How to Have a Dog BBQ
The fourth of July is always a tough holiday for dog owners, but this year it will be really hot. Beyond the usual fireworks, noisy drunken people, and other dogs, this year’s gatherings have an added challenge: no one knows how to proceed.
People joke about forgetting how to interact with other people during a pandemic, but the thousands of dogs that have been adopted in the past 16 months may never have learned at all . Putting a pack of dogs in a new environment with strangers – at least some of whom will drink, scream, and shoot fireworks – is potentially dangerous. If you’re hosting this year, here’s how to prepare so that no one has to spend July 4th at the vet’s emergency room.
Trust no one and no dog
Your guests are responsible for keeping control of their pets, but a little dog protection will put everyone at ease. As an owner, it is easiest and safest to assume that every dog will be poorly trained and plan accordingly. This is not a value judgment – owning a dog is really difficult, and this year it was even more difficult. It’s just common sense that the farther the distance between the dogs and the food, the better.
No fence, no dogs – no exceptions
Many dogs go missing on the 4th of July weekend, usually because they are scared and run away, and their owners may be too drunk to notice. If your guests bring dogs, your yard should be completely fenced in, period. Bandages and pens are all too easy to get rid of.
You should also provide an internal resting space for exhausted and overly agitated dogs. Choose a quiet, secure room away from the main walkway so they don’t freak out every time someone walks into the bathroom. If you are worried about damaging your floor, take urine pads ahead of time.
Understand the risk of poisoning
There are many things on the grill that dogs are desperate to eat and absolutely shouldn’t eat . Human food is obviously the most risky, but far from the only one. If you have a garden, check to see if any of your plants are toxic to pets, and secure those that are toxic .
Another often overlooked vector of poison: insect spray. Citronella products are toxic to dogs and don’t even work, so use extension cords and install fans instead . It’s okay for people to use an effective repellent on themselves as long as the fans don’t cut it – just ask guests to spray away from the dogs and make sure the bottles are kept safe.
Get ready to end the fight.
Every dog owner needs to know what aggression looks like for his dog in order to get out of the situation at the first sign. But if dogs start fighting at your party and don’t respond to commands, you need to know what to do.
This video from YouTube’s Top Dog Tips explains several techniques for separating fighting dogs:
The goal is to keep the dogs apart without endangering yourself or others, so start with these additional tricks:
- Distract them with loud noises , such as hand claps or raised voice commands.
- Pour water over them if there is a bucket or refrigerator nearby.
- Place a barrier between them, such as a folding chair, a garden umbrella, or a large piece of cardboard or wood.
If all else fails, try the wheelbarrow method. You will need two responsible, ideally sober adults, each grabbing the dog’s hind legs and pulling back to separate them. Whatever you do, keep calm and never stick your hand between fighting dogs. Even if you miraculously manage to avoid being bitten (which you won’t, to clarify), you just piss them off even more.
Keep things low-key
When talking about responsible, sober adults, it is important to remember that emaciated owners cannot look after their dogs. Well-mannered dogs may simply eat too much human food, which is not ideal, but if they are not well trained, they can get much worse.
Dogs don’t belong in good old fashioned anger, so stay calm. Stock up on soft drinks, don’t invite people who are partying too violently, and be prepared to coax anyone who gets too noisy, especially if they’ve brought a dog with them.