As the 4th of July approaches, many of us look forward to celebrating with barbecues, parades, and of course, fireworks. However, our furry friends may not share our enthusiasm for these loud, booming displays. For many dogs, fireworks can be a source of significant stress and anxiety. To ensure a safe and comfortable holiday for your beloved pets, we’ve put together some tips to help keep your dog as calm as possible during the fireworks.

Several years ago, I was caring for a couple of dogs (I won’t share details here for privacy purposes), for several days in a row. The owner did not tell me where they were going, they just booked a few days of visits for their dogs. I was sending regular updates, but never heard back from them, and one day I asked a question in my update, which they never responded to. I followed up, and still nothing.