated foundation.
Is this an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” thing? Well, yes – it’s always better to do our best as guardians to be aware and ready to prevent frightening, unnecessarily stressful, and overall bad things from happening, but this goes beyond that well-worn phrase and obvious truth. It goes directly to something critical that I can’t repeat often enough on the blog – and outside of it, I can’t shut up about it because it’s that important to fostering better understanding: fear creates genuine, significant changes in the way the brain works.
Once a pet has become truly panicked, bringing them back to a calm emotional state is difficult, taking more time to undo. Again, fear changes the way the brain works. A frightened animal is not being dramatic, stubborn, manipulative, or “spoiled.” It’s not personal, and certainly not that controlled. It’s a survival response they’re experiencing, and that’s entirely out of their control. Literally! This response needs to be automatic; it is an ancient survival setting that we all share, something that has helped all animal species to stick around on our planet, including humans.
Unfortunately, the world of humans and pets is drastically different than the one any of us evolved to succeed in. In short, the modern, domesticated world doesn’t allow us to easily move on from either lower-severity stress or outright triggered survival responses. This leads to “stress stacking,” where stressful incidents stack up on each other, making it easier for comparatively minor upsets and stressors to be perceived as extreme and for your pet to go into full survival mode. Imagine what happens when there has been stress stacking to the limit, then a terrifying incident like fireworks occurs!
We’ll talk more about stress stacking here, but for now…
You can think of it this way: your pet has a “stress cup.” Everything that is overstimulating (that can mean good things as well, like the extreme excitement of going on a car ride), stressful, or frightening fills that cup a little bit more. Every pet experiences things differently; some experiences will add a little more or a little less to the cup, depending on your pet. Stressful or frightening events always add more. When that cup is full, your pet is at the very limit of what they can tolerate.
The goal here: keeping the stress cup from overflowing. This is a core part of preventing panic from happening.
Having a fireworks plan now and acting on it is going to help you keep the stress from overflowing!
Start Calming Supports Before the Stress
Calming aids can be an excellent way to help keep your pet from going into a full panic, but it’s important to know that they work best when they’re already active in your pet’s system before scary sounds start.
One of the best things about calming supports is that they come in a wide variety of options, letting you choose the most appropriate combination for your pet’s needs. Of course, always ensure that any calming aids are discussed with your veterinarian to be certain they’re safe and the best option for your pet!
To give you an idea of the options, the most common calming supports include:
- Prescription anti-anxiety medications from your veterinarian
- Over-the-counter calming supplements recommended by your veterinarian
- Pheromone products, such as diffusers, sprays, or collars
- Anxiety wraps or calming garments
- Compression shirts or body wraps for dogs who find them comforting
But none of these work as intended to help your pet if you wait until the fireworks start!
Pheromone diffusers often need hours or days to reach full effect. Supplements may need several doses or days of use. Even calming clothing should be introduced ahead of time so your pet becomes comfortable with it and doesn’t build an accidental negative association between the clothing and something frightening happening.
Trying out your calming support options ahead of time also allows you to test their effectiveness before you need to rely on them. A diffuser might need to be placed somewhere different, a calming collar could trigger skin sensitivities, or you might need to adjust the amount of OTC calming treats or prescription medications.
If your pet has shown significant fear of fireworks in previous years, now is the time to speak with your veterinarian. Modern behavioral medications can dramatically improve welfare and may prevent a mild fear from becoming a severe phobia. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your pet needing medication to help them handle this more calmly and safely!
Natural doesn’t = absolute safety. What you should know here!
I’m extremely fortunate, none of the resident Coydog pets have any difficulty with the two most common noise-related issues in pets, fireworks and storms. In fact, If this wasn’t abnormal enough, Coydog cat mascot, Sixlette and blog mascot, Tater, both actively like those things. Sixlette the cat greatly enjoys sitting on the outdoor furniture on the covered porch while it storms, not minding getting a little moist at all. Tater, meanwhile, longingly stares out windows and rings the emergency potty bells in an attempt to get me to let him outside in severe storms, and it’s a requirement that we go outside during fireworks so that he can excitedly watch them explode in the sky. But, I know how very rare this is!
Most of the pets I’ve had were some degree of bothered by these common noise triggers, a few severely so, and the majority of dogs I’ve known in petsitting were seriously affected. So, I’m very familiar with the variety of calming supports available – I’ve either tried them personally, or have experience with using them with other people’s pets.
Like most modern pet parents, I’m interested in opting for natural treatments, perhaps especially for things like promoting and maintaining calm.
Unfortunately, that very appeal has led to some problems you should be aware of when seeking the right calming help for your dog.
Firstly: “Natural” does not mean something is automatically safe, safer, or not going to trigger allergies.
If your pet has sensitivities or allergies, they’re just as likely to experience them with something labeled as natural. Not having added dyes, for instance, isn’t going to stop an allergy to chicken, or strip the natural sugars from some plants. Natural ingredients can still interfer with medications, or be a bad choice for some medical conditions. And, though unlikely, some natural ingredients could have significant side effects for individual pets – particularly when dealing with suppliments, Including calming ones. Be on the safe side, check in with your vet first.
Secondly: Not all brands are the same, many deals are too good to be true.
With the increase in pet guardians wanting natural ingredients and an increasing array of support for anxiety, fear, and overstimulation in pets, unscrupulous elements have really come out of the woodwork in recent years. Economic challenges have worsened this. Pet parents want to helo their pets no matter their income bracket, but trustworthy, effective brands are expensive. This has led to a scourge of cheaper lookalikes manufactured and sold from countries with established histories of harming pets with their unregulated ingredients, shipping, and manufacturing processes. These lookalikes can be extremely convincing in the packaging, getting as close to the design and name of a notable and safe product, and claiming to have identical ingredients. It’s not worth the risk of exposing your pet to toxic ingredients! Always research a brand and specific products before purchasing, as well as checking in with your vet.
Lastly: Scents and wearable calming aids can be irritating and dangerous.
The calming supports that your pet doesn’t eat need strong consideration, too! Collars with calming scent and pressure-based calming clothing/wraps can be amazingly helpful, but you should remember that both are actively In contact with your pet. When not introduced properly, pressure-based clothing can be frightening and uncomfortable, not the experience you’re going for! Calming collars, like any collar, carry the risk of getting stuck on objects, or even on the mouths of other pets – in some cases, stuck around the jaw of the pet wearing the collar. The collar itself can irritate the skin, and some collars include calming scents other than synthetic canine calming pheromone. While aromatherapy for pets is totally real and potentially helpful, this is best left to the guidance of a trained, experienced professional. Natural and synthetic scents, and the carrier oils In the case of aromatherapy oils, always carry a risk of triggering allergies. Additionally, with much more capable olfactory systems, scents are easily overpowering and irritating to dogs. And, though this impacts cats most notably and certainly at this point, there is some evidence of essential oil toxicity in dogs, too.
Know your pet and introduce collars and calming gear properly before it is needed. Only purchase from companies proven as reputable and safe. Avoid using any strong scents near or on your pet, no matter their source or make up. Never leave your pet unattended in a collar to prevent the risk of serious harm. Even otherwise safe, excellent products might irritate your pet’s skin. Consult your vet
Remember, these products are all supportive things. They all work best with management techniques, proactive guardians, and a dedicated plan to help your pet handle stress and gain better resiliance. Do not expect good results if you nuse one or more of these calming aids while doing nothing else! They’re not a solution, they’re support.
Want to know what calmign supports I use?
Avoid Stress Stacking
We talked about it a little earlier in the post, but what is stress stacking?
Stress stacking is the buildup of small stresses without enough recovery time in between. Individually, these things might not be a big deal, but with no time for them to be experienced and recovered from before the next little stressor is added on top, they add up to overwhelm the nervous system.
I used the analogy of a cup to help you visualize it all better because adding liquid to a cup is, well, fluid! Every experience adds some liquid to the cup, but the amounts will vary with your individual pet and how they experience their world.
No matter what, there is only so much room in the cup; if not managed correctly, it’s going to overflow – nervous system overwhelm. And, if your pet has chronic stress that keeps building up, they might be starting every day with some of their cup already filled. Managing stress and good nervous system regulation is a really important part of guardianship that isn’t spoken of enough. (Let your newfound awareness and practice leading up to Independence Day start a great new trend for you and your pet!)
Stress generally adds more liquid to the cup. Some common stress examples: loud visitors, a scuffle at the dog park, emergency vehicle sirens close by, a storm, running the vacuum, their guardian is hurt in an at-home accident, a vet visit, changes to the daily schedule, a car ride, or a move. Stress can come from little daily activities we think little of, it can originate in major life changes, and everything in between. What doesn’t change is the room there is in the cup. The cup doesn’t expand to accommodate more.
Eventually, the cup overflows.
In the days and hours leading up to fireworks, try to minimize unnecessary stressors while adding positive, calming experiences.
But wait, didn’t I say that even good, fun experiences can add to the cup? I did!
The key here is calming experiences. Not experiences and activities that are intense and very stimulating. The right kind of experiences help pets release and recover from normal, daily stress, and are a part of building up your pet’s resiliency.
It’s hard to know what the right kind of activities are! After all, many of the things our pets seem to enjoy most are the things that are in the too-simulating range. Here are some ideas for the right activities to aim for leading up to the fireworks:
- Maintaining normal feeding and walking schedules whenever possible
- Quiet sniff walks in familiar areas
- Gentle play sessions, nothing too wild
- Food puzzles and enrichment toys
- Lick mats, stuffed food toys, or long-lasting chews for dogs
- Fresh catnip, silvervine, puzzle feeders, and interactive play for cats
- Grazing enrichment, hanging treat balls, or favorite forage items for horses
Please, avoid the temptation to “wear your pet out.”
A tired pet is not automatically a calm pet. Not any species of pet! There continues to be a myth with this one and dogs. The saying that “a tired dog is a good dog” is not only untrue, but it’s also actively harmful. Trying to make your pet so physically exhausted that they can’t react to what they’re experiencing, including fear, is the opposite of treating a problem. It does real damage!
Intense exercise, overstimulating outings, crowded dog parks, or long days at daycare may actually add stress and leave some pets more vulnerable to becoming overwhelmed later. This is the kind of activity that your pet might really enjoy, but that adds too much to the cup.
Instead, aim for things that leave your pet content, fulfilled, and emotionally settled.
The magic power of licking and chewing – a dog pro tip for calm enrichment!
If you’re a dog parent or pet care professional who frequently works with dogs, it hasn’t escaped your attention that dogs are mouthy. That is, they’re really into licking and chewing! So much so that unwanted licking and chewing features prominently in dog guardian issues; dogs chewing undesirable objects in the home, excessive self-grooming, licking objects obsessively, and excessive licking of people.
Dogs are so into licking and chewing because they’re hardwired to do it. It’s such a big part of being a dog that it’s a natural soothing behavior that releases stress and promotes calm. Much of the time, when dogs are chewing and licking things we’d rather they didn’t, it’s related to a need to release stress and frustration, while entertaining themselves with the ultimate species favorite activity.
And you can – and should – use this as a powerful tool!
Giving your dog enrichment activities that engage licking and chewing, like encouraging and using sniffing, goes miles toward a calmer, more fulfilled dog. Try this out in your plan leading up to and during fireworks! Give puzzle toys that engage mouthing, Kong or topple treat toys filled and frozen, and safe chews that are appropriate for your dog’s size, health, age, and chew intensity.
Working with your dog and in the scope of being a dog is always best whenever possible!
Always supervise your dog with toys and chews to ensure safety, as well as putting reasonable limits on chew time with super long-lasting chews.
Create a Safe Place Before Fireworks Start
When frightening things happen, pets naturally seek safe places. If your pet is afraid of fireworks, you’ve experienced them doing this already: hiding under furniture, finding a spot up high to hide, going from place to place trying to locate the ultimate safe space, or clinging to you. While your pet should be allowed to choose the place that feels safest to them, if possible, some pets can benefit from a designated safe space. Especially if the places they choose aren’t a safe option.
Choosing a quiet, familiar location inside your home and preparing ahead of time lets you familiarize your pet with it and creates better conditions for you to manage the environment.
The location for your pet’s safe space can be anywhere the pet will feel secure, but not trapped. If possible, set it up somewhere they already show a preference for when overwhelmed, stressed, frightened, or any other time when they simply want to be alone for a bit. (We all need quiet alone time, including our pets!) Closets, bathrooms, and spaces under furniture are very common locations pets repeatedly choose. If these are not safe or otherwise an option, a room in your house that can function as the pet’s personal space during this time is good. This room needs to be strictly off-limits if you’re having guests over or have children or other pets who might not understand that they’re unintentionally invading the safe space.
Whatever location is chosen, you can make it comfortable and appealing by including: favorite beds and blankets, familiar/comforting scents (a shirt you’ve recently worn, for example), favorite chews and/or toys, calming pheromone spray or diffuser, and of course, water.
Then, set the calming mood with lights and sound. Lights should be low and soft. Reduce the severity of firework sounds with a large fan (not blowing on the pet) to disrupt how noise flows, and if your pet enjoys it and is familiar with it, television, calming music, or a sound machine. Reduce light flashes and outside stimulation by using a room without a window, or by closing the blinds and/or curtains in your chosen room.
While some pets gravitate heavily to their favorite people and do not want to be alone, others absolutely do not want company, and some want you close by, but not interacting with them. Give your pet the support they need, even if it’s hard for you to refrain from sitting right next to them and effectively forcing attempts at comfort on them!
If your pet is most comfortable hiding under the sofa while you sit on it, let them.
Comfortable alone in the bathroom down the hall that you set up? Let them.
Giving your pet agency whenever safely possible is always good, but during times like this, it’s especially important. Lack of choices or respect for choices that bring a sense of safety is stressful and can feel like being trapped.
If you plan to confine your pet to a particular room, start now.
Every holiday that’s stressful for pets, I see people making a common mistake that makes things worse for the pet: putting them in a crate, pen, or closed-off room abruptly.
Not all pets are suitable for being out with guests, even when things aren’t scary, and that’s alright! What isn’t alright is expecting them to be perfectly fine and quietly happy about this decision when no experience has prepared them for it.
Do not wait until July 4th to do this! You are separating a frightened pet from their support system (you) and the supportive element of familiarity in their environment and daily schedule. That only makes your pet more afraid, and is likely to cause both outright panic and also to fuel the severity of an already negative experience.
This is how we make things worse, not better!
If you’re going to need to separate or confine your pet, begin gradually teaching them that this room predicts good things. Treats, meals, enrichment, naps, and relaxation happen here. They’re not trapped, not locked away during something scary; they’re somewhere they want to be.
The same applies to crates.
I cannot stress this enough: crates are not magic dog boxes. Nothing about crating is deeply entrenched in canine instinct.
Dogs are not “natural den animals” who automatically feel safe in crates. Wolves are not den animals either, but regardless, wild canids freely choose when to enter and leave resting areas. A closed crate door is different. Really different. The dog might not have chosen to go rest in their crate in the first place, and if they did, they didn’t make any choice to be trapped in there. Being stuck in a small space is not natural, normal, or instinctive for anything. Properly habituating your dog to the crate as a positive, safe space that’s entirely theirs is vital!
You should also consider the impact that fear can have.
Dogs who normally love their crate may feel very different when fireworks begin. Suddenly, the crate is an obstacle to following what their survival reaction is telling them to do. They’re not in their safe space that they love and feel comfy in; they’re now trapped, it’s even scarier, and they feel they must escape at all costs.
Never assume a crate will reduce fear. For some dogs, confinement can increase panic and may lead to serious self-injury as they attempt to escape.
Be on the safe side, know your dog and act accordingly instead, and do not leave your dog unsupervised in their crate during the fireworks if you are not certain how they will respond.
There is nothing inherently wrong with crates. They can be a good option for a variety of dogs and situations when used correctly. Unfortunately, quite a bit is wrong with the way we’ve come to view and use crates. This has led countless well-meaning, loving guardians who genuinely want the best for their dogs to put them into more terrifying and dangerous situations instead. I’m not demonizing crates, but it’s important that guardians have real facts and realistic expectations so they and their pet can succeed!
During Fireworks: Stay Calm, Stay Present
Absolutely do not ignore your pet. This is not helping your pet, and it isn’t one of those hard things a guardian must do for a pet’s own good. Ignoring your pet does not teach them to cope with fear better or to stop a fear-based behavior that is destructive or unwanted.
You cannot reinforce fear by comforting a frightened animal. You are not rewarding an unwanted fear-based behavior by providing comfort.
This is really outdated and really bad advice that should absolutely stop with you. If you’ve been told not to comfort your frightened pet, toss that right in the trash where it belongs!
Instead, if your dog, cat, or horse seeks reassurance, provide it. It’s more than just alright; it’s helpful, compassionate, and the hallmark of a good relationship.
Your pet is seeking reassurance and safety from you because you’re trusted and safe. That’s a big compliment! Remember how fear literally changes the way the brain, thus behavior, works? Your pet is experiencing functional changes due to their fear, but they are still choosing to seek comfort and safety from and with you. It’s kind of a big deal, really!
Sit nearby, speak softly, and offer gentle petting if they enjoy it. Be calm and predictable in your actions and tone. In other words, be the source of reassuring comfort and security your pet believes you to be.
Don’t feel like it’s a slight if your pet doesn’t come to you, stay with you, or want to be petted and held, though! This is just their natural reaction to what they’re experiencing, not a personal reflection of how they feel about you, or even a sign of a poor guardian and pet relationship. It’s just who your pet is and how they are inclined to handle their fear.
You know what else is vital for any good relationship? Respect.
We often expect an extreme and totally nonsensical amount of respect on our end of the relationship, while never considering the importance of giving it to our pets. Part of that is due to the existence of dominance-based, tough love, “be the boss” ideology that has permeated deeply into collective pet culture (like spray marking from an unneutered tom cat, some repugnant things really get in there deep and are hard to get out) and keeps sticking around. That’s a dictatorship, not a relationship.
This is a great moment to intentionally choose a relationship instead! Show your pet respect by respecting their choices here – so long as those choices are safe, of course.
If your pet prefers contact, give it, but if your pet prefers distance, respect that choice as well. Even if that’s not easy.
It’s harder to not follow the human drive to be physically close and affectionate as part of giving reassurance and comfort. Believe me, I understand the struggle! In addition to dozens of client pets I’ve known over the years, my late Pomeranian, Vitaly, did want contact when frightened. Vitaly spent his first year and a half of life in traumatic scenarios: a puppy mill, an abusive guardian, an animal shelter, and multiple foster homes before I adopted him. Maybe he would have been this way anyway, but environments high on fear and desolate in comfort surely must have taught him, in these formative months, the opposite of comfort-seeking contact. He was also terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks, something we worked on for years to improve. Vitaly went from hiding as far beneath furniture as possible, quaking in fear for hours, to remaining out in the open and a bit wary…but he never, in our 16 years together, wanted contact during these noise events.
It’s incredibly hard to accept and act on the awareness that letting your beloved pet hide and not be touched is the best way to love and support them! It’s also incredibly important, and the right thing to do while your pet feels this way. You’re bound to make some mistakes, but don’t force contact, interaction, or closeness – this can teach your pet to avoid you, encourage them to up the communication and lash out at you to make space, or otherwise damage your relationship.
Respect their choices! Including hiding. Your pet might choose their own safe space that seems uncomfortable or strange to you (shoutout to all the pets who choose the space between the toilet and wall), and the sight of a cowering pet beneath the sofa can be heartbreaking, but they chose it. It doesn’t have to make sense to you or seem comfortable; the important thing is respecting their choice.
Never force a frightened animal out of their chosen safe space. Not only is this a serious violation of trust that adds to the overall fear they’re experiencing, but it’s also dangerous for both of you. In this state, your pet could lash out at you for invading their safety and forcing them into what they perceive as greater danger, or hurt themselves trying to stay put or get away from you.
When a pet chooses a safe space that is genuinely dangerous for them to remain in, you literally cannot let them stay there until the noise is over; you may have no choice except to relocate them. In these rare cases, opt for methods that avoid force and direct physical contact. Try to lure the pet out with the highest of high-value treats. Offer an alternative they’re familiar with and comfortable with, like a travel carrier. If absolutely necessary and the pet is a dog, make their leash into a loop that you can slip over their head without reaching for the dog or touching them, then calmly and gently lead them out of the space. Many dogs have such positive associations with their leash that its presence alone can be helpful, luring them out. Others, like many horses, are so habituated to what one does when wearing a lead that they’ll automatically comply and start walking with you once “caught.”
In the future, it should be part of your plan to prevent the pet from picking such places.
If your pet is willing to eat, offer high-value treats, stuffed food toys, or scatter feeding. Pairing really good things with the scary sounds can help reduce fear over time – an excellent addition to a plan for help that lasts.
Some pets will be too deep into panic mode for any interest in food or toys. This isn’t abnormal; it’s one of the ways that fear changes things; very frightened pets aren’t interested in eating or playing, those things are not part of an immediate survival reaction. These pets will require more time and work to help them bring down the fear before they’re able to handle it well enough to be typically interested in favorite items. While upsetting at the time, this part of the survival reaction can act as a helpful gauge in the future, letting you know when your pet is progressing away from having such a severe fear response.
It might not be fun, but that’s why you’re a pet parent: if possible, stay home with your pet.
I really mean “if possible.” Not “if you have nothing else going on,” or “if the party is boring.” If your pet is new and this is their first Independence Day with you, their first Independence Day ever, or your pet has shown you that they’re afraid of this or similar loud noises (like thunder), don’t leave them home alone. It isn’t worth your pet’s extreme fear, the risk of injury, or the possibility of worsening their future experience and reaction to fireworks.
If you absolutely cannot be home with your pet, have someone your pet knows and trusts stay with them. A family member, a friend, or a pet sitter with experience caring for pets with noise phobias who has stayed with your pet before.
Do not take your pet with you. Even dogs who are ambivalent about fireworks or actively enjoy them, like Coydog’s Tater, are often overwhelmed by the combo of people and proximity of the fireworks at both family gatherings and city fireworks shows. Just because it is outdoors and technically pet-friendly (as in, they are allowed) does not mean it is an appropriate environment for your dog. It almost certainly is not a good idea!
Provide your pet choices and opportunities, and respect what they choose! Be aware of where your pet might choose to hide that isn’t safe, block It off, and encourage them to use a better space by setting it up to be appealing and comfortable.
Be there with and for your pet with quiet, calm, and routine behavior. Don’t discount the comfort power of simply being present in the same room!
Fireworks and Escapes: Keep them Home this 4th
Maybe you could assume that this holiday is high in escaped and lost pets, but the actual statistics are shocking and not a little bit scary.
The busiest stray intake day of the year at animal shelters is July 5th.
Every year, there is a 30% to 60% increase in lost pets nationwide between July 4th and July 6th.
That’s barely 3 full days, with most fireworks happening after dark on the 4th, but more pets will be reported lost or taken into shelters as strays or loose pets than on any other day of the year. The risk of pets escaping or being lost during Independence Day celebrations is serious.
To understand why, we only have to go back to the reality that fear changes behavior.
For many pets, this is an absolutely terrifying holiday that can drag on and on. Often, the days leading up to the 4th are an experience of unpredictable pops, cracks, and booms as people begin celebrating with firecrackers during the day and an early firework or two after dark. The 4th itself can be nearly dawn to dusk firecrackers in various amounts and strengths that don’t stop, but rather, transition right to an incredibly loud series of fireworks that can go on until after midnight. This is serious stress stacking that many animals will be unable to keep tolerating, leading them to the sort of blind panic that demands they escape and keep running.
That includes pets that have never tried to escape, and those who have never caused damage to property or themselves before.
Panicked pets climb or jump fences, break through screens, crash through windows, and bolt through open doors. They also chew through or bend the bars of crates, damage doors, and hurt themselves trying to escape.
Never assume that because your pet hasn’t ever shown an interest in escaping or caused damage to themselves or property before on totally normal days, they will behave exactly the same during fireworks. That is a very risky assumption! Better to assume that your pet will be afraid and behave accordingly so that you can prepare and reduce the risk of escape. Check out some ways to do exactly that, reduce escape risks, below!
Reduce escape risk by:
- Dogs and cats kept indoors during fireworks
- Not leaving dogs unattended in yards, even during daytime celebrations
- Supervise all outdoor potty trips, leashed if necessary, even in the yard
- Check fences and gates well and often
- Keep cats indoors if possible
- Limit outdoor access for cats to quieter times of day
- Carefully check catios and other outdoor enclosures for safety
- Manage visitors, children, and doors
- Inspect collars, harnesses, and leashes to ensure they’re in good, secure condition
- Close dog doors and cat flaps before celebrations begin
Help Them Come Home
While preventing escapes from happening is the obvious goal, accidents and strange, unpredictable things can happen despite our best efforts. We should always be prepared to help our pets get back home as quickly as possible – just in case!
- During fireworks, keep collars/harnesses on cats and dogs while indoors, if safely tolerated. While I do not advise keeping collars on pets at all times for several reasons, keeping your pet’s collar/harness on during high-stress, high-escape-risk times allows you to keep ID tags on. Additionally, reflective collars/harnesses can help pets be spotted, and in the case of dogs, they let potential rescuers who spot your pet attach a leash to more safely and calmly secure your pet.
- Confirm ID tags and microchips are up to date, update if not. Neither ID tags nor microchips can help your pet get back home ASAP if the info is outdated!
- Update online pet info. Microchip companies and products like “smart tags” (tappable, scannable, QR code ID tags), as well as lost/found pet services like Petco’s Love Lost, come with online pet profiles. These are great tools to take advantage of – but only if you keep them updated! Ensure your pet’s description, photo(s), medical needs, and behavioral info are current, and of course, that your contact number, email address, veterinarian’s info, etc., are as well.
- Current Pictures & Videos. Take a short video of your pet and some current pictures. I know, we all have tons of these, right? If your pet goes missing, though, you quickly realize that some of your best shots aren’t up to date. Make sure you have good pictures that clearly show your pet from multiple angles by taking some now. You don’t want to be digging through pics if you need to make lost-pet posts or prove guardianship!
- Know where your pet’s important documents are. Hopefully, you’ll never need to prove that your pet is legally your pet, but if your pet is lost, that scenario might happen. Being able to immediately produce vet records, registration papers, adoption papers, or even a bill of sale is extremely helpful. Adoption or purchase contracts, as well as registration papers, can all prove legal ownership, and having an established history of veterinary care is a stand-in when the other documents don’t exist. In some cases, established veterinary care for a pet can even take precedence over adoption and purchase paperwork – it shows that you are accepting primary caretaker responsibilities for that animal, and are, indeed, taking care of the pet.
Special Considerations for Horses and Other Equine Friends
Horses and other equids can also experience significant fear during fireworks. When you have an especially calm horse in your life, one that doesn’t spook easily and is cool and collected, it can be easy to forget what we all know: your big pasture pal is the descendant of prey animals who used their intelligence, flight response, speed, and agility, and tight family relationships in their herd to survive open areas where large predators hunted. That blueprint of awareness and readiness to run as a primary survival response can mean a great deal of stress stacking going on before you realize it, and serious panic during fireworks.
That panic can turn into a guardian’s nightmare of escape or serious injuries when horses are met with obstacles, or worse, encounter dangerous, entangling things that make them feel trapped.
Two critically important things that you can do to safeguard your pet: be prepared, and know your individual horse.
Prepare by walking your property with an especially keen eye for anything that could pose a problem. Remove or repair anything that could become dangerous during a panic response, like:
- Damaged fencing
- Loose wire
- Broken boards
- Fallen branches
- Debris
- Protruding metal or sharp edges
Know your individual horse.
Some horses feel safest in a familiar stall. Others feel safer with access to open pasture, companions, or the ability to choose whether to remain inside or outside. Where your horse is most comfortable, and how, has a lot of individual variation; don’t rely on blanket statements about what to do, adjust according to your horse’s individual needs. The same will be true of what safe, calming enrichments they might enjoy being offered, and how they will behave with companions during the fireworks. As herd animals with rich and intricate social lives naturally, many equines find the company of trusted herd members reassuring. If your horse might be
Knowing your horse lets you make the best choices to keep them calmer, safer, and happier!
As with all pets, whenever possible, maintain normal routines and avoid abrupt management changes immediately before fireworks.
Remember: Your Pet is Afraid, not “Difficult”
It’s really important to remember that your pet is afraid. The behaviors you’re dealing with and any added challenges of management right now are all about fear. Your pet isn’t trying to give you a hard time, they’re having a hard time!
Like parenting human children, being a responsible, compassionate, good pet parent isn’t always a great time. It isn’t most people’s idea of a fun 4th of July to tell friends and family that, actually, you’re skipping the party to stay home with your frightened pet – and let’s be real, a lot of us would get a hard time for being honest about that, which makes it all less awesome feeling to do. Add in that far more people are having stress stacking of their own going on than know it, and that even if you love fireworks, several days of unpredictable, unexpected, loud booms and cracks can affect you negatively without you realizing it. Holidays are stressful, loudly disruptive noises are stressful, and the dread of how upset your pet will be is also stressful. Leaving some of the best, typically calm, rational, and compassionate guardians to be at the very top of their own stress cups. In those circumstances, It can be easy to slip into things we otherwise avoid effortlessly…like taking it personally and feeling that our pet is trying to be difficult, dramatic, or stubborn.
This is another thing that being prepared helped with! When you’ve got a plan and have set it in motion, you’ve significantly reduced the chaos factor. Reducing that means you have more bandwidth to catch yourself feeling overwhelmed and irritable, and to bring those feelings back down so that you can be the reasonable guardian you usually are. So that you can be there for your pet.
Know that the fear of fireworks is incredibly common, and that no matter what it feels like, you’re far from alone if your household spends this holiday at home, with fans running, curtains closed, and peanut butter-stuffed enrichment toys everywhere.
Fear of fireworks is incredibly common, and you’re far from alone if your household spends the Fourth of July with box fans running, curtains closed, and peanut butter stuffed into every available enrichment toy. Seriously! Up to 55% of all dogs, just dogs, experience some noticeable fear of fireworks. Over half of dogs are just noticeably affected to some degree. Pet parents reporting on surveys show that 65% of dogs are fearful, not merely perturbed, by fireworks. You’re definitely in the majority!
Unfortunately, some of this fear could be happening because of the lingering misinformation about how we should react to frightened pets. With nearly all dogs having this fear show up in their first year of life, there’s a strong implication that we’re just not doing enough, or not enough correct, exposure to common fear sources, like fireworks. When that fear shows up, whether conditioning to feel neutral and alright with fireworks happened or not in some cases, we’re then not pursuing the path of highly successful counter conditioning to help our pets.
With horrifyingly bad advice still routinely popping up in searches, from self-styled trainers and online commentators, that’s not surprising. We’re told to flood them with the fireworks experience, forcing them to remain right there until they “see it’s not dangerous and get over it.” To “ignore them, they just want attention,” or that only tough love approaches will work because providing comfort or other support is “spoiling” the pet, or rewarding them for fear, unwanted behaviors during fear, being “disobedient,” “dominant,” and “difficult” with the excuse of fireworks, and other equally ridiculous statements.
Comforting your pet, acknowledging the reality that they aren’t themselves when afraid, and taking steps to give them the safety and support they need is not “coddling” them. You can’t reward fear, and the idea of rewarding anything and building a behavior during fear is wildly unscientific – your pet literally cannot process information and learn properly while in that state. (They’re certainly not capable of being an evil super genius who is using fireworks as a part of the plan to dominate all mankind, either!)
Comfort and support measures are just part of compassionate guardianship. If your pet learns something from this experience, it’s that you are the source of safety and help that they thought you were.
So, don’t get frustrated! And don’t forgo the petting or calm words!
A shocking majority of pets are afraid of fireworks, but with a little preparation, many pets can make it through the holiday feeling much more secure.
Take a breath, love your pet, you’ve got this! And because they have you, your pet does too.
Final Quick Tips
Does your pet get fearful enough that they won’t eat? Plan to feed a little earlier than usual, before fireworks and stress have an opportunity to start. Not eating can contribute to stress and can be dangerous for pets with health conditions.
For horses, if it’s possible, consider moving your pets away from neighboring properties or roads where fireworks are likely to be set off. You’ll help them put some distance between themselves and the explosions.
Have a multi-pet household? Monitor interactions. Do not leave your pets alone together unsupervised. They might usually be best friends or peacefully coexist, but the effects of fear can be unexpected. Sometimes, fear can trigger redirected aggression between familiar, peaceful pets in a household.
What calming supports does Coydog use? Click for our favorite calming products!
As mentioned in the post, I have an unusual volume of experience with calming supports, and I’m sharing my favorites in the hope that they’ll help your pets!
Cats
Comfort Zone Cat Calming Pheromone Spray – Though I had good results with the Feliway brand pheromone spray, I actually prefer the Comfort Zone spray. I have used this primarily when introducing new pets to the household, when going to the vet, and for promoting further calm while undergoing treatment for illnesses and procedures. Several years ago, my mother joined us in moving back to rural Oklahoma from Louisiana. The thunderstorms here in OK are a whole different thing than those in LA, and were loud enough to make our typically confident and relaxed cats anxious. This helped ease that scary transition!
Feliway Classic Cat Calming Diffuser (Kit) – I will never be able to say enough positive things about Feliway’s calming diffusers! Available in Classic, Multi-Cat, and Optimum, these formulas all use calming pheromones to reassure and calm cats. All without any weird (or any) smells you can perceive, and no cat-toxic essential oils either. Though there are cheaper products with supposedly similar formulas, I have never experienced success like that of the Feliway brand! The brand has been the leader in safe, pheromone calming products for decades now, and especially paired with management, Is highly effective. Under $30 for this kind of feline happiness and comfort is well worth it!
Pet Honesty Cat Calming Treats – If your kitties are into a variety of treats, this could be a great solution for you! Though none of my current cats liked the flavor, I’ve used them in the past with success. I think if they were crustaceon or catnip flavored, the Coydog Cat Crew would have readily consumed them, so know what your cat likes!
Zesty Paws Calming Chews for Cats – Zesty Paws is one of our go-to brands, so of course, when the introduction of Sixlette caused so much chaos among the cats, I was happy to try these. I found them to be effective, and I love the ingredients, which promote daily stability and calm, not just in-the-moment, accurate help. Unfortunately, the targeted cat, Sixlette, is apparently against any manner of calming treat. She wouldn’t eat them, but the other ladies of the house begged for them and seemed to relish the bacon flavor – a novelty in cat treats.
Dogs
ThunderShirt – This product comes with some caveats to get the most out of my very high recommendation! You have to be willing and able to introduce it to your dog in a gradual, positive way. Do not buy it, put it on the dog, and expect great results – particularly not if your dog is not familiar with/okay with wearing clothing. I strongly suggest using this as a tool to help your dog begin lessening or overcoming their fear! My success in doing just that for severely fearful dogs was expedited and eased by the ThunderShirt, and the only thing better than helping your pet deal with fireworks today is helping them to handle them with calm forever. Be sure to get the correct size – measure your pet! The correct fit is vital; not restrictively tight, but it doesn’t work if loose.
ThunderEase (Adaptil) Dog Calming Pheromone (Kit) – Made by the same company as Feliway for cats, this product is equally incredible. First experiencing it in dog daycare over 20 years ago, I was so impressed that I have kept using it for grooming dogs since then. Nothing you can smell, no harmful chemicals or other toxins, and no need to mess with anything other than changing out the refills monthly. It’s an incredible tool in your toolbox for promoting calm and then maintaining it more easily during stress.
Rocco & Roxie Calming Chews for Dogs – Currently our favorite calming treat! These treats will help your pet with stressful moments and help support a calmer baseline daily. Like all Rocco & Roxie products, these are made with quality, safe, natural ingredients, and they were made with common canine issues in mind. Like? Allergies! With two dogs sensitive to pork and one allergic to chicken, finding a supplement that works, that they are happy to eat, and that won’t cause problems is really hard. These duck-flavored calming chews hit all those notes! Our large senior dogs, Chad and Vesta, only have them occasionally when a stressful event is likely. Tater gets one daily as a part of working with his “Heeler Spookies” issues. They’ve worked wonderfully for both cases, and without being markedly sedating.
Other calming chews we use and would recommend: Native Pet, Zesty Paws, and NaturVet.
Be sure to check out all the options on the calming supports I shared; they all have multiple sizes, flavors, colors, applications, etc., options available so you can find the best fit for your pets!
