9 Tips to Keep Your Puppy Calm This Fourth of July

We all love our little furballs, but sometimes those furballs don’t like the things we like, such as: sleeping in, taking baths, and playing with fireworks. If your little pupper is afraid of fireworks, it’s totally normal, so we’re here to tell you exactly what you can do to keep your little doggos happy and healthy this 4th of July.

1. Create a safe space: Your puppy needs comfort, so put them in a bedroom or their crate with some familiar favorites: toys, treats, maybe even a shirt that smells like you for additional comfort.
   
   
2. Tire them out: On the morning of the Fourth of July, take your dog for an extra long walk, tire yourselves out so you don’t have the energy to freak out over fireworks.
   
   
3. Block all exits!: Make sure your dog can’t escape. Lock doors, cover dog doors, close fences, just make sure your dog can’t make a run for it if it gets suddenly spooked. 
   
   
4. Cook them a fancy feast: If you’re staying home alone for the Fourth of July, bond with your puppy. Make your dog a fancy meal and train/treat your dog throughout the night so they're focused on food instead of the loud noises. 
   
   
5. Anxiety vest, FTW: If your dog is already prone to anxiety, you might want to invest in an anxiety vest (yep, they exist) for your pupper. You can also get a weighted blanket for yourself and then you can match…. More on that later.
   
   
6. Ignore the fireworks (if possible): Pretend like it’s any other evening and don’t jump every time your neighbor sets one off. Your dog will notice your emotions and feel calmer because they feel safe knowing you’re not scared. 
   
   
7. Distract them: Turn on the TV or radio, grab a squeaky toy, anything to take their mind off the 1812 Overture going on outside. YouTube also has 24/7 dog anxiety streams so your dog can be soothed even when you’re not home. 
   
   
8. Close the blinds: Part of the shock factor is seeing the bright, flashing lights, if you have blackout curtains, use them. If your dog doesn’t see the flashing, the noise on its own is less overwhelming. 
   
   
9. Matchy Matchy: You can help your doggo feel not so alone this 4th by dressing alike. Just so happens we at Keep Exploring have made a matching “Hold me I’m scared” bandana bundle for you and your puppy.  The human bandana reminds you to “keep exploding” while the dog version reminds people to “hold me, I’m scared.” 

You can find individual t-shirts and more 4th themed things throughout our site. Happy birthday America, and Happy 4th of July everybody!