ELYRIA, Ohio – Every year around the Fourth of July, many dog owners notice that their pets are anxious.
Experts estimate that dogs have a fourfold greater hearing range than humans.
Greg Willey, executive director of the Friendship Animal Protective League in Lorain County, believes a dog’s keen sense of hearing is why the sound of fireworks can be so frightening.
“You’ll see your dog shaking, it can be salivating, it can be panicked and if it happens to be outdoors and someone just unexpectedly fires off a firework right next door and your dog is outside, suddenly the dog is trying to clamour up the fence, breaking chains, their outdoor tethers to get loose and so suddenly they’re off and running and the noise just drives them further and further on,” Willey told me.
While dogs can detect the smell of gunpowder from a long distance, their extremely sensitive ears make the reaction to fireworks so intense.
“The big bad wolf was no joke. ‘The better to hear you with these big ears,’ and they can pick up a lot of sound. They’re supposed to be sensory animals, so they can hear things from a long distance away. “It’s terrifying for an animal that doesn’t know or can’t identify that noise,” Willey said.
The Fourth of July holiday is considered the busiest and most difficult time of year for animal welfare organisations and shelters, with many kennels at or near capacity due to frightened runaway dogs.
With his extensive experience studying and understanding the mind and behaviour of dogs, Willey believes animal lovers can take simple steps to reassure their frightened pets, such as taking them outside before peak hours for fireworks and finding a quiet space in the home for the night.
“If your dog is particularly sensitive, try to keep them crated during this time. Try to soundproof the room as much as possible, and use a room with little access to outside light, such as a basement, which is ideal for this time of year, according to Willey.
