I have always had a thing for a great firework display. The whole sitting on a blanket staring up at a summer sky or writing my name in the air with a sparkler just makes me smile. But there are a great many dogs who do not share that enthusiasm and can take up a lot of insane behaviors when scared.
Lucky for me, Karma could care less. However, my previous dog, Dugan, was terrified. I remember the exact day it started, too. It was July 3 and a neighbor was shooting off fireworks for his son’s birthday. Unfortunately they were practically in the backyard so the noises were up close.
This is when Dugan would sit on my head. Yup. Since fireworks work best in the dark, we were already tucked in for the night and he decided the safest place was by my head. Poor baby literally didn’t know what to do.
Ah, but Dugan was really smart – in this case, too smart. He transferred his fear of fireworks to thunder. And then figured out that lightening preceded thunder so he became afraid of that as well, even if there was no clap to follow. The ultimate transference happened when we moved to San Francisco right outside a (electric) bus stop. If you’ve ever been to SanFran you know that the busses “zap” and create mini “lightening.” Now I had a dog afraid of electric busses.
Today I would do what I do best and throw money at the problem. My friends at AgileDogs Rock!! sell a great new product called “Thundershirts” that the dog wears like a type of dog coat. It works by gently applying pressure and creating a “squeezing” effect which is scientifically proven to calm animals and people. (Think Temple Grandin and her squeeze shoots)
Other ways to help
- Keep you dog physically away from the fireworks or thunder as much as possible. A quiet place in the house, a safe corner, a favorite bed in just the perfect spot can all help to reduce anxiety.
- Turn on the lights, turn up some soothing music and create other distractions. Try playing games or doing other activities the dog enjoys.
- Incorporate Bach Flower Remedies which have formulas for specific situations like this.
- Be sure your pet is wearing ID in case he decides to make a run for it.
What about Dugan? Well since he was such a smarty-pants, he eventually figured out that “bus lightening” didn’t mean that thunder would follow. As a matter of fact, that micro-climate rarely has thunderstorms so he came to decouple the lightening from the thunder. Once that happened, he sort of just let the thunder go. Of course, he was 12 at the time!
When times are tough you have to be more creative about how to cut corners and let’s face it, sometimes those morning lattes are a necessity, not a luxury!
Yet so often we put our pets’ needs ahead of our own. Truth is, there are ways to save and your pooch will never be the wiser!
Coupons | look for coupons, discount codes and free samples everywhere – online, magazines, stores, facebook, twitter and in the mail. Also, with a little effort you can often find free samples of your favorite products.
Bulk Up | Whenever you can buy in volume or buy packages. Some places offer deals for buying quantity and some service providers (like groomers) offer packages which will offer savings.
Shop Smarter | Look around for deals. Chances are you have gotten into habits about where you shop when in fact, there may be a better deal out there is another store or online.
Join Up | Loyalty programs reward repeat purchases so check to see if the brands you buy or the stores you frequent have such benefits.
Time It Right | Pay attention to when the sales occur. Join mailing lists to find out about sales at your favorite stores or of preferred brands.
Ignore the Calendar | Your dog doesn’t know that it’s not cool to play with a Santa toy in April so look for items post-holiday – they will be on sale.
Share | Often what you’re eating for dinner is a great treat for your pooch. Treats don’t have to be dog cookies, they can be blueberries or apples – anything healthy. Just don’t create a beggar – be sure to feed “people” food away from where you eat and certainly not while you’re eating it.
Tell Your Friends | Get in the habit of telling friends about the deals you find. Pretty soon they will be telling you about deals, too!
Most importantly, remember that it all adds up. Just $15 pays for a night at a great campground! I’m sure your dog wouldn’t mind playing with Santa if he knew he could be in the woods!!
You already know exercise is key for your dog. But exercise combined with mental challenges is even more effective. Have you ever noticed that your dog is more tired after a tough class than an hour walk in the park? It’s because your best pal needs to think his way through the task at hand not just mindlessly sniffing and playing.
My very favorite reason to build this type of engagement with your pup is just that – engagement! Working together builds that all-important bond while increasing confidence in both of you!
Here are several ways you can amp-up your exercise regime. Hopefully it will give you even more ideas:
Active commands | “Pushups” or “Puppy Pushups” are a great example of combining physical movement with thinking and general control. Have your dog begin in a “sit” then ask for a “down” then have him push up back into a sit. You’re conditioning muscles and mind while creating a great distraction behavior to use next time you’re waiting in the vet’s office.
Aerobics | Maybe not Jane Fonda style, but your pup needs to get his cardio on regularly. Just like you, your dog’s body gets used to the usual lap around the neighborhood and it can cease to be much of a workout over time. Vary the lengths, speed and intensity regularly.
Fun in the rain | Well not in the rain but while the weather is yucky bring a little agility indoors. Jumping through a hula-hoop started close to the ground can be another way to combine physical and mental challenges. Just watch the breakables and do not do this on bare, slippery floors!
Tag, you’re it! | Want to strengthen those recalls and improve cardio? Work distance recalls and increase the speed at which your dog returns to you. Leave the dog in a sit/down/stay position and go out only as far as you think your dog can be successful. Call your dog (or whatever your recall command is). Only when he starts to come and get closer do you turn and run, increasing distance and speed over time. Reward the dog only when they run to you, not by you! You’ll get faster and more consistent recalls and get those hearts beating (both of you!).
Get into the box | One of the best “shaping” exercises you can do – indoors, too – is interacting with a plain ol’ cardboard box. With the top of the box open, reward your dog for stepping in it – front feet, back feet, all feet. Then flip the box over and have him put his front paw(s) on it, then back feet then (depending on the size of your latest UPS delivery) all feet. The idea is to reward the dog for interacting with objects on his own. Not until they reliably do a behavior do you start to name it. The hardest part is not luring them, but letting them offer up behaviors in an attempt to earn the treat. Now if Karma even sees a box he will start offering me behaviors with it.
I work a bunch of these things into our daily lives. Often I will “announce” one of these ultra-short sessions with the question, “Do you want a chance to earn?” Guess what the answer is?
We can’t emphasize the importance of looking out for your best friend during this summer heat! From our friend at About.com, here are some quick tips. For more information, read our 3-part series.
If your dog is showing the first signs of heat exhaustion, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, the first thing you must do is remove him from the confining area. Nine times out of ten, heat exhaustion occurs while the dog is confined, whether it is in a car, crate, or doghouse.
Take the dog to shade, and soak him with cool water. Do NOT use extremely cold or iced water. This will cause blood vessels to constrict and will stop the heat from escaping.
You can apply ice packs to the areas underneath his front legs, and to the groin area for rapid blood cooling. Give your dog enough water to wet his mouth and throat, but do NOT allow your dog to drink copious amounts!
Take your dog’s temperature, this is done anally to get the most accurate reading.
Prepare your dog for transport to the nearest emergency animal clinic.
Do NOT cover your dog, even with a cold towel. This will prevent the heat from escaping.
Do NOT place him back in his crate, but keep him with you, with windows down and air conditioning on high, to allow evaporation which will aid in the cooling process.
Yes, there is also a danger that dog can become too cold. Monitor the temperatures and stop the cooling process as soon as your dog’s temperature reads normally again.
Continue on the vet’s, your dog is not saved yet!
If you’ve been following us on Facebook then you know that our very own Julie got a shout out on the Browns Automotive Group Blog. We love getting mentions in the blogosphere and Julie earned hers due to the car trouble she ran into on a recent trip from Michigan back to Virginia. I ran into my own car trouble just the weekend prior on a trip from Upstate New York south to Virginia, so now I think we might be the leading experts in juggling car care and dog care enroute.
About half way through my 500 mile drive I watched the various warning indicators illuminate one by one on my dash – battery light, ABS, airbag, on and on. About that same time my air conditioning quit, which was a huge concern since I’m very vigilant about keeping Cannon cool on any summer ride. As I was looking for an exit that indicated any type of civilization my car started lurching bit as it struggled to accelerate up a small hill. I called my hubby so someone knew just where I was and so I could talk through a plan of attack.
Just minutes later I was off the interstate, sitting in a restaurant parking lot and thinking about a tow cause my car was now not starting. My very first concern through all of this was how to keep Cannon safe and comfortable. I got him out of the hot car and into the shade. I pulled out his travel bowl and filled it with water. We hung out in the shade, called Geico for that tow which I made sure would accommodate me and an 80lb dog. We worked through which auto shop was nearby and open on a Sunday afternoon and even what hotels were close which would accommodate dogs, because who knows how long this adventure could last.
A new alternator and four hours later I was grateful for the kindness of strangers (especially the PepBoys that let Cannon and I hang out inside their shop for all that time) and for being prepared for those road side troubles you just can’t foresee. Check out the following list to keep you and your pup just a little safer if you have troubles on the road this summer.
- Keep your cellphone charged. Your car charger won’t help you if your car has no juice.
- Know who call in the case of an emergency and know their number. You may not always be close to home – does your auto insurance company provide roadside assistance?
- Carry a basic emergency kit in your vehicle. Include a flashlight for night time breakdowns.
- Pack enough water for both you and your dog to keep you hydrated for several hours. Include travel bowl for your pup… it’s funny but frustrating to get him to drink out of the bottle : )
- Travel with a leash at all times.
- Add an extra scoop or two in your dog’s travel bag. You never know when you’ll need an extra day of travel.
- Have a power bar or two in your own travel bag to keep yourself going on the road.
- Store a blanket in the car. It’s good for keeping warm on a cold day or creating shade on a hot one.
Also, we highly recommend checking out that blog post by Browns Automotive Group, it could save you and your pup a lot of stress during vacation season.
