4th of July!

Haddie's first 4th of July and I think she passed! Every year we help host a neighborhood block party. The kids on our street keep growing (!) but we keep with the traditional block party theme of a parade, Dads vs Kids Kickball Game, Barbeque, and fireworks display. Every year is a celebration and it is so much fun.

Our beagle has never been fearful of the fireworks. Never. Some years she has sat on my lap to watch the fireworks display and hear the noises that sound like a mini war zone. Cora is amazing. The stereotype of a little dog fearful of fireworks has never fit Cora.

Haddie will get there too, but she did show signs of worry yesterday. So she only came out to use the bathroom on a leash in our backyard. Otherwise she was very happy to be in her kennel snug in our family room. She was skitterish on the leash - although she kept wagging her tail - her ears and face did not show that she agreed with her wag.

Without pushing her and causing major trauma for years to come, I was doing my part in making it a "no big deal" adventure so as not to cater to her worry. I hope it will help in the long run as she continues to grow - every year she'll get more confident, and hopefully remember the reassurance of her First Independence Day.

The 4th of July is not always a relaxing day and night for animals as it is for humans.

Before the noise began in full force, Haddie and I spent the day in the backyard getting her energy out. Knowing that she'd be sleeping through our extended Block Party hours - she needed to enjoy the warmth of the sun, and do the thing that she loves best: Frisbee.

During the day when the fireworks were at random pace and more booms than the crackers, she did just fine. She didn't notice and kept playing with me. It was the continuous noises and firecracker sounds that she did not prefer as the night wore on.

We set out the pool for her yesterday. I put her rubber Frisbee in the middle to get her to go in initially. She jumped right in to get the Frisbee and jumped right out. It took some time before she volunteered to go in the pool on her own. And then it was all about the pool and less about the Frisbee. When it gets much warmer, she might find herself sitting and laying down in it, but yesterday she just got her feet wet.

Overall, I consider the 4th of July went off with success for Haddie. It was crazy-loud last night, and I'm so proud of her holding it together as well as she did for her age.