Lisa Spector

It’s 4 am and there is only one reason I am awake. My dog heard something outside and started barking. I live in a rather rural area surrounded by wildlife. One of the benefits of not having neighbors close by is the peace, quiet, and tranquility that comes with the territory. I think it’s also been good for my dog. No longer are the days where he is stimulated with all the people walking by with dogs and other distractions in my old neighborhood. But, then there is the occasional deer, skunk, raccoon, in the middle of the night that gets his attention and he finds it urgent to wake me with loud barking. No complaints. Sanchez is a fabulous watch dog - he barks, finds me, we check it out, I reassure him all is safe, and he stops barking.

My dog, Sanchez, and I participated in the Dog Days of Summer on Saturday. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Philadelphia Phillies and invited dogs to attend the game, an annual activity at the AT&T ball park. A portion of proceeds benefited the San Francisco SPCA and dogs had their own bleacher “seats”. When I learned that they were expecting 600 dogs, I thought it would be great fun for us. After all, Sanchez is a career change dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind and had a great amount of experience in large crowds, in a variety of social settings, when he was in training as a puppy. I hadn’t been to a ballgame since I left New York, over 20 years ago, so I thought I would also enjoy the experience.

July 4th is around the corner, along with the fireworks that inevitably come with this holiday. Almost all humans with canines in the United States declare this day the worst day of the year for their dogs. Veterinarians say that July 3rd is usually the most trafficked day in their offices, with clients coming in to get drugs for their dogs. Last year, I found a lost dog on the 4th of July. He was obviously a well fed, well groomed, and well behaved dog that escaped his yard when he heard the fireworks. When I called our local Humane Society, I was informed that it is the busiest time of the year for them, as more dogs are found wandering loose on July 4th than any other day of the year in the U.S.

Eight Tips for providing a safe July 4th for your Canine Household:

1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise earlier in the day.

2. Keep your dogs inside during fireworks, preferably with human companionship. If it's hot, air conditioning will help.

As the co-creator of Through a Dog's Ear, I receive emails from all over the world hearing how much it is helping dogs with behavior issues and how comforting the music is to them. There is no place I'd rather help dogs than in shelters. When I didn't even have a dog, I started volunteering at my local shelter and then when I got one, I got trained in their education department and took my dog to schools and spoke on the importance of neutering and spaying, positive training, etc. When we signed with our wonderful publisher, Sounds True, they agreed to donate 2,500 copies of Calm your Canine Companion to shelters and rescue groups. Sounds True, by the way, is a dog friendly company outside of Boulder, CO where employees bring their dogs to work. I've never experienced a more productive, calm, friendly office atmosphere.