Pet-Friendly Fourth of July Tips

As we prepare for barbeques and fireworks this Fourth of July, The American Kennel Club, a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world, offers tips on how to keep your pets safe and calm during this Independence Day.

-It is safer to keep your pets at home during Fourth of July celebrations instead of bringing him to your neighbor’s party. Keep your pets in the house, rather than in your yard. He will be a lot happier indoors, and not tempted to leap over a fence to find you.

-Dogs can be startled by the loud noise of fireworks. Once the festivities begin, keep your pet in a safe room where he can feel comfortable. If he is crate trained put him in his crate covered with a blanket to make him feel secure.

-Block outside sights and sounds by lowering the blinds and turning on the television. Play soothing music in the background to counteract the cacophony during the “rockets’ red glare.

-If your pet seems overly anxious, spend some time with your pet, speaking soothingly to help them to relax.

-Avoid scraps from the grill. While tempting to our pets, any sudden change to your pets’ diet can cause stomach upset. In addition, some certain foods like onions, avocado, grapes and raisins can be toxic .

-Human products can be dangerous to animals . Avoid spraying your pet with insect repellent and only use special sunscreen that is intended for animal use. Keep your pets away from matches and lighter fluid. They can be extremely irritating to the stomach, lungs and central nervous system, if ingested.

-Should your dog get scared, escape and run away, help find him with microchip identification.

Collars and tags can fall off so make sure you have permanent ID with a microchip. Keep contact information current with your recovery service provider. For more information and to enroll your pet in a 24 hour recovery service visit www.akcreunite.org .

Additional tips on responsible dog ownership can be found online at the American Kennel Club website at www.akc.org

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=82212

Posted by chesliepickett on Jun 30 2015. Filed under Featured, The Buzz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.