The 4^th of July holiday is almost here – celebrating with loved ones and friends is probably on your to-do list. Having fun, eating good food and socializing are sure to be most people’s main priority. With such fun preoccupations it is easy to get sidetracked and not notice what Fido may be up to. In Part 1 of our post “How to Keep Fido Safe During the 4^th of July,” we talked about keeping your pup safe during the festivities of this holiday.  Here’s more 4^th of July activities that, although they may be fun for us, could potentially be harmful to Fido. Continue reading to learn how you can keep your pup safe this holiday weekend.

Keep your pup inside during fireworks

If your dog is like most, then chances are he is not a big fan of the loud, bursting color-filled spectacle that is 4^th of July fireworks. He may become scared, anxious and fearful. If this sounds like your pup it is best to keep him inside in a safe and familiar place during any fireworks display. A calmer, happier dog will thank you for it.

Keep your dog away from fireworks

If by some chance your dog happens to come upon some fireworks, remove them immediately. Not only is a lit firework a potential burn danger to your dog (and you), an unlit firework is full of flammable and explosive materials are downright dangerous if ingested by your pooch. Nobody wants the fun of fireworks and the 4^th of July to come to a screeching halt because of an emergency trip to the vet.

Don’t apply bug repellent that is not formulated for dogs

The chemicals in bug repellent, if inhaled by your dog, can cause severe problems. If applying bug spray to yourself, do so away from your pet. Also make sure Fido doesn’t decide to give you a kiss, as this is another way your dog could ingest bug spray. Vet prescribed flea and tick guard is the only bug repellant your dog should wear. However, if you should choose to supplement your dog’s flea and tick guard with bug spray, just make sure it is made especially for dogs.

Watch out for neon, glow in the dark jewelry

Kids love glow in the dark jewelry. Who hasn’t seen a dark, 4^th of July pre-firework evening aglow with the luminescence of this fun accessory? And although most of this plastic jewelry claims to be non-toxic, it should be kept away from Fido. He might chew it up, which could cause the glow-in-the-dark fluid to be ingested and or bits of plastic to become stuck in your dog’s intestines, which could cause gastrointestinal distress and even blockages.

We hope you found these 4^th of July safety tips beneficial reminders of what to look out for this fun, holiday weekend.