Prepare your animals for the Fourth of July

This is a weekend to celebrate the United States of America's Independence but for our animals it sounds like a loud and unfamiliar war zone. More pets run away on the Fourth of July than any other day in the year, and with all of the family animals and COVID puppies we want to prepare them for this weekend of anxiety.

It's important to keep in mind that humans hear at 20 Hz-20,000 Hz, dogs hear at 67 Hz- 45,000 Hz and cats hear at 48 Hz - 85,000 Hz this tells us that dogs and cats can hear at larger frequencies than us as humans. With that in mind we need to understand what it looks like when our animals are anxious.

When dogs are anxious you may notice:

• Panting

• Shaking

• Shivering

• Seeking comfort

• Hiding or solitude

• Excessive licking

• Excessive barking or howling

• Trying to escape

When cats are anxious you may notice:

• Hiding

• Aggressive

• Excessive meowing

• Excessive grooming

• Not using liter box

• Trembling

• Change in eating habits

• Pacing

• Lethargic

Understanding animal behavior, especially; your animals behavior is essential in understanding how to help ease them in situations where they feel anxious. During the fourth of July you can do some of the following:

1. Set up your dogs kennel - when animals are anxious, the kennel can be a dark safe space for them to hide in

2. Drown out the noise - you can play some music on the TV to make the environment positive and muffle out the loud noises outside

3. Stay close - provide your fur-babies the safety of your presence during these stressful holidays (allow for snuggles and some dopamine release)

4. Go on a road trip together - it may be nice to away from all the noise

5. CBD - get some CBD oil or treats, this may help relax your fur-babies during the holiday

6. Counter-Condition - When you hear a loud noise, associate it with a positive game of tug-of-war or fetch (in the house)

It's important as animal parent that you keep your babies inside secure and safe! If you have any other tips or tricks on what you do to help your animals ease their anxiety during the nations birthday, don't hesitate to share.