Before you know it, the Fourth of July will sneak up quickly.  Be prepared and microchip your dog!

Dogs have a keen sense of hearing and if they are already afraid of loud noises, imagine how hard it will be for them while fireworks are going off near your home.  Yes, there are tools out there that may (or may not) work for your dog that you can buy.

Whatever you choose to use, please begin working and training your dog to relax around loud noises NOW before it’s too late.  Like with anything, the more you train, the better your dog will be.

Here are a few suggestions from A+ Dog Training:

• Create a “safe space” so your dog knows where to go to when stressed. An example would be their crate in the far back room corner away from people and other animals.
• Play soothing music where their safe space is that can drown out the loud noises of fireworks and people.
• Walk your dog to drain their energy before all of the festivities.
• Keep your dog on leash if your dog will be joining you at the party. This way, you can manage who feeds your dog what; and, you can gauge when your dog is ready to be left alone and needs to relax.

A+ Dog Training has a training CD that we use to remove stress and anxiety in dogs that are afraid of loud noises.  If you are a part of our Calm Canine or A+ Lifetime programs, please ask Tom for a CD and how to use it.  Remember, start your training the sooner the better and we hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday!