For many Americans, Independence Day is a holiday that they look forward to all year long. A day full of swimming, BBQ’s, fireworks, and everything in between. 

Their dogs, however, might not be so on board with it. Loud explosions and huge crowds may make some dogs a bit more anxious than they normally would be. 

For this week’s post we’re going to share three easy ways to help you and your pup enjoy the holiday weekend together. 

Fireworks

It’s pretty easy to understand why a dog wouldn’t be a huge fan of fireworks. Loud explosions going off for an hour or two just outside of your home would scare anyone that didn’t completely understand what was happening. 

If you have a dog that falls into this category, be sure to keep them indoors and as far away as you can from the fireworks outside. Keep them surrounded by their favorite treats, toys, and use other noise to drown out what’s going on outside. 

For those of you that have a K9 Sport Sack, use the carrier to coddle your dog like you would a baby. There is a proven psychological effect that can help calm them down when a little bit of weight is wrapped around them and they are in close proximity to their owner. 

Another option is try using CBD to help them calm down. If you’re aren't very familiar with CBD, there are CBD options available that are vegan, gluten free, and GMO free starting at $20 USD. 

This chart will also help you with how much you should give your dog based on their weight. 

Collars and Microchips

During holiday weekends like the 4th of July, we recommend preparing for scary moments that unfortunately may happen, like your dog running off. 

One of the best and easiest ways to prepare for this is to make sure your dog’s collar has your current address, phone number, and name clearly printed on it. 

Recently, microchips have become more and more pup-ular for dog owners everywhere. They take seconds to implant and have become virtually painless for the dog. Studies have shown there is practically no chance of causing itchiness or an allergic reaction and only costs in the ballpark of $50 USD to do depending on your vet clinic. 

Should your dog run off, having a microchip is a great way to make sure that whoever finds your dog can bring it to any vet clinic, scan it quickly, and get in touch with you. 

Party During the Day

A good way to help reduce the risk of them running away or being frightened by fireworks is to have fun together during the day. This way you can tire them out before the fireworks begin and avoid going anywhere together at night. 

Using your K9 Sport Sack is a great option if you find yourself needing to go out at night (or even during the day) to have fun with family and friends and don’t want to leave your dog at home. 

The carrier will keep them off the ground that may be hot or super crowded, and being so close to them has a great calming effect as mentioned above.

Here's to wishing everyone and their pup and happy and safe Independence Day weekend from K9 Sport Sack!