4th of July Holiday for us -- NIGHTMARE for our Akitas!

I like fireworks as much as the next person. Safe, handled-by-professional fireworks set off way far from my house. But for some reason, there is always someone wanting to set off fireworks in the street, late at nite, or even all afternoon if they can get away with it in neighborhoods and mine is no different.

In the past, I've lived so far out in the country at the two different kennel locations that we were never bothered by fireworks. But now we are in a neighborhood where people think that New Year's Eve and 4th of July are their own personal holidays during which every conceivable noise MUST be made.

Last nite, not even 4th of July YET technically, at 11:48pm, someone right in front of my house, set off a string of loud fireworks up and down the street. They went on and on -- I don't know who set them off but of course by the time the police showed up, it was all over, no one caught.

Poor Zeus trembled and hid in his crate. Having lived his whole life in a kennel run in the country, then at the kennel out in the country with ARWNY for the last year, he has never likely heard anything like this. HE DID NOT LIKE IT! And neither did I!
So -- a word to the wise! More dogs become strays during 4th of July than any other time of the year -- because they BOLT FOR FREEDOM when hearing these loud noises!

So peruse a few of these websites and get some good ideas for helping your pet to handle the stress - and to make sure YOUR pet isn't one of the statistics this year:

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/environment/pets-at-risk-from-july-4th-fireworks

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/summer_care_tips_for_you_and_your_pets/keep_your_pet_safe_on_july_4th.html

http://animals.change.org/blog/view/fourth_of_july_fireworks_are_no_picnic_for_pets

On yet another 4th of July note -- PLEASE do not expect your Akita to have fun at family picnics. Heck, I don't have fun at them. But its super unfair to expect that your Akita will want to be around a bunch of strangers who will want to thud him on the head, push him around, eat in front of him, possibly tease him or get in his face with their obnoxious behavior. PLEASE PLEASE leave your Akita at home, safe in a crate or locked house area -- do not leave him outside even in a safe kennel due to the noise factor this holiday. PLEASE if you are having the picnic at your home, DO NOT leave your Akita out with everyone milling around. PLEASE -- strange kids screaming and running around with sparklers or food in their hands is just asking for trouble, in the heat, the humidity and the stress of the day. Even your OWN kids doing that might have a bad reaction from your Akita during this stressful time. I can't begin to tell you how many emails and calls we get during "picnic" season due to nips, bites, growls from Akitas. WHY oh WHY would anyone expect any Akita to tolerate a picnic environment? I will never understand it.

So please for the sake of your Akita's safety -- NO FIREWORKS and NO PICNICS -- allow your Akita to have a safe & secure 4th of July!!