How I Help My Anxious Dog Get Through Fireworks Season

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If you’re the pet parent of an anxious dog, the Fourth of July might just be your least favorite holiday. For my rescue Frenchie mix, Lola, thunder and fireworks trigger major anxiety, and there’s no worse feeling than watching them panic while feeling helpless to make it stop.

Over the years, we’ve tried ThunderShirts, CBD, flower essences, and just about every calming product I could find, with little success. Then last summer, during a routine veterinary visit, one of the veterinary technicians mentioned VetriScience Calm & Confident Chews. She told me her own dog was terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks and that these chews had worked better than a combination of medications.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical. But I figured it was worth trying, and I’m glad I did.

How Calm and Confident Chews Helped My Dog’s Thunderstorm and Firework Anxiety

VetriScience Calm & Confident Chews for dogs with anxiety.

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The chews don’t eliminate all of Lola’s anxiety. She still licks her paws when she’s stressed, but they help take the edge off enough that she stops trembling and is far more willing to go outside for a potty break, even when there’s a light rain shower.

As someone who’s pretty conscientious about what goes into my dogs, the only ingredient I’m not thrilled about is citric acid. It’s a relatively small amount, though, and since Lola only gets these chews during stressful situations rather than every day, it’s a tradeoff I’m personally comfortable making.

Lola weighs about 30 pounds, so I typically give her a half chew with breakfast. If storms are expected later in the day, she’ll get another half chew before bed. During fireworks season, I usually give her a full chew in the evening to help take the edge off before the noise begins.

That schedule aligns with the manufacturer’s guidance, which recommends a half chew daily for dogs up to 30 pounds and notes that the amount can be doubled during particularly stressful situations such as thunderstorms or fireworks.

Why the Fourth of July Is the Worst Day of the Year for Pets

It’s not just anecdotal.

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, animal control officials across the country see a 30–60% increase in lost pets every year between July 4th and July 6th, and July 5th is consistently one of the busiest days of the year for shelters. Around half of all dogs are sensitive to noise, and a startled, panicked dog can clear a fence or slip a collar in seconds.

The good news: most of this is preventable with a little prep.

A Quick Pre-Fireworks Checklist

Update ID tags and microchip info. If Lola ever got loose, I’d want anyone who found her to be able to reach me immediately.
Walk the yard for escape routes. Double-check fences, gates, and any gaps before guests start coming and going.
Set up a safe space early. A crate, closet, or bathroom with familiar bedding, away from windows, provides dogs with a place to retreat.
Use white noise or the TV to help mask the popping and booming outside.
Skip the fireworks show. As tempting as it is to bring your dog along, loud public displays are one of the most common ways pets bolt.
Watch the food table. Corn cobs, bones, and rich picnic scraps can cause GI issues if your dog snags something off a plate.

Other Calming Options Worth Trying

Every dog is different, and what works for Lola might not work for your pet. A few other options pet parents commonly turn to:

Thundershirts or anxiety wraps — gentle, constant pressure that mimics swaddling.
CBD chews or oil — works well for some dogs, though results vary, and it’s worth checking with your vet first.
Calming chews with L-theanine or tryptophan (like the VetriScience option) — non-drowsy and easy to dose.
Pheromone diffusers — plug-in options that release calming dog-appeasing pheromones into a room.

If your dog’s anxiety is severe, it’s worth talking with your veterinarian before fireworks season arrives. Some pups genuinely benefit from prescription medication, and there’s no shame in that.

At the end of the day, I’d much rather have a calm dog on medication than a terrified dog that escapes in a panic.