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Today's entry is a repeat topic from last week but one that seems timely with the upcoming holiday.

Saturday we celebrate Independence Day and that means fireworks. If you have a fearful dog like my greyhound Coral, you are probably not looking forward to the inevitable anxiety attack that will surely happen once the sky goes dark and the lights go up.

I am prepared to deal with the big public displays in the distance that start and end at a predictable time.  What is going to make it a little tough at my house are all the firecrackers that folks shoot off on the cul-de-sac where we live and throughout our neighborhood. There will sporadic booms, bangs and snaps all weekend long, which will make calming our nervous pooch a real challenge.

I do, however, realize that's the fun of the holiday and I certainly don't expect people that live two blocks away from me not to enjoy themselves because it makes my dog crazy. I studied astronomy in college and while I didn't retain much of it,  I do recall learning that the world does not revolve around me or my problems.

Our other big challenge is keeping all three dogs from table-surfing the snacks and sipping out of unattended glasses of margaritas, but that's an entry for another day.

Here's a link to petside.com, one of my favorite pet-related Web sites, with some good advice on how to handle the Fourth of July with a scaredy-dog like our Miss Coral.

Enjoy your holiday.