How to Prepare Your Dog for Fireworks

Fireworks are supposed to mean celebration, but for many animals and pet owners, it can mean stress and anxiety. It's time to put an end to that! With July 4th right around the corner, I want to show you how to prepare your dog for fireworks, and to make sure your dog stays calm!

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[CesarMillanOfficial]

YouTube family! I hope you had a safe, wonderful fourth of July! What did you learn? Make sure to share this video with anyone who you think could use a little extra help for their animal friends!

[lakshmi_mullapudi]

That moment when your neighborhood has fireworks not only on July 4th but also, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I’m getting so many headaches from all the barking lol

[jonwarland]

I love seeing Cesar talking while the dogs walk around him just doing their thing.

[carrie_lol]

The sight of dogs freely roaming in the background during Cesar's solo lecture was pure joy 😎

[mrdexter]

Hi Cesar, ive sent my (nervous of fireworks) dog to sleep during a big fireworks display by giving her a deep massage on her back. No rewarding long strokes but deep massage. She has remembered the experience and is no longer bothered about fireworks. I was paying attention next couple of times we had fireworks to give her a quick taste of calm massage and now she is fine with them. One dog at a time. Big fan.

[tonyc]

Hey Cesar!!!! I work with dogs everyday and have been watching you for years...can’t tell you how much you have taught me!!! I gotta hang out with you one day!!! Bucket list

[tawnya]

I moved to the middle of nowhere. My nearest neighbors are four miles away. I don't hear fireworks on July 4th and that's how I like it.

[OneStepBeyond]

I just want to thank you so much! Long walk, put on calming jacket early and fed food during fireworks and it worked like a charm. Thank you!!! ❤

[nepadron]

ive learned to act totally calm during fireworks and thunderstorms, and it seems like the dogs first look to me and how I react before they themselves react. They are both very old dogs -- but I understand how hard it is to try and desensitize pets to something that happens for a few days max each year.
We didnt come out of the womb enjoying loud bangs and explosions -- we all cried at first as babies. It was a desensitization by our guardians and an understanding that these things were ok and not harmful, same as we need to do with dogs.
*you know we'd cry like babies at loud bangs and explosions if they weren't something very natural to us, too*

[TheBellamarley]

Agreed. I take my 4 rescue dogs for a 3 hour strenuous hike/swim, and as long as I blast the white noise, they sleep right through the fireworks.

[yourconnection]

I hope this video reaches many people so they're able to help their dogs stay calm during fireworks. About talking your dog for a 2 hour walk prior to the fireworks, people need to have common sense and know that elderly dogs or dogs with leg or hip problems, would not be able to go on long walks.

[carolgiangreco]

Cesar Millan's directions not only apply to relate to dogs but how to raise children. Beautiful. Thank you.

[ravinashsoomarchun]

Thank you very much Cesar for sharing these precious pieces of information!

[brooklynnchick]

Cesar, I have always admired the way you marry your love of animals with your gifted counseling of humans. I also admire you because you never condemn, you coach! I read all your books before bringing a Boxer puppy, named Mouse, into my family because I wanted to be the best owner I could for her. Mouse is 13 years old now and probably the chillest dog in a thousand miles on July 4th, because of the advice in your books. Thanks for coming to the U.S, thanks for sharing your wisdom and gift with us.

[sheshickey]

Exercise, discipline, affection. The secret sauce for emotionally healthy humans too.

[tamgsmith]

What I learned: start with a sound that has a calming effect on everyone involved. Also, before the actual fireworks, get pups desensitized to loud noises prior to the actual event. Thank you, Cesar.

[lauralshobbies]

Thank you, Ceaser! I'm currently dog sitting for a family who has a rescue and she's terrified of everything. This will help me out with keeping her and her sister keep calm

[ABOWDEN]

Thank you so much for this video my dogs are terrified of 4th of July! I feel so bad every year

[sortathesame]

Thank you for all you do to help us learn to help our furred friends! I posted this on my neighborhood newsletter. Every year there are about half a dozen dogs escaping in the three or so days of fireworks in my area and hopefully this will prevent some of that. We usually find them all, but that is just because we have an excellent program for getting info about lost animals spread through the neighborhood. I will post it again next year a bit earlier so people have time to make preparations, but at least this year they will understand how to work with the thunder coat, get in an extra long walk and react more calmly themselves and that should help to some degree!

[Vixnart]

I love the idea of switching back and forth from the relaxing sounds to the stressful sounds, when the stressful sounds become too much.