Fireworks with Fido
Hello JAX Friends!
Next week is the 4th of July, which unofficially starts our Northwest summer off with a BANG! As beautiful as these fireworks are they can be extremely stressful for our dogs but there are things we can do to help them through it. Every dog is different and the amount of care you need to give them depends on how anxious fireworks make them. The remedies to keep them calm can range from sitting with them and giving a good scratch to veterinarian prescribed anxiety medication. Below are some tools to help you and your dog enjoy the holiday festivities:
Sit with your dog
ThunderShirts
Bach’s Rescue Remedy (sold at Jax)
Melatonin (3-6 mg every 8-12 hours)
DAP Diffuser (Dog Appeasing Pheromone)
Xanax & Valium (vet prescribed)
Make sure your dog has a well-fitting collar with an ID tag just in case they get lose you can be contacted easily. Microchipping is also a cost-effective way to make sure your dog can be identified if their collar comes off. A vet can do a quick scan to get the information from the chip and get your pet back to you safely.
Along with the beautiful Seattle weather, hotter temperatures come too. Not only does the sunshine heat our four legged friends up quickly, they can also burn their paws on the asphalt. Did you know that at an outside temperature of 77 degrees, asphalt in direct sun can be as hot as 125 degrees? Avoid walking your dog during the peak heat times of the day – with the extended daylight hours getting out for a walk after dinner is a great way to unwind, digest dinner and enjoy a sunset walk. A fun activity for your pet during the days is to freeze one of their favorite toys in watered down beef or chicken bouillon. They will stay hydrated and keep busy trying to get at a toy.
We hope everyone has a safe wonderful holiday weekend! If your dog happens to ingest fireworks or anything that could be poisonous to them – call ASPCA’s poison control hotline at 888-426-4435. It is also good to know your local vet’s phone number and hours in case of a pet emergency.
We hope these tips help you and your pet have a successful summer! Don’t forget to stop into our store for any pet products you might need to make the summer enjoyable for your dog. We have everything from water toys, water bottles, bathing/grooming products to stylish collars.