Hi {{first_name}} ,
The 4th of July is the single busiest day of the year for animal shelters across the country.
Not because people are surrendering dogs. Because dogs are running.
A firework goes off. The dog spooks. A gate was open, a leash was dropped, a door was cracked for one second. And now the dog is gone.
Most of what goes wrong for dogs this weekend is preventable. That is the whole point of this issue.
This Issue's Insights:
What to do before fireworks start tonight and this weekend
The barbecue dangers most people do not think about
If you are traveling with your dog this holiday
Reading time: 3 minutes
Before the Fireworks Start
Walk your dog earlier in the day before fireworks begin. Once they start, the walk is over.
Keep doors and windows closed when fireworks are going. Keep your dog's collar on with current tags. If the microchip information is not updated, do that today. If something goes wrong this weekend, that information is the difference between getting your dog back and not.
Thundershirts, pheromone diffusers, and Rescue Remedy work for some dogs and do nothing for others. Try them before the weekend if you have not already. Do not introduce something new to a dog that is already in distress.
If you have a dog that falls apart during fireworks and you cannot be home, get someone there. A friend, a family member, or an on-demand service. Do not leave a dog that panics alone in a house on the 4th.
At the Barbecue
Splintering bones. Corn on the cob. A paw on a hot grill.
These happen every year. None of them have to happen to your dog.
If your dog is at an outdoor gathering, they are on a leash or under your direct supervision. Not both at once, one or the other, whichever you can actually maintain. Dogs that are not under control at a celebration are one distraction away from a problem.
If You Are Traveling This Weekend
The crate your dog has never been in is not where you start on the morning of your flight.
If you are flying or driving a long distance with your dog this weekend, the crate conditioning happens before the trip. Not the night before. Before.
Get the health certificate from your vet. It is only valid for 30 days. Write your dog's microchip number on it and take a photo of it on your phone in case you lose the paper.
Do not sedate your dog before travel. Talk to your vet first and always. And if your dog is not conditioned to travel, do not put it through something it cannot handle.
One More Thing
If you want to do something that actually matters this weekend, call your local shelter and ask about fostering a dog for the few days before and after the 4th. The kennels fill up fast. The dogs that are already there get more stressed when more dogs come in. A foster home is the best place a dog can be this weekend.
Me, Janet, Duane and Schmoo will be home with our dogs.
Have a safe 4th.
Ways I Can Help
1. Watch the work, not the highlight reel
The Dog Training Videos on my YouTube channel shows full sessions, not edits. Dogs that don't cooperate. Sessions that don't go smoothly. Real training, start to finish. That's the playlist that will actually teach you something.
2. Ask me directly
Every week inside my online membership I run a member Q&A. Members post questions, I answer them on camera. If you want to see how training really works, the stumbling blocks, the adjustments, the resolution, that's where it lives. [MEMBERSHIP]
3. The Corrections in Dog Training Masterclass: If you don’t already have it, I recently launched this course for the person who has been working with dogs long enough to know corrections matter, but hasn’t had anyone sit down and walk through exactly how they work. - [LEARN MORE]
