4th of July safety tips

We all know what is going to happen this Friday (and maybe Thursday and Saturday too). People are going to celebrate a birthday with lots of explosions and loud noises. Just the sort of thing that terrorizes many pets. Many shelties are noise sensitive as it is, and even those who are not, may find this sort of celebration too much to handle. This holiday is not like any others and should be treated with care.

What NOT to do!
1. Don't bring your dog to a public fireworks display.
While dogs love to do things with their owners, this is one they would generally say "no thank you" to if you were able to ask them. The crowds of people, the noise, the confusion that we find a "celebration" they often find very stressful.

2. Don't leave them outside- even if you have a fenced yard. MANY dogs become so stressed out that they jump a fence, dig under a fence, or just have hours of anxiety while you are gone.

What you SHOULD do!
1. Leave them at Home in a secure Crate. Even if you don't leave a dog in a crate normally while you are away, this is the time to do so. They will be safe, and you will come home and not experience the horror of a missing dog or a wrecked house.

2. Turn on some sort of noise to help even out the explosions that will occur outside. Leaving a fan, air conditioner, a white noise machine, a TV show or music will help.

3. Just for this weekend, put a collar with id tags on the dog. If anything should happen, at least if someone finds the dog they will be able to return them.

4. Follow these tips even if you don't think your dog will be stressed out. Just because he is not afraid of thunder, does not mean he will handle the 4th of July with ease. If you are not home, you might not know how he reacts. Putting on a collar with tags and putting him in a crate could save a lot of heart ache later.

Happy (and SAFE) 4th of July everyone!