Unconventional ways to distract dogs from fireworks
Unconventional ways to distract dogs from fireworks
The fireworks show is fun to hear and see — unless you own a dog
Even though I celebrate Juneteenth instead of the Fourth of July, there is one part of this federal holiday that I have always enjoyed while driving on Lake Shore Drive or poking my head out of the window: fireworks. (The fireworks show at the Taste of Chicago was my favorite thing to do every year since high school before former Mayor Rahm Emanuel canceled them in 2011.)
But in 2020, when the unemployment rate is more than 30 million since March and people have too much free time on their hands, the fireworks have become a bit much. After trying to justify that it was latecomers to Juneteenth, I ran out of excuses by the 21st. Do you know how many fireworks have to be let off for America to “run out” of them? Dog owners do.
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The average adult human cannot hear sounds above 20,000 Hertz (Hz), according to American Kennel Club. (Young children have the ability to hear a bit higher though.) However, dogs can hear sounds as high as 47,000 to 65,000 Hz. So those nonstop fireworks outside of your window that almost made you jump out of your skin are two to three times louder than a dog.
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So what can you do to block it out? By now, you may already know the tips and tricks of turning on loud music, the air conditioner or fan, and closing windows. And don’t do anything stupid like the fireworks scene in this book “Brave,” in which a boy and his friend tried to film a watermelon and fireworks prank to go viral. Never leash your dog outside while you’re setting of fireworks.
Outside of common-sense things to avoid, here are a few unconventional ways to keep your dog distracted and to have a less pet-stressful Fourth of July.
