Woof! Furiends, Mom did it this time! You may not know this, she has her own blog, Mister Spunky and His Friends; well, today she broke it.  Yep, that is right! She broke it.  Of course, she is running around like the true crazy lady that she is; since it is July 4th, she has a blog for children to read about fireworks and pet safety.  Super Goo to the rescue again, I first had to chase her all over the house, get her to calm her fur down; then tell her that I am here to save the day, she can use my blog.  Of course, I had to make it very pawsitively clear, only this once.  Seriously furiends, what would she do without me?  Hey Mom?  Are you ready?  (in the distance  Oh my gosh, I need to get this blog out about pet safety and fireworks today..Mr MaGoo, thank you! Yeah, yeah yeah Mom..here you go).  Furiends, grab your pups as I have to admit, this is Grr8 stuff for them to hear about and learn from.

Children, do you know about pet safety and fireworks?

Don’t you just love summer time? You are having fun playing outside every day. You might be going swimming, playing ball or going to the beach. Summer is a time of outdoor activity for the whole family, including your dog. As part of your family, you don’t want to leave your puppy home alone if you can find a way to include him or in the family fun!

There is a very special American holiday in the summer time. Can you guess what it is? Yep, it is Independence Day or another name for it is the Fourth of July. What does your family do to celebrate the Fourth of July? Do you set off fireworks or do you go the local park and watch a big fireworks display presented by your city for everyone to enjoy?

 Whether you do your own fireworks or you go to a citywide fireworks show, you need to make sure that your pets are taken care of first. The unexpected loud explosions may upset and frighten your pets. They have no idea that you are celebrating Independence Day, do they? All they know is that there are a lot of terrible, loud noises happening for no reason!

Your dogs and cats can become very scared. When a pet is frightened, he will usually try to find a place to hide. Your dog may try to climb the backyard fence and escape. Your kitty might climb up on the high bookcases in your house. They could get hurt easily because they are in such a panic to get away from the sounds of the firecrackers exploding.

You may want to plan on saying home with your pet during the fireworks display. If you can’t do that, then make sure that your pet is in a safe and secure spot away from the loud noises. Many dogs that never escaped from their yard before, may try it during the panic of July Fourth. Instead of leaving your dog in the backyard, put him in his crate with a favorite chew toy so he will feel safe and contented until you return home. Try not to stay away for too long.

Summer is full of wonderful chances to spend more time with your pet. Do everything you can to make the summer months just as fun for your pets as it is for you!

Contributing Authors

Susie Klein

Susie is a freelance writer who has always had a dog as part of her family since childhood. Her current writing partner is Layla, a mixed breed Labrador and Cocker Spaniel. http://susieklein.wordpress.com/

Kelly Preston

Based in Phoenix AZ., animal lover Kelly Preston is an award winning author of Real Dogs Don’t Whisper, a book in which she talks about her experiences and adventures with her special needs dogs and the life lessons they have taught – how she has learned and grown from them and they have learned and grown from her. Preston also produces Mr.MaGoo’s Corner, a free monthly dog-focused newsletter that features a reader of the month, birthday announcements, green pet tips, organic dog recipes and more.