Holiday Edition: Making 4th of July Fun and Safe for our Furry Friends!
With 4th of July weekend right around the corner lots of people will be taking part in fun get-togethers, eating delicious food, and watching marvelous fireworks displays. While all of those get-togethers, good food and fireworks displays are fun for us humans, our canine friends may need a little extra consideration on this particular weekend to keep them safe and happy! This post will cover 4th of July specific safety tips to ensure that everyone (human and canine alike) has a fun, relaxed weekend! 
During this holiday (along with others) it is important to try and keep pets on their normal diet and avoid giving them too many extra treats. It’s hard—we know, but if you think about it, changes in diet can lead to dogs having indigestion and diarrhea. Remember that there are certain foods that may be consumed on the 4th of July such as chocolate, other candies, avocados, onions and grapes that can all be potentially toxic if ingested by dogs. It is also important to keep alcoholic beverages out of reach from your dog. Alcohol is a poison for dogs and ingestion can cause severe intoxication leading to potentially hazardous side effects.
Fireworks displays are always fun to watch, but it is important to keep fireworks a safe distance from your dog. Lit fireworks can cause severe burns, and unlit fireworks pose a threat if accidentally ingested.If you plan to attend a firework show somewhere; it may be best to keep your pets at home during the show. Fireworks are loud and shows tend to be crowded, neither of which are very fun for even the most socialized of dogs! Some dogs may become panicked by the loud sound fireworks make, which might cause them to try and escape to find safety. Instead, try to keep your dog in a quiet area of your home that is comfortable for them. It may help to leave some music or the TV on to help cover up some noise made by any nearby fireworks displays, and make your dog feel more at ease.
Just as you don’t like getting sunburnt or bitten up by pesky mosquitoes, your canine friend would rather avoid that as well. To help them stay un-bit and un-burnt you should use insect repellent and sunscreen on your dogs during summer months, but avoid using any that isn’t specified for use on animals. Both of these products contain ingredients that may be harmful to domestic animals. 
Speaking of those pesky mosquitos—they sure can be a nuisance during the summer and citronella provides great control for them. BUT, just as with fireworks, keep citronella insect control a safe distance from your dogs. Citronella oils, candles and other repellents are irritating if inhaled by dogs, and occasionally can cause respiratory pneumonia.We hope these tips help you and your dog have a fun, safe and relaxing 4th of July weekend! As always, if you have any questions about this material, feel free to ask any member of The Dog Den staff! 