Summer—and the Fourth of July in particular—is a great time to invite friends over for a backyard barbecue and to spend time by the pool, but summer parties can pose potential threats to your dog. Follow these tips to help keep your dog safe during the summer and holiday fun:

Food: It may be tempting to give your dog table scraps during a summer barbecue but refrain from doing this. All the seasoning and sauces used on barbecue food can upset your dog's stomach and make him sick. There is also the potential for your dog to consume raw beef or chicken during a barbecue, which could result in salmonella poisoning. Likewise, consuming unattended alcoholic beverages, even in very small amounts, can cause health issues for your dog. So be sure to keep all food and beverages out of your dog's reach.

Keep trash in a closed container that your dog can not access. A common life-threatening emergency that veterinarians see after holidays is pancreatitis—usually caused by dogs raiding garbage cans.

While barbecuing, make sure any lighter fluid or matches are out of your dog's reach; these can be toxic to dogs.

Guests: If you are having a party, make sure that your guests know not to allow your dog to leave your yard—or your home, if you're restricting your dog to the indoors during any portion of the event. The action and unfamiliar faces at a party and—even more so—the blasts from fireworks in the air may cause some dogs to become disoriented and even frantic, and to react by running off and becoming lost. Let guests know the importance of not letting your dog out of his assigned area.

Holiday Decorations: While glow sticks are fun in the evening, they are not meant to be worn by your dog. The liquid contained in these and other light-up decorations and toys are toxic to dogs and can easily be chewed through. Candles should be kept well out of reach of dogs and their tails. They could easily be knocked over and become a fire hazard.

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