​Happy fourth of July weekend pups! 

So, I’ve been offline here for awhile…heheh…oops. But I’m back, and I’ve got some helpful tips to keep you and all your loved ones safe this weekend!!

First and foremost, please don’t drink and drive! If you drink, don’t drive…call a cab. use an uber…get a designated driver!

Let’s talk about some safety tips for parents of babies and young kids!

It’s summer, most of the country is really hot, humid and sunny out right now. So, it’s no doubt going to be a scorcher this holiday weekend – and when it’s hot…it can get uncomfortable quickly. And uncomfortable kids can make for a bad day.

First, before you even go anywhere, make sure your kids have eaten something healthy. Food is fuel.
 
  If you plan on being out all day, pack healthy snacks like trail mix, nuts, granola bars, fruit snacks or even some sandwiches!!
  Avoid things that would spoil left in the heat too long such as yogurt, ice cream or popsicles.
   Pack refillable water bottles, a quick tip- fill a water bottle for each person the night before and place them into the freezer. The next morning you will have something to keep your other waters cool, but also an extra water bottle to drink once that thaws out! 

If you want, you can add some lemon slices to one of the bottles, or Strawberry and kiwi slices!
You won’t have to worry about your kids being dehydrated, or overloading on artificial sugar which can makes them hyper, and cranky when they crash halfway through the day.

Next, sunscreen. Even if it’s going to be cloudy or overcast, put sunscreen on them, and yourself. Pack them a hat and/or sunglasses. Dress them in lighter clothing and comfortable shoes! 

For later on that night, if you have young children, toddlers, newborns and you decide to stick around for a fireworks display – Please, protect their ears!

 Their eardrums are fragile and can burst (which if you weren’t aware, is EXTREMELY painful!) 

The older school age children, should ideally wear earplugs!!! 

Newborns, infants, toddlers should be at home, away from fireworks by this time. 

If you have a pair of noise cancelling industrial ear protecting headphones, then you can put those on their ears….but the best advice is to take them home. 

There will be plenty more fourth of July fireworks to take them to once they are older, there really isn’t much benefit to taking them when they are young. 

You may not see the harm you’re doing, but children’s eardrums are three times more sensitive than an adult eardrum and twice as likely to rupture from loud noises(i.e. fireworks, gunshots). We’ve all seen fireworks displays, and taking a young child to a fireworks display is really not worth damaging their long term hearing health.

Same thing goes for pets!(dogs especially) Every year, my local fourth of July celebration starts with an early morning parade…and the amount of dogs I see walking around on the hot blacktop, is astounding. 

Animals overheat just like humans do, only faster. On account of their fur coats, and they don’t have sweat glands. That’s why they pant, to cool their internal body temperature. 

So if you bring your animals to a celebration, bring plenty of water for them and some snacks, don’t EVER leave an animal in a car unattended with the engine off. The inside of a car even with the windows cracked. Even just a minute spent locked inside a car,the internal temperature can skyrocket. 

Remember, if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for your pet. 

Let’s talk about keeping your pet safe during a fireworks display. 

Did you know, more animals go missing during the week of July 4th than any other week of the year. 

That’s because dogs and cats can be so frightened by fireworks that they bolt and get lost. Follow these tips for a safe and fun 4th of July with your four-legged best friend.

 1. Don’t take pets to parades/celebrations/fireworks displays or leave pets unattended outside. Dogs trying to escape the noises can become panicked, scale fences they never did before, or injure themselves by becoming entangled in ropes. They can end up lost miles from home, suffer heat exhaustion, or get hit by a car.

2. Exercise pets early in the day and put them inside in a quiet place before the fireworks start. Keep your windows closed so that less noise and vibrations are able to enter your house.

3. Check your pet’s collar now, for updated ID tag and dog license, before he gets lost! If your pet does become lost, please visit the closest shelter (and surrounding counties shelters, when spooked, animals can travel very far!!!) to file a lost pet report and come back every day to look for your pet. Call your local dog warden, animal control or dog pound; provide a detailed description of your pet, their name and a contact number for you in the event they are picked up.

And lastly, be mindful of your neighbours/friends/family who may be veterans or active duty service members with PTSD. If you are going to be having fireworks at your place of residence, be shooting firearms or having a loud party; notify your neighbours so they may be able to make the appropriate arrangements if they need to. Anyone with PTSD, can be triggered by loud fireworks or gunshots into having an anxiety attack or flashbacks which can result in confusion/harm to themselves or loved ones.

Alright, those are my tips for a safe and happy fourth of July holiday weekend! Stay safe, and have fun! 🐾