Dogs Can Be Scaredy Cats Too

My sister DixieLee is one of the bravest dogs I know. When we go for walks and other dogs bark and growl, she barks and growls right back.  She’s a really good fighter too!  We play fight all the time and I am bigger and stronger but she is wicked quick and barks really loud.  She is a fierce warrior who isn’t afraid of anything.

Or maybe not.  She won’t like me telling you this but there are things that make her be really scared. She would run at a huge bear if it were going to attack Mom but when she hears thunder miles away, she hides in the closet.  She is afraid of loud noises.

She is not alone.  Fear caused by noise is a very common problem for dogs.  Remember, we have really good hearing so a loud noise for a human is super duper loud for a dog.  When a dog gets scared by a loud noise he or she may try to run away from the noise.

A thunder storm or fireworks display can go on for a long time and there is nowhere to go to get away from the noise.  DixieLee is lucky that she has a place to hide where she feels safe.  Mom’s clothes closet is small and the door is not open wide so the noise is not so bad.  Some dogs are not as lucky and don’t have a place where they feel safe.  They get so scared they try to dig their way through the floors of their house to make a den like our friend Miu or escape from their yard and run for hours (getting very lost) to get away for the noise.

Oh Boy!  Neither is a good solution.

We have a Mom who wants us to be healthy and happy.  Shew doesn’t like that DixieLee is scared of loud noises and although hiding in the closet makes her feel okay, We wanted something better. Recently our Vet told us about an herbal supplement that helps with anxiety.  Now when we know a storm is coming or when we are going to have fireworks in our town, DixieLee gets a supplement that lets her feel less scared and safe enough to sit with Mom and me on the couch until the noise goes away.

Dogs can be trained to not be scared of loud noises and there are other way to help them deal with their noise fears.  One of our trainer friends recommends the Thunder Shirt.  Some dogs do well listening to soothing music or getting a massage.  There are holistic remedies like the one we use that work for some dogs.

For me, just being able to cuddle up next to my Mom on the couch until the storm passes is enough but not for my sister.  If you need more than a cuddle to help you get through a thunder storm, have your humans talk to your vet and look for other alternatives.  There is no reason for you to be so scared of loud noises that you could hurt yourself or get  lost.

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self promotion.  The Holidays are right around the corner.  I bet your favorite pet would love a gift basket filled with toys and treats from PawPalsBoutique.com  Our Santa Paws Gift Basket is specially cute!

Our Least Favorite Holiday

Mom and I usually choose a blog topic together. Since the 4^th of July is only a few days away, I thought I would be good to remind people that loud noises, like firework, are very, very scary for pets. I realize that the 4^th of July is a very important holiday for all Americans, human and dog, the loud noise made by fireworks is more than most of us dogs can handle.

I wanted to talk about what humans can do to make their pets feel more safe and unafraid while the humans can enjoy the sound and colors of a fireworks display. 

Lots of our friends already know how to keep their pets safe and unafraid but there were people who never lived with pets before and they may not know that loud noises are dangerous for dogs and cats, and horses and ferrets and…. Well all animals.

First of all, most pets don’t pay attention to the calendar so, unlike humans, they don’t know it is the 4^th of July.  They aren't expecting the day to be any different from the 3^rd of July so it's a big scary surprise when all the big noise starts. And please, as much as you might like to take us along to see the community fireworks, we would prefer to stay at home.

You know our sense of smell is much greater than that of humans, well, our hearing averages about four times greater than yours too. That means fireworks are very, very loud.

So, while you may enjoy the sight and sound of fireworks on the 4^th of July, your pets may not. While you are sitting on the front porch, enjoying the display, your pet may experience an increase in heart rate, a rush of adrenaline and increase in stress hormones that could cause him or her to bolt. The stress can be so intense that dogs jump fences and break chains trying to get away from the noise.

The American Humane Society reports that July 5th is the busiest day of the year at animal shelters, as pets that fled ran away because they were scared the night before are found miles from their homes  They were disoriented and exhausted.

Here are a number of thing you can do to make sure your pets are comfortable and safe this July 4^th.

1. Leave them at home and inside. If it is warm, leave the air conditioning on.

2. Provide a "safe" place for them. Our crates are our safe place but during thunderstorms and on the 4th of July, DixieLee likes to hide in Mom’s closet.

3. If possible keep the windows and curtains closed.

4. Make sure your pets are wearing their ID tags and that their collars fit properly just in case they bolt.

5. Give them something to keep them occupied. I’d vote for a Frosty Paws frozen dog treat but a favorite toy can comforting too.

It’s only a few hours out of a whole year but those few hours can be very traumatic for a pet. Make sure your best friend doesn’t end up as a statistic on the American Humane Society report for next year.

Wishing America a Happy Birthday and all of our friends a happy and safe July 4^th!

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant self-promotion.  Did you know that gift baskets make the perfect gift for pets as well as humans?  Check out our huge selection of pet gift baskets at PawPalsBoutique.com 

Dogs Against Fireworks

July 4^th (Independence Day) is a big holiday for humans in the United States.  They get together and they have picnics, which means the Dads cook on the grill and everyone eats outside.  Then, when it gets dark, they like to have fireworks.

 Fireworks are an important part of the Independence Day celebration.  Even the old guys who signed the Declaration of Independence said the day should be celebrated with bells and bonfires and the Congress of Philadelphia said there should be 13 fireworks to represent the 13 colonies/states.

 Fireworks are big explosions of color in the sky which I might like if it weren’t for the noise. Fireworks are very, very loud.  Human have little ears that are close to their heads.  Dogs have big ears so we hear things ten times louder than you do.  That would make fireworks very, very loud times ten.

 I read a lot and so I know all about 4^th of July and fireworks but most dogs don’t so imagine, hanging out at home, catching a little nap after a nice day of begging for treats at the picnic and all of a sudden, the world explodes!  Whoa!  Next thing you know, Spot and Fluffy are 20 miles from home and still running.

 Here are some things humans can do to help pet not be scared when there are fireworks.

 1.  First thing is to know when there are going to be fireworks.  Lots of towns have big fireworks shows where everyone goes to the park and watches.  LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME!  Check for fireworks in all towns near you because, remember, dogs can hear things happening much farther away than you can.

 2.  Make sure your pet has their tags on and that their microchips are up to date.  That way, if they do run away, it will be easier for them to find someone to help them get back home.

 3.  Being in the house will make your pet feel safer.

 You can make it even better by keeping the lights on (not only humans are afraid of the dark).  Closing curtains helps with the sound and with the flashing lights.  When I’m scared I go in my crate and close my eyes.  DixieLee’s crate is a wire one so Mom puts a blanket over the top and two sides.  She keeps the front open so DixieLee can get air.

 If your pet doesn’t have a crate, keep them in one room.  If they get really scared, they will want to run and could hurt themselves running and jumping from room to room trying to get away from the noise.

 Make sure they have water.  Drinking water can help keep calm.

 Turn on some soothing music or the tv.  Having a little noise will make the house more “normal”.

 4.  If you are home with your pet, don’t get crazy yourself.  If we want to cuddle, hey, cuddling is good, but if we don’t, please don’t force.  Remember we are scared and scared pets will scratch and bite even if we don’t mean to.

 If you set up a nice room for us but we prefer being under the bed, let us stay under the bed.  We know what makes us feel safe even if we can’t tell you.

 5. If you know your pet is really scared of fireworks, talk to his/her vet.  They may be able to give them something to help keep them calm.  I prefer something herbal but that’s up to you.  My friends tell me Thunder Shirts work too.

 6.  If you had fireworks at your house, check the yard the next day.  The firework’s casing and sparkler sticks don’t make the best toys.   

 Knowing your pet is safe will make celebrating Independence Day much more fun for you.

 Your friend,

 

Zeva

 

 P.S. Please check out my new Facebook page at Laurel Mountain Basket Company Pet Division where you’ll find lots of fun and interest pet posts.  Like us while you’re there.  Don’t make me beg!

Happy Birthday USA

What do you think of when I say Fourth of July celebration?  Parades?  Fireworks?  Picnics?  I love a good party but not all pets do.  Parades, with large crowds of cheering people, marching bands playing music and people throwing things from floats make some pets very anxious.  Fireworks, although pretty, are very, very loud to our sensive ears.  And picnics.  Fourth of July picnics are actually dangerous places for pets.

Lots of things that you see at a picnic may seem harmless but they are not.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, potatoe salad, chips, they're just food.  So what's wrong with food.  We dogs should only eat dog food even though we love human food.  You might think a little human food would be okay.  Well, dogs you see, we're never full.  If we can beg or steal human food we will keep going until we are really sick.

That can of beer or glass of wine you leave by the side of your chair, can be mightly tempting to a pet.  But pets should NEVER be allowed to drink any kind of alcohol.  Alcohol is so toxic to pets
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And the other stuff we might find lying around like sunscreen, insect repellant, citronella candles or oils can cause serious harm if we eat them.  You see, we can't read and some of these things look like they would be fun to play with.  We won't know it's not good to eat until it's too late.

Fireworks and glow sticks also look like toys but are poisonous so please make sure they are well out of reach.  Like I said before, the noise from fireworks is scarey to many pets.  So many pets get scared by fireworks that the Fourth of July is the day/night when the most pets get lost.  The loud continuous noise is so scary a dog or cat might keep running.  They are so scared that they could run so far trying to get away from the noise that they can't find their way home.  They could even run into traffic and get hit.

Please help us stay safe this Fourth of July.  I have a nice crate in an air conditioned room that is a perfect place for me to spend the Fourth.  I can have my own good food and cool water with ice in it and nap the day away.  If you don't have AC, find a nice cool room and turn on a fan. If your pet is really scared, you can call your vet today and have them give you  something to help.  There are also some good holistic treatments you can get at most pet stores. 

Wishing you (and your pets) a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Your friend Zeva

P.S.  Follow me on Twitter @zevathedog or see the pet gift baskets I designed at Laurel Mountain Basket Co