Fireworks! Lightning! & Thunder! Tips to keep your dog calm:

For so many dogs, thunder, lightning & the dreaded fireworks are incredibly stressful, scary, and in their minds - total Armageddon. Here are a few tips& tricks that we do to help ease some of the nerves. Unfortunately, it's not a cure all and our beloved Jovi is still anxious during storms and July 4thbut these little tips definitely help:

1) The Thunder Shirt! We tried another version of this special compression tee shirt and it was less expensive but totally ineffective. We always put hisThunder shirt on as soon as he starts showing signs of stress, which is usually about 10 minutes before we even hear any thunder. Make sure you wrap them up nice and snug. It really does seem to help them.

2) Close the curtains. Seeing lightning and fireworks contribute to the stress of dogs. We try to eliminate or at least reduce any additional sensory experiences.

3) Figure out which room in the home is the best acoustically. It's usually a bedroom or an office. It's never the kitchen or bathroom. For us it's either our master bedroom or home office. Both of them are fully carpeted and have blinds/curtains we can close. Avoid tile, hardwood floors, lots of windows and other hard surfaces. If you don't have carpeting, you may want to invest in afew acoustic tiles and rugs that can help absorb sound.

4) Crank up some tunes! I prefer classical music but really anything that isn't too aggressive will suffice. The goal here is to drown out the storm. You can also blast the tv but I find Mozart to be more soothing than most tv shows(Sorry Steve Harvey!)

5) Love on your pooch! Now is the time to speak sweetly to your fur baby! Tell them that everything is going to be ok. Pet them and console them and even try a little scalp massage. They're panting and pacing and freaked out for a reason- they think it's the end of the world! So, a little sweet talk will help them understand that "This too shall pass".

***Some people swear by certain CBD oils and/or calming meds. I have not tried them to date, so I don't have an opinion. ***

We hope these tips help your doggy cope during a storm. And may all the storms in your world pass quickly!

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Valerie Heffron

Host of Professionals & Animal Lovers Show