The 4th of July is an exciting and festive time -- that is, if you're a human. Fireworks displays can be very scary things for dogs, causing even the most chillaxed of dogs to go utterly beserk. In fact, shelters and rescues across the country report huge increases in the number of lost dogs during the 4th of July holiday. Dogs climb fences, dig out, race out of front doors, and go to unbelievable lengths just to get away from the noise and bright lights. It can be frustrating for dog owners who don't know how to help their dog deal with not only the big city-wide displays, but also the kid next door shooting off a bazillion bottle rockets.

We've complied some of the best tips for keeping your dog safe and calm from leading national sources and local pet experts. And a few loyal LCD readers were also kind enough to share with us on Facebook what they have found to work. Hope you find these helpful, and feel free to leave comments about what you find to curb your dog's fear during the 4th of July celebration.

At Lowcountry Dog, we think the #1 tip we can give you is to thoroughly exercise your dog during the 4th of July holiday. A tired dog will be better equipped to deal with stress than a dog with pent up physical and mental energy. Since it is hot outside, give them a good run, a long walk, or some time at the dog park or in doggie day care during the morning hours when it is cooler. And don't forget to mentally exhaust them too! Play a game of find the treat, a dog puzzle, or even hire a trainer for a mid-day training session to give them a good mental workout. This crucial bit of advice was echoed on Facebook by local trainer Christi Knight Phillips and LCD reader Danielle Kane.

Reader Diana Zyvith La Rocque finds light jazz or classical music buffers the sound of fireworks and helps her dogs stay calm. Try to keep your dogs in one of the inner most rooms of your home and draw any curtains. Bright flashes can be fear triggers as well as noise.

Katharine Matthews of Lucia's Premium Pet highly recommends the ThunderShirt and HomeoPet's Anxiety TFLN and says her clients have seen big improvements in their dogs' abilities to cope with stress with the help of these products.  The Thundershirt's gentle constant pressure has a calming effect for noise sensitive dogs and the HomeoPet's Anxiety TFLN homeopathic formula promotes a sense of calm in animals exhibiting fear, fretting, anxiety, or other unwanted behaviors. Both these items are 10% off at Lucia's through the 4th holiday.

Trainer Christi Knight Phillips also suggests a very, very special treat like a frozen Kong filled with peanut butter or yogurt for your dog to focus on during fireworks.

Trainer Kristie Allen recommends giving your dog calming signals during fireworks displays. She says in "dog language" eating something, yawning, blinking your eyes a lot, and licking your lips are all signs of relaxation. Since you are pack leader, these physical signs will help your dog to follow your lead and chill-out. She also encourages you to avoid being too sweet to your dog if they are scared. This will only reinforce their fear. Instead, stay calm, and provide them with a retreat like a blanket covered crate filled with treats and their special toy.

Animal Communicator and Behaviorist Nefesh Chaya seconds Kristi's tips-- and suggests that right away you should begin visualizing a calm environment with beautiful flashes of light and your dog enjoying the day without fear. Mentally tell your dog that everyone is safe and all is well. This will help YOU stay calm and your dogs will pick up on your relaxed vibes.

In extreme cases you can get prescription drugs from your veterinarian. If none of the above help, you might consider talking with your vet about your experience and getting a script for next year.

And last but certainly not least, make sure your dog has on their collar and identification just in case they escpae out of the house or make a break for it during a potty break. You want neighbors, rescues and shelters to be able to easily return your dog to you.

The ASPCA offers up these additional tips for keeping your pets safe during 4th of July. Even if they are cool dudes around fireworks, there are still potential dangers you and your family should be aware of:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.