Some Pet Tips for this 4th of July Holiday

Fireworks, picnics and other Fourth of July traditions can be great fun for people; but all of the festivities can be frightening and even dangerous for animals. Noisy fireworks and other celebrations can startle animals and cause them to run away; holiday foods can be unhealthy; summer heat and travel can be dangerous; and potentially dangerous debris can end up lying on the ground where pets can eat or play with it. On and around the Fourth of July, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) sees an increase in calls concerning pets who have ingested fireworks, or are having issues due to the loud noises they make.

Whether or not you’re planning your own Independence Day celebration, it’s important to take precautions to keep your pets safe both during and after the July 4th festivities.

Preparing in advance:

1. Make sure your pets – cats and dogs alike – have identification tags with up-to-date information. If you have horses, you might consider marking a safety (breakaway) halter with your contact information and leaving it on your horse during this stressful time.
2. If your pets aren’t already microchipped, talk with your veterinarian about microchipping. This simple procedure can greatly improve your chances of getting your pets back if they become lost.
3. If your pets are microchipped, make sure your contact information in the microchip registry is up-to-date.
4. Take a current photo of all of your cats, dogs and horses – just in case.
5. If your pet has historically been anxious on this holiday, or if you have reason to expect potentially harmful reactions, consider behavioral therapy to desensitize your pet and reduce the risk of problems. Some pets may need medication. Consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist.
6. Make sure the environment is safe and secure. If your neighbors set off fireworks at an unexpected time, is your yard secure enough to keep your pet contained? Are pasture fences secure enough to keep horses or other livestock confined? Evaluate your options, and choose the safest area for your animals; and make improvements if needed to make the area more secure.

Safety during July 4th celebrations:

1. Leave your pets at home when you go to parties, fireworks displays, parades and other gatherings. Loud fireworks, unfamiliar places and crowds can all be very frightening to pets, and there’s great risk of pets becoming spooked and running away.
2. Consider putting your pets in a safe, escape-proof room or crate during parties and fireworks.
3. Keep horses and livestock in safely fenced areas and as far from the excitement and noise as possible.
4. If you’re hosting guests, ask them to help keep an eye on your pets to make sure they don’t escape. Placing notes on exit doors and gates can help both you and your guests remain vigilant.
5. Keep your pets inside if you or your neighbors are setting off fireworks.
6. Keep sparklers, glow sticks, fireworks, charcoal and kabob skewers away from curious pets.
7. Don’t let pets get near your barbecue grill while it is in use or still hot.
8. Avoid the urge to feed your pets table scraps or other foods intended for people. Be especially careful to keep them away from these common foods that are actually toxic.
9. Remember that too much sun and heat (and humidity!) can be dangerous to pets. Keep them inside when it’s extremely hot/humid; make sure they have access to shady spots and plenty of water when outdoors; don’t leave them outside for extended periods in hot weather; and know the signs that a pet may be overheating.
10. Never leave your pet in your car, especially when it’s warm outside. Vehicle interiors heat up much faster than the air around them, and even a short time in a locked car can be dangerous to pets.  Even when the temperature outside is a balmy 72 degrees, the temperature inside your car can rocket to a fatal 116 degrees in less than an hour’s time.
11. If you’re travelling out of town for the holiday, consider leaving your pets at home with a pet sitter or boarding them in a kennel. If you need to bring them with you, be sure you know how to keep them safe.
12. Follow safe food handling and hygiene practices to protect your family and guests.

If your pet has a fear of or aversion to loud noises:

1. Something as simple as turning on some soft music and moving your pet into an interior room with no windows can be helpful.
2. An anxiety vest may work in some cases—if you don’t have one, try a snugly fitting t-shirt.
3. If you and your veterinarian do decide that anti-anxiety mediation is your pet’s best bet, there are a few things to remember. First and foremost, give a practice dose of the medication before the big night to see how your pet responds to the medication. Second, never share the medication with another pet or give more than the recommended amount. If you do, you may end up spending the holiday at your local veterinary emergency clinic.
4. While noise phobias are not as common in cats, they can and do happen. Fortunately, cats tend to hide when frightened. Checking in on your cats, having some quiet music on and keeping them indoors during the height of the fireworks is always a good idea.

After the celebrations:

1. Check your yard for fireworks debris before allowing pets outside to play or relax. Even if you didn’t set off fireworks yourself, debris can make its way into your yard, where curious animals may pick it up to play with or eat.
2. Check your pastures and remove debris to protect horses and livestock.
3. If you hosted guests, check both your yard and home for food scraps or other debris that might be dangerous to pets, such as food skewers.

Check out our website for some Calming Aids for Pets that will help stressful situations such as fireworks, thunderstorms, travel, etc! www.mickeyspetsupplies.com

Kong Stuffing Ideas; Including one for Calming

Everyone knows the famous Kong toys and their amazing ability to keep our dogs entertained and out of trouble. But how many of us are aware of the many incredible ways you can stuff your dogs Kong to keep him from getting bored? Most of us are used to stuffing Kong's with our dogs kibble or canned dog food, maybe some of our dogs favorites treats, and then topping it off with some peanut butter, but did you know there are dozens of other yummy and healthy foods you can use as well? Let's go over just a few examples!

Apples, Bananas, Cheerios, Cheese, Baby Food, Cream Cheese, Tuna, Yogurt (plain, lowfat, unsweetened, unflavored), peaches, and so much more! We'll list a few fun and delicious Kong stuffing recipes to get you started!

Calming Kong
Ingredients: A portion of your dog's normal kibble, about a dessertspoon of cottage cheese, a chunk of banana (about an inch thick)

Method: Half fill the Kong with kibble, then spoon in most of the cottage cheese. Holding your hand over the large opening, shake the Kong to coat the kibble in the cottage cheese. Add some more kibble, packing it in well, then top with the remainder of the cottage cheese before plugging the large opening with the banana.

Food Fact: Cottage cheese contains a good source of the protein amino-acid 'casein' which the body converts into naturally occurring opioids that have a calming affect. This is especially useful to help separation distressed dogs to feel more relaxed when alone. Bananas are also thought to have a calming affect.

Fun Kong Stuffers

1. Combine bran cereal with some peanut butter for a good source of fiber.
2. Plain Yogurt and mashed bananas. (You can also add a little peanut butter or other fruits). Then freeze it.
3. Combine some plain yogurt, canned pumpkin, and cooked rice in a small baggie. Mix well inside the bag, then snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the Kong toy. Freeze.
4. Combine applesauce with chunks of fruit. Freeze.
5. Soak some of your dog's regular food in water (or chicken/beef broth) for a brief time before placing it inside a Kong. Then freeze. (Great for dogs with allergies)

Stop by and see all the Kong products Mickey's has to offer plus all the other great toys and treats! We offer free shipping on orders of $75 and very low cost shipping on orders under $75.

Take $5 off $40 with coupon code KONGBLOG 

at checkout.

Separation Anxiety in dogs and how to help them overcome it

Does your dog have a hard time being left home alone? Do they bark, whine, or chew? There are many reasons why a dog might develop problems when home alone.

• ·         They may never have been left alone before, or have never been separated from a particular person.
• ·         There could be something the dog is scared of or worried by either inside the house or outside.
• ·         An animal companion has passed away.
• ·         Boredom. This typically affects young, energetic dogs who struggle when left to their own devices.

How can you tell if your dog is not coping well at home alone? If your dog is anxious about being left you may see the following:

• ·         Your dog becomes distressed as soon as you leave. The first 15 minutes are the worst, during which time your dog becomes extremely upset. They could have increased breathing, panting, salivating, increased activity, and sometimes, a need to go to the bathroom. They may try to follow you out the door, scratch at the door, chew the door-frame, scratch the carpet, or jump up at the windowsill. You dog may also bark, whine, or howl to try to persuade you to come back.
• ·         After this frantic period, the dog my settle down to chew something that you have recently touched that still carries your scent. Dogs will often chew scented items into small pieces and curl up in the debris so that your dog forms a ‘barrier’ of your scent around them for security.
• ·         On your return, your dog my appear elated and may become very excitable. They may be wet, either from salivating or excessively drinking due to stress.
• ·         When you are home, your dog may attempt to follow you wherever you go in the house. They may begin to display anxious behaviors when they see you preparing to leave the house.

How can you help your dog?

Treating separation anxiety is about teaching your dog to tap into new emotions when left alone that will alleviate their anxiety.  It can be a very daunting, time consuming, and boring behavior problem to address, but your dog is worth it. He is counting on you to help him through this trauma.

Complete obedience training. Dogs that have a strong foundation in obedience training statistically have a lower frequency of anxiety-related problems.  The more a dog is able to obey his owner and do what his owner wants him to do, the more the dog feels comfortable, safe, and more confident in himself.

Help him prepare for the inevitable. Your dog will most likely learn to recognize when you are about to leave: you put on shoes, you grab your keys, and you don a jacket. Hide cues that you are leaving so you’re dog isn’t able to infer you’re about to head out.  Whatever you normally do when you leave, try doing it but then sit down and watch tv for a while. This will show your dog that those are not necessarily signs that his owner is leaving him and he will become less tuned to those actions. Give him a treat before closing the door so your departure is associated with something positive.

Take it slow. When your dog has severe separation anxiety, you want to take things in baby steps. Start leaving your dog alone for a couple minutes at a time and get him used to that. You can then gradually bump up the time-frame. The more consistent you are with this training, the better luck you should have with easing your pet’s anxiety. If you know that you will be gone for a long while, you might consider having a friend or family member come and stay with your dog or take him to their home for that time period; this way your dog will have someone with him and will not need to feel as stressed about the separation. You may also consider hiring a dog walker to visit your pooch in the middle of the time frame you are gone if you are, for instance, working all day. This will give your pup someone to keep him company for a while and he will also get some exercise which will help calm him down.

Why punishment won’t help

It is natural for owners to be angry or disappointed if they return to find damage to their home, mess in the house or annoyed neighbors. Sensing that their owners are upset with them, many dogs will display ‘appeasement behavior’ – their ears may go flat, their body may be lowered and their tail may go between their legs. Some will look away and narrowing their eyes, as if they are cringing .

Appeasement behavior is often misinterpreted as guilt, and mistakenly some owners believe the dog knows what they have done is wrong. They may feel that any damage caused or mess in the house has been done on purpose or out of spite for being left alone. Unfortunately, this may mean that the dog is punished in an attempt to stop the behavior.

Dogs that look guilty are doing nothing more than responding to an owner’s disappointment, upset or anger and it is their way of diffusing tension in response to feeling threatened. Some dogs will also do this if they think they are about to be told off if they have been so in the past. 

Any punishment given on returning home won’t help stop the problem. Dogs associate punishment with what they are doing at that moment in time and so a dog will not link the telling off with their actions before their owner came home, even if they are taken over to ‘the scene of the crime’. It is not that they cannot remember what happened; they just won’t be able to make a connection between the punishment and something they did hours ago.

Punishment is not only useless but it is also likely to make the problem worse. Now, as well as being anxious about being left, a dog will also be worried about the owner returning, which can make any symptoms much, much worse.

Where can you find items to help with separation anxiety?

Mickey's Pet Supplies has many different chew toys and training treats to help you and your dog get through this difficult trial. We recommend Kong toys and Antlers to keep your pup busy while your gone. We also recommend treats from Cloud Star, Fruitables, and Zuke's to fill the Kong toys and to help with obedience training.