Snap, Crackle
and....Poop?
© Colleen Paige
The air conditioning goes on, gently blowing my hair
across my sleepy eyes. It is now 9am and 4th of July,
almost as exciting as Christmas morning for my son. I walk
out into the kitchen to find an array of explosives or so
they have gently renamed them, "fireworks" laid out on our
big round breakfast table. "Excuse me," I begin, clumsily
demanding that the "Dinosaur Explosion Packet" be removed
before my kitchen is plastered with prehistoric entrails.
I'm called a silly mom and informed that fireworks are set
off outside. Like, duh! I look down at my two dogs who
share the same expression.
Fourth of July can be just as much fun for dogs as us
kids, but instead of explosives, dogs focus on the F-word,
"food". Sailor, my lab mix will be happy to just sit glued
to anything she can stick to, waiting for a piece of
watermelon to fall. Dogs have a wider field of view and a
better ability to detect motion at the horizon, hence; any
dropped food will be found and promptly devoured. Sailor
normally has discriminating tastes; but one would not know
it except for the Fourth of July. On any other day, food
of questionable origin (at least according to her) is
quickly spat out in a mocking manner.
Tinkerbelle, my twelve pound Chihuahua who thinks she's
the governor of California, is no such snob. She plans her
Fourth of July picnic as early as February. She'll indulge
in a few chips, crumbles of hot dog bun, a tuft of cotton
candy if she's lucky. She'll slurp some ketchup off
unsuspecting dog lovers who lean to offer her a kiss. If
there is food, she will find it—she will fight a viper for
it and win. Like most of us, her appetite is
disproportionate to her size.
We must be extra vigilant of our furry friends during the
Independence Day festivities and the fun-filled summer
days. Yes, it is fun to include your dog in the
festivities, but don't make it an event for them, as much
as you do for friends and family. Act on what you know: If
your dog would rather have a nail trimming than be
surrounded by people and pyrotechnics, it's best to leave
him at home. July Fourth is the one day of the year that
more injured and stray are found or reported lost.
Or, leave them at home—but keep in mind that fireworks
will be going off just about everywhere, so the fact that
they're at home doesn't preclude them from being exposed
to the mayhem. The safest place to keep your pooch on a
holiday such as this, is in a dog crate covered on three
sides with a dark, opaque blanket and a loud radio or
television tuned into something innocuous. The small dark
cave-like space of the crate provides a calming atmosphere
and can sometimes alleviate stress up to 75% compared to
other methods. If you don't have a crate, a bathroom with
a high window works well. If you have a chain link kennel,
cover it with a dark tarp.
If the neighbors are especially joyous, noises are bound
to be loud, so anticipate the clean-up that may likely
follow the fear and anxiety that Incontinence Day can
cause your furry friends. On a more serious note - dogs
have been known to exhibit such horrid thunderstorm and
firework anxiety, that they have, quite frequently, flung
themselves through glass windows.
But, if you are confident that your furry charge will be
the life of the party, a few precautions set in place will
make the evening more safe and enjoyable. Here are a few
tips which will help to preserve the health and sanity of
you AND your precious pooch:
- Rain booties are
a great idea to protect feet from smoldering sparklers
thrown on the ground.
- A dog sweater or
vest will help protect your dog from falling debris that
may burn hair and skin. A prepared dog owner means a
happy dog, so don't forget your first aid kit.
- Feed your dog at
the event and bring dog appropriate snacks so he is less
likely to beg for food and end up with a tummy ache.
- Keep your dog
on-leash at all times. Even a friendly, well behaved dog
can be upset by certain noises and run off, or, worse,
bite someone while you're attending to something else.
- Have water
available at all times in case your dog picks up spicy
or salty food. This will help prevent dehydration.
- Don't leave your
dog tied up unattended, as he may become scared and
combative against the restraints and injure himself.
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