The Fourth of July can be an extremely stressful time for dogs.

Firework can often cause dogs to shake, run away and go into an all out panic. When this happens, Independence Day can quickly turn into a nightmare pet owners.

Here are four ways to help calm your dog’s nerves this 4th of July.

1. The 4th of July is one of the holidays when pets run away the most. If you know that your dog is scared of fireworks don’t bring him or her to the fireworks display. Keep your pet at home and indoors where they can remain safe.

2. Exercising your pet before fireworks can be a handy tool, you could try taking your dog for a long walk, swim or add in some extra time play time. When your pet is tired everything tends to be less stressful and easier for both the pet and the owner.

3. Don’t isolate your pet for too long, if your dog sleeps in a room or a create, please keep in mind that keeping your pet alone for too long can be more detrimental than helpful when fireworks are going off. This can create more anxiety for your pet than necessary. Be wary of the time your pet is left alone and plan accordingly.

4. Remain Calm, when your pet is stressed out it can be hard as pet owners not to want to coddle or baby our animals, but by doing this, we are just reinforcing their stressed out behavior. We as pet owners need to model the behavior we expect from our pets. Cesar Millan states that by humanizing our pets is one of the worst things you can do. Instead, make sure they can access their crate or “safe place.” If possible, ask your veterinarian or local pet retailer about natural calming products, or other tools to help your pet’s anxiety.

Proper ID: It is of the utmost importance to make sure that your dog or cat wear an id caller with your name and phone number on it at all times. During fireworks, it’s not unheard of for dogs to jump fences, break chains in an attempt to escape the noise and get away. Microchipping your pets is also highly recommended by veterinarians in case your pet goes missing.

Contact your local Humane Society if your pet does go missing this 4th of July.