Fireworks & your Dog: Why Canada Day Is a Dog Owner's Wake-Up Call

Jon Wells
Jun 27
2 min read

Don’t let your dog’s worst fear become your biggest regret.

Let’s get straight to it: Fireworks make zero sense to your dog.

Explosions in the air. Flashing lights. People screaming in excitement. Everyone staring skyward like the aliens just landed. Meanwhile, your dog is trying to make sense of a war zone in the sky—and failing.

Every year on Canada Day, shelters report a spike in runaway dogs. It’s not a coincidence. It’s a panic response. Your dog isn’t “misbehaving”—they’re trying to outrun terror. And where do you run to escape thunder from above? You just run... and get lost.

Your Dog’s First Fireworks? It Happens At Home.

Let me be absolutely clear:DO NOT take your dog to a public fireworks show if they’ve never experienced it before.

Yes, Ottawa puts on a legendary display. Yes, it’s a family tradition. No, your dog doesn’t care.Their first time should be in your home, with a leash on, tags secured, windows closed, and your calm presence guiding them through it.

Hope is not a strategy. Testing your dog’s nerves in a crowd of 10,000 people is reckless.

Prepping Like a Pro (Not Like It’s a Surprise)

If you already know your dog hates fireworks, or you don’t know how they’ll react, your prep starts long before the sun sets.

Here’s how to do it right:

By 3 p.m. – Blinds closed, windows sealed.
By 4 p.m. – Ambient noise on: TV, music, white noise, whatever sounds “normal.”
Before dusk – Walk your dog. Empty bladder, burn off energy.
Dinner time – Full belly, stable blood sugar = less panic.
Crate setup – Covered, cozy, and sound-dampened.
Backup collar – On snug, tags attached, leash within reach.

If you have a basement? Use it. The farther from the sky, the better.

When the Booms Start, Be a Leader

If your dog looks to you like, “WTF is going on?”—don’t melt into empathy. That makes it worse.

Be confident.“Good pup. Looking at me is the answer. Come sit beside me.”Then talk casually. About snacks. Or baseball. Or that TikTok with the dancing ferret. It doesn’t matter. What matters is tone.

Your tone is their blueprint for survival. If you act like this is normal, they’ll start to believe it.

Reminder: Past Performance ≠ Future Safety

Just because your dog was okay with fireworks doesn’t mean they are. Dogs age. Move. Get more sensitive. A dog that handled it last year might freak this year because the new house doesn’t feel safe yet.

Double check gear. Tighten collars. Lock gates. Don’t get cocky.