Fireworks and Dogs: Keeping your dog safe on the Fourth of July

Their eyes, their noses, and their ears.

Fireworks stimulate all three of these senses. The eruption of fireworks not only creates loud and sudden booms, but they create flashes of lights and smells of gunpowder. 

So fireworks are incredibly overstimulating and scary for many, many dogs.

Let’s look at what you can do to help your dog make it through the fireworks with minimal stress. 

Why are dogs scared of fireworks?

Dogs have incredibly sensitive hearing. They can hear noises four times further away than humans and hear nearly twice the amount of frequencies that we do.  

Dog’s ears are controlled by 18 muscles, allowing them to filter sounds into their inner ear more efficiently. Air vibrations create sound, and while humans can’t hear sounds above 20,000 vibrations per second, our beloved canine companions can.

They have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their nose and can sniff out a drop of odor in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. 

Your dog’s nose is designed to process scents at an incredible rate. The area of a dog’s brain dedicated to analyzing smells is 40% larger than a human’s. 

When fireworks explode, they release sulfur into the air. The smell often lingers long after the parties are over on the Fourth of July. You can just imagine how intense that scent is to your dog both during and after all the celebrations. 

In addition to all the sounds and smells, your dog is also processing the flashes accompanying the sensory onslaught they experience. 

Put all of those factors together, and it makes total sense that fireworks are an extremely stressful affair for our dogs. 

How to desensitize your dog to the sound of fireworks

With training, you can desensitize your dog to scary sounds to help keep them safe and feeling more relaxed. 

By removing the fear associated with one of the sensory factors your dog is exposed to on the Fourth of July, you can help them find the experience less frightening. 

We recommend these two training games to help desensitize your dog to the sound of fireworks. 

1. sGrab your dog’s absolute favorite treats
2. Start playing with an item that will not make a loud noise when dropped, like a pillow
3. When your dog isn’t looking, drop the item
4. When your dog looks over, say ‘what was that?’ and treat your dog
5. After each drop, progress to a different object that makes a slightly louder noise
6. If your dog shows any signs of stress, then return to a quieter object or take a break

Play these game daily in the lead up to the Fourth of July

Remember the calming signals shared above, and watch out for any signs that your dog would rather not be touched. 

Your dog may take comfort in being able to hide away from the commotion of the Fourth of July celebrations. 

Try to choose an area in your home that is farthest away from the noise, ideally away from windows, and that is secure, so your dog cannot escape. Basements, master bathrooms, and walk-in closets can all work well. 

It’s important to get your dog used to their safe space before the event so that they can build up positive and calm associations with spending time in there.

Leave an unwashed shirt or blanket that smells of you can help to provide comfort to your dog. 

Play white noise or music with a steady beat to help muffle the sounds of the fireworks. Again, get your dog used to this music in the lead-up to the event by playing it when your dog is calm to create positive associations. 

Ensure your dog has access to clean, fresh water at all times. Raised stress levels may cause your dog to drink more.

Sadly, on the fifth of July each year, local animal shelters reach capacity. They are filled with dogs who have fled their homes in a desperate attempt to escape the sounds of fireworks. 

Tragically some of these dogs don’t make it to shelter. They are killed in their panic to run away from the celebrations. 

Help keep your dog safe this Fourth of July with our 6 top tips.

• Check fences and gates to ensure your yard is secure
• Make sure everyone in the household knows that doors need to be kept closed or your dog needs to be safely secured before opening them
• When taking your dog out to the yard for a toilet break, keep them on the lead
• Ensure your dog has a tag with up to date contact details on them
• Make sure your dog’s microchip details are up to date with current contact number and address
• Consider fitting a GPS tracker to your dog’s collar so that you can quickly locate them in the event of an escape