Mortar Training At Joint Base; Here's How To Help Your Pet Cope

LAKEHURST, NJ -- There will be mortar training conducted at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst beginning Thursday, the kind that base officials say can be heard for miles if the conditions are right.

In response to a number of comments they have received about how the training is stressful for some dogs, base officials put together a video with information from the base's veterinarian on ways to help comfort our pets.

"During training, many people living near the ranges experience loud noises and ground shaking -- while it's easy for us to explain and apologize to our human friends, it's a lot harder to comfort our four-legged pals. We visited with the JB MDL Veterinary Treatment Facility Branch Chief this week for some tips on helping your dog relax during noisy weekends at JB MDL!"

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment from the Massachusetts Army National Guard are scheduled to conduct live mortar training at the ranges Thursday through Sunday, the base said on its Facebook page. It's expected to cause moderate ground shaking and rumbling in Manchester and towns closest to the base. With cloudy skies possible for at least part of Friday, there's a chance the noise will travel farther and be louder, meaning it's likely you'll hear it and possibly even feel it in Berkeley.

Check out their video below, which was posted on the base's Facebook page on March 7, for the veterinarian's suggestions.