No rockets’ red glare for pets

Lolita Harper

Piccolo Petes and other patriotic pyrotechnics could be your pooch’s

worst nightmare tonight.

With hearing about 1,000 times more sensitive than humans, dogs

can be really freaked out -- for lack of a better term -- by the

celebratory explosions on the Fourth of July, dog trainer Michael

Grier said.

Grier, who owns and operated Good Dog University in Newport Beach,

said it is important to shield sensitive dogs from the noise and

other dangers of fireworks.

In the Newport Beach, where the Dunes resort holds an impressive

fireworks display, and in Costa Mesa, where safe and sane fireworks

are legal, dog safety is nothing to bark at. The loud and sudden

explosives are foreign to dogs, and a night full of them can be

traumatic.

“Because this only happens once a year, it is a strange phenomenon

to a dog,” Grier said.

Former Costa Mesa Mayor Linda Dixon said firework fear is all too

common with one of her dogs. Sammy is “just an absolute mess,” she

said.

“It is really sad because when dogs get scared, they pant and

their tongues hang out and they try to hide... They are very

anxious,” Dixon said.

Dixon said she makes sure to bring all her animals -- well, not

the turtles -- inside to ensure they don’t get spooked and run off.

She recommends that people make sure their animals have proper

identification tags, just in case they do take off.

Dogs that tend to get excited easily should be kept inside, with

the windows closed, he said. Owners may want to turn on a radio or

television to further drown out the blasts.

If dogs remain outside it is essential to quell their

investigative nature and not allow them to sniff at or chew on any

fireworks -- intact or spent. The lights and flashes of sparklers, or

other popular firecrackers, can be very intriguing to a dog, Grier

said.

“The worst thing that could happen is a dog goes up to a smoking

firework to sniff it and it explodes in their face,” Grier said.

Dixon said she tries to keep a lot of physical contact with her

animals during the blasts and lets them lie on her lap for

“psychological reassurance.”

Aside from the dangers of fire and loud blasts, Grier cautions dog

lovers to be cautious with typical party supplies. Food, drinks and

alcohol can make a dog very sick, he said.