Yesterday I shared a Facebook post from and Veterinary Behavior Consultants of Alabama and Roverchase addressing the use of the sedative Acepromazine for treating firework, thunderstorm and noise phobias in dogs. The graphic from Facebook explains that “Ace” does not really resolve the dog’s anxiety and suggest you ask your veterinarian for a better, more humane alternative.
In this YouTube video [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=6-GsmrFYHKk ] Dr. Karen Overall, a veterinary behaviorist, discusses Acepromazine in a presentation for the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB). She explains why Acepromazine is not good pharmacological support for thunderstorms or noise phobias and indicates that it actually can increase noise sensitivity.
If your pets gets anxious and nervous at the sound of fireworks, start planning now on how you will keep them safe and how you will minimize their anxiety.
If you live in an area where others set off fireworks, have a conversation with those people now. Politely explain how distressing fireworks are to your pets. Ask them to either refrain from using fireworks or at least keep their use to a minimum; at times, you are not home. If you cannot reach an agreement, make sure you have the phone number of the local authorities on speed dial, and do not hesitate to make a complaint.
Talk to your veterinarian about anti-anxiety medications you may use to help your pet. In addition, over-the-counter products such as Bach Rescue Remedy, Adaptil Dog Appeasing Pheromone, and CBD-endocannabinoid-based products specifically for pets and certain essential oils, such as Lavender, may also be helpful.
According to the American Humane Association:
Ten million pets get lost every year. This is more than the population of New York City.
Of the dogs entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized, and 26% are returned to their owner.
90% of lost pets are never rehomed with their families without proper ID or microchipping.
A third of pets will get lost in their lifetime.
An estimated 2 million pets are stolen each year.
To prevent your dog from becoming lost on the 4th of July:
Please keep your dog on a leash unless inside or in a fenced yard. If people are using fireworks in your neighborhood, I recommend that you remain in the yard with your dog the entire time they are outdoors.
If you have guests in your home, ensure everyone is careful so as not to let the dog out accidentally.
Do NOT take your dog to the fireworks. They will not enjoy the experience and may become frightened and run off.
If you choose to use fireworks at your home or camp, or if you have neighbors that do so, make sure that your dog is inside, preferably in a room where they will not hear or see the fireworks.
To give your pet the best chance of being returned to you:
Please make sure that your dog is either microchipped or wearing a collar with a current, readable, and legible ID tag.
If your dog is microchipped, ensure the chip registry has your current contact information.
Keep a current photo of your pet that you can use on a “Lost Pet” poster if your pet goes missing. Make sure it’s a good photo that clearly shows any identifying characteristics of your dog.
Maintain a list of phone numbers for your local animal control organization, police department, animal shelter(s), and pet-related businesses so that you can notify them if your pet is lost. Many will happily post “Lost Pet” posters that you create.
If your dog is microchipped, contact the chip registry if they go missing. Many registries will help disseminate information about your missing dog on social media to aid recovery.
If you live in Maine, contact Maine Lost Dog Recovery via their FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/MaineLostDogRecovery), as they can be very helpful in assisting you in getting the word out about your lost dog.
If you are traveling with your pet, provide your pet with a temporary ID tag that provides local contact information for wherever you are staying.
<A version of this article was published in the June 2015 issue of the Down East Dog News>
I know, I promised this column would continue my series on pet-friendly pet care, focusing on fear-free visits to the veterinarian. I’m still researching that topic so instead I’ve decided to talk about dogs, summer and behavioral issues that often crop up this time of year.
Getting A New Puppy
Tikken on Don’s Lap
Summer is often a great time to add a puppy to the family. I know I find dealing with housetraining and those frequent trips outside much more enjoyable in the summer than the dead of winter. Additionally, due to vacation time and little or no school activities, a family often has more time to socialize, train and play with a new puppy in the summer.
Socializing and habituating your puppy to many different people and different types of people, different places and things is extremely important if you want a well-adjusted adult dog. This is often easier to accomplish in the summer due to better weather, increased free time and the fact that more people are out and about. A puppy’s critical socialization period goes from 8 weeks to 16 weeks of age. If you choose to get a puppy in the summer you want to make sure you will be at home and available to actively socialize your pup during this period. In other words, it would be a bad time to take a vacation.
Socialization is not difficult but should be actively planned so that you are making sure it is a positive experience for your puppy. For example, exposure to lots of new people in a controlled setting is good; taking your puppy to a parade, street festival, or large family gathering would likely be overwhelming and would not be a good idea. For more information on socialization, checkout the article entitled Socialization & Habituation at our website (greenacreskennel.com) in the articles section under the category dog behavior and training.
Another important lesson for a puppy to learn any time of the year is how to be alone. Dogs are social animals and most enjoy regular, predictable social contact. If that social contact is not available it can result in separation anxiety. This is often more likely to be a problem for puppies that join families during the summer as family members are home during more hours during the summer months than they may be at other times of the year. From day one you need to be leaving your puppy alone for some period of time every day. For tips on that, check out my article titled Alone Training at our website (greenacreskennel.com) in the articles section under the category dog behavior and training.
A puppy headstart class is one of the most important training classes for any new dog, no matter how many dogs you have had in the past. Summer time is a great time to enroll your puppy in their first class. The best time to start is when your puppy is 8 to 10 weeks of age.
Getting A New Dog
Summer can also be a good time to get a new adult dog simply because you will
Muppy’s First Day with Us
have more time to help your new family member to settle in to your home and your family’s routine. Just like with a puppy, you may need to do some preliminary housetraining and you will also want to make sure you teach this new dog how to be alone as well; especially if your family routine will change at the end of the summer.
All dogs benefit from training classes, even older dogs. Often dogs end up at a shelter or rescue because they have had little or no training. If you get a dog during the summer, try to schedule your vacation around their training classes so you don’t miss classes because you will be away.
Training classes are often outdoors in the summer, weather permitting, which gets you an opportunity to work more on outside types of behaviors like walking nicely on leash and coming when called.
Not all rescue dogs will be ready for a training class when you first bring them home. If you have a dog that is rather unsettled or anxious around people and/or other dogs, a group training class could be counter-productive. Two years ago when we adopted Muppy, in May, my wife and I elected to not start here in a group class until fall, after she become more acclimated to the busy hub-bub of our lives. However, if you defer starting a class until fall I would not wait until then to talk to a professional trainer to get some tips on helping your dog settle in.
Family Gatherings
Summer is a time for friends and family get-togethers, whether it is for holidays like the Fourth of July, events like family reunions or weddings or just because. Depending on your pet’s temperament, these can range from good times to scary events. These simple rules will help you keep your pet safe during the festivities.
Put your dog in his crate with a bone or favorite chew toy, at least during the most hectic times – when guests are arriving and leaving as well as when meals are being prepared and served. Make sure your guests know that they are to leave your pet alone in this situation.
Assign one adult to be in charge of each of the dogs, to watch for signs of stress and to protect the dog from unwanted attention from children. At the same time, assign one adult to supervise each baby or toddler, with no other tasks assigned to them. Make sure that ALL interactions between pets and children are supervised by an adult.
Not every dog likes every person – ALWAYS let your dog decide if they want to meet someone new.
If you are quite certain your pet will not enjoy the increased activity due to the event, or if you will be more relaxed knowing your pet is in a safe, pleasant environment, consider boarding your pet the day and night of the event.
Fireworks and the Fourth of July
Fireworks, with their loud booms and bright flashes of light can be very frightening to pets. If they’re right in your backyard or your neighbor’s backyard they can be not only be frightening but can pose a danger to our pets. Keep your pets inside during any personal firework activity. If you go someplace to see the fireworks I would advise you to leave your pet at home in a safe quiet location. They’ll be glad you did.
Last year I received more phone calls and emails from people concerned about their pet’s reaction to fireworks than ever before. I suspect most would prefer the legislature repeal the law that made the sale of fireworks legal or that municipalities would take a more vigorous approach to enacting ordinances regulating their use and then aggressively enforcing those laws. If the use of fireworks is irritating you and your pets call your selectmen and complain – even if it’s midnight or 1AM.
Next month I’ll wrap up this series with a discussion of what veterinary clinics are doing to make your pet’s visit to the vet fear-free.
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Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) in Bangor. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC) and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). He produces and co- hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show heard on The Pulse AM620 WZON and streamed at http://www.wzonradio.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. A list of upcoming shows and podcasts of past shows can be found at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.
treating firework, thunderstorm and noise phobias in dogs. The graphic from Facebook explains that “Ace” does not really resolve the dog’s anxiety and suggest you ask your veterinarian for a better, more humane alternative.
