1. Leave your dog at home during the fireworks celebration. A dog’s hearing is 10 times more sensitive than a human’s, which can make fireworks very alarming.

2. Keep them occupied with an interactive toy while you are gone. Make sure it is safe, since you will not be around to supervise them.

3. Without a doubt, the best place for your dog on this night is inside the house. Preferably your house — a place that your dog is already familiar with and a place where he feels comfortable.

4. Keep a radio or television on in the background to mask the parade and fireworks noise.

5. Spend some one-on-one time with your dog in the hours leading up to the fireworks. The more personal attention your dog receives from you, the less likely he will be to resent being left alone later that evening.

6. Let your dog outside to “do his thing” right before it gets dark and people start setting off their own fireworks.

7. Exercise your dog by taking him on a longer-than-usual walk or by participating in some active play with your dog. This will tire him out and make him less likely to over-exert himself later if/when he becomes stressed from the sound of fireworks.

8. Give your dog a relaxing rub-down or doggie massage an hour or so before dark. This will put him in a calm frame of mind early, which will help him to handle whatever stress might come later.

9. Do not soothe your dog too much or “baby” her in times of stress. This will probably only make the problem worse. Instead, be cheerful and in control. Also, don’t punish your dog, as this will only make him more anxious and nervous.

10. Make sure your dog is wearing his or her collar with proper ID tags. If they get spooked and run away they can be identified quickly.

Sources: The Fun Times Guide, Muttropolis