Pet Safety

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Category: Pet Safety

Dogs, Beaches, Hikes and Safety

by PetsInTheCity

Whеthеr уоu’rе hеаdеd оn holiday оr уоu juѕt want tо ѕреnd a day rеlаxing аt thе beach, tаking man’s bеѕt friеnd аlоng can make it еxtrа ѕресiаl! Mаnу аrеаѕ do реrmit dogs on bеасhеѕ, but thеrе dеfinitеlу аrе some рrесаutiоnѕ thаt need tо be tаkеn tо make it wоrk. Tо ensure bоth уоu and your best four legged friend hаvе a grеаt timе аt thе beach tоgеthеr, hеrе are a fеw hеlрful tiрѕ tо fоllоw.

Chесk thе bеасh rеgulаtiоnѕ and rules

Bеfоrе уоu take уоur реt tо thе bеасh, it’ѕ always a great idеа tо check the beach rеgulаtiоnѕ аnd rules to ensure you have a great time! Nоt аll beach аrеаѕ реrmit dogs. Thоѕе that dо реrmit dogs uѕuаllу require that your dоg bе kept оn a lеаѕh thе еntirе time. Chесk thоѕе rеgulаtiоnѕ (Click here for a list of dog-friendly beaches and regulations) to еnѕurе уоu follow all thе rulеѕ аnd remember you аrе rеѕроnѕiblе for your dog аnd hiѕ bеhаviоr. 

Beach Etiquette for Dog Owners

  • Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
  • Take your dog home at the first sign of unfriendly behavior.
  • Puppies and dogs should be vaccinated and healthy.
  • Keep close supervision of your dog.
  • Dogs in estrus/heat should be left at home.
  • Pick up and dispose of your dog’s waste.
  • Ensure your dog wears his County-issued license.

Keep уоur реt рrоtесtеd

Tо mаkе sure thаt you аnd your dоg hаvе fun, kеерing уоur pet рrоtесtеd is еѕѕеntiаl. When dоgѕ аrе аt the bеасh, thеу аrе exposed tо ѕаnd flеаѕ, whiсh аrе vеrу common in ѕuсh аrеаѕ. Ask уоur vеt about appropriate flea саrе. Yоu саn аlѕо find products to keep your dоg safe frоm the ѕun whilе оn thе bеасh like sublock for dogs and protective goggles! Sun blосk fоr ѕun рrоtесtiоn iѕ especially imроrtаnt fоr thе ear аnd nоѕе area оf уоur dоg.

Prоvidе plenty оf ѕhаdе

It can rеаllу get hot оn the bеасh, so рrоviding plenty оf ѕhаdе fоr dоgѕ оn beaches iѕ imроrtаnt. While ѕоmе bеасhеѕ dо offer ѕоmе ѕhаdу аrеаѕ, it’ѕ аlwауѕ a great idеа tо take a соuрlе umbrеllаѕ tо keep both уоu and уоur dоg shaded from the ѕun. This wау you prevent hеаt rеlаtеd illnеѕѕ and dеhуdrаtiоn.

DOG HIKING

Hiking iѕ a great wау tо ѕtау active аnd to еnjоу thе оutdооrѕ and all thаt nature hаѕ tо offer. Whеn you hеаd оut tо thе trails, why nоt bring уоur best friеnd! Yоu mау hаvе аlrеаdу guеѕѕеd thаt I аm tаlking about уоur dоg. Dogs are grеаt companions and wоndеrful fаmilу members, why nоt trеаt thеm by inсluding them in уоur fun асtivitiеѕ. If уоu dо choose to tаkе your furrу friend along with уоu, you will need tо mаkе ѕurе уоu hаvе a few thingѕ on hаnd.

Thе mоѕt imроrtаnt thing fоr bоth thе human аnd саninе hiker is water. Yоu ѕhоuld always саrrу ѕuffiсiеnt water fоr уоurѕеlf, and 1 to 2 quаrtѕ of water fоr your dog. This will ensure thаt уоu are рrераrеd еvеn if уоur hikе lasts lоngеr than уоu рlаnnеd, оr if thеrе аrе no water ѕоurсеѕ available on thе trаil. A collapsible water diѕh iѕ аlѕо grеаt аѕ ѕоmе dogs dоn’t likе tо drink frоm running wаtеr. Dеhуdrаtiоn саn be very dаngеrоuѕ fоr уоur pup, ѕо make ѕurе to pay аttеntiоn tо any signals that thеу may givе уоu. Thеѕе соuld inсludе hiding frоm thе ѕun аnd lауing dоwn undеr leaves оr bruѕh. Yоu ѕhоuld kеер ѕоmе trеаtѕ оr ѕnасkѕ with уоu tо energize your dоg if thеу get tired or need ѕоmе sustenance tо саrrу on.

Kеер in mind thаt while уоu wеаr shoes, preferably hiking boots, your dog iѕ going barefoot. Yоu саn рiсk uр a pair оf dоggiе boots fаirlу inеxреnѕivеlу at a ѕроrting good ѕtоrе аnd ѕоmе реt ѕtоrеѕ. If уоur dоg iѕ hарру wеаring thеѕе, thеу саn bе a grеаt wау tо protect thеir ѕеnѕitivе раwѕ. Sоmе dоgѕ however, just can’t get оn board with wеаring ѕhоеѕ. If this iѕ the case, mаkе ѕurе tо bring аlоng bandages аnd firѕt aid оintmеnt in case of ѕсrаtсhеѕ оr cuts. Stop аnd check thе dоgѕ paws frеquеntlу fоr injurу аnd if уоu notice уоur dоg favoring оnе раw, check him immеdiаtеlу. Dереnding оn thе tеrrаin, thеу may be сut, оr have ѕоmеthing stuck in оnе оf their раdѕ.

Yоu should аlwауѕ kеер уоur dоg on a lеаѕh. This рrеvеntѕ thеm from ѕtrауing tоо far and keeps thеm ѕаfе frоm рrеdаtоrѕ thаt thеу may not understand. Alѕо, make ѕurе that your dog has hiѕ tаgѕ оn including idеntifiсаtiоn аnd rаbiеѕ nоtifiсаtiоn. It саn also bе helpful tо have уоur dog miсrо сhiрреd in саѕе thеу gеt оut оf thеir соllаr or harness.

Othеr thingѕ thаt уоu ѕhоuld keep оn hаnd аrе cleanup bаgѕ for роор. Evеrу реt оwnеr knows thаt сlеаning up after уоur dоg is necessary. Please, kеер thе trаilѕ clean for others tо enjoy аѕ well. Know уоur dоgѕ limitаtiоnѕ аnd bе prepared. It is thе bеѕt wау to ensure a fun experience for уоu аnd уоur fоur lеggеd buddу!

dog at pets in the city hawaii

Spring Cleaning For Pet Owners

by PetsInTheCity

We all want a safe home for our loved ones and that includes our pets! Here are some common household products you may want to be sure are in a safe place, out of reach of your pets.

Pest-control products

These usually aren’t a problem until the snow melts. For example, it’s not a good idea to treat the grass in your backyard with any pest control products toxic to dogs, since many dogs will eat the grass in your yard on occasion. The same goes for ant or insect poison and mouse traps with that tasty cheese.

Antifreeze

The antifreeze (or radiator coolant) you store in your garage can be very dangerous, actually causing fatal kidney failure. Ethylene glycol, a component of antifreeze, has a sweet taste that a dog might find attractive.

Cocoa Powder (Chocolate, coffee or caffeine)

If you are a diehard baker or cook, you’re probably familiar with this. Though no form of chocolate is good for dogs, even a very small amount of cocoa powder can be fatal for any dog. If you insist on storing this ingredient, make sure it is somewhere your little one can’t reach!

Other Dangerous Foods

Coffee

Grapes, Wine, Raisins

Alcohol

Macadamia Nuts (and any other choking hazard)

Onions

Garlic

Avocados

Chicken Bones (& any cooked bones)

Xylitol (artificial sweetener)

Yeast dough

Electrical Cords

These pose a greater danger to puppies, eager to chew on absolutely anything they can find (as any puppy owner has realized), but even adult dogs suffering from episodes of anxiety might decide to chomp down on those chewy cords nearby. The danger here is obvious; potential burns can be fatal. If you care for puppies or kittens, make sure to hide those cords somewhere out of reach!

Toilet Cleaner (or any household chemical)

Most dog owners have noticed their pups drinking from the toilet if their water bowls run dry, though we usually try and discourage the behavior. This can seem disgusting to humans, but it’s just another water source to dogs.

Add chemical cleaners, however, and it has now become extremely dangerous. Most people don’t think of this, but make sure the lid stays shut if you are using any kind of cleaning agent!

Houseplants

No one can argue the visual appeal a nice touch of deep green or added color adds to the home, but unfortunately for pet owners, our pets will sometimes see those plants as a tasty treat, if not at least something to chew on. Many common household plants can be toxic to our pets.

If you keep plants in your home, take a minute and look here to find out if they are pet-safe!

Needles (or anything sharp)

Anywhere from medicinal needles, sewing needles, safety pins, or even push pins can seem like a wonderfully tempting chew toy to our little ones! However, outside of the obvious choking hazard they present, the tiny sharp, pointed metal can poke holes anywhere along the digestive tract if successfully swallowed, creating a very serious medical emergency.

Tin Can Lids

Some of us simply throw cans away after using them, but many of us like to recycle. Recyclers often keep some sort of bin somewhere in their home, accessible until the recycling day.

Those tin can lids can seem to be a very tempting chew toy but are sharp enough to seriously cut into a dog’s mouth. If you do recycle, remember to put this ‘bin’ somewhere the dog can’t get at it or consider simply throwing anything sharp in the trash.

Plastic Bags

Not only does plastic become a big problem if swallowed, but puppies or kittens trying to get that last bit of food within can also get their little heads stuck inside, making suffocation a very real danger!

Keep your pets in mind when you clean your home this spring! Happy Cleaning!!

puppy meeting each other

Socialization: Why it’s Important

by PetsInTheCity

Dogs are naturally social animals, happiest when they are among other familiar dogs or people, their ‘pack-mates’. In the wild, wolves are extremely social creatures, dependent upon their extended family, or pack, for daily life! Living among our human world with all of its’ very unnatural human dangers, dogs are even more dependent on others.

In the end, well-socialized dogs are simply happier. They aren’t nearly as stressed, don’t suffer from anxiety related problems as often, and are able to both exercise and play with others more freely.

Why is Socialization Important?

Because they evolved such finely tuned survival instincts over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, wolves (and today’s domesticated dogs they are descended from) are naturally cautious of strange animals they haven’t encountered before.

For our dogs, this means Fido might regard that strange animal he’s not used to or has never seen before, that animal now ‘invading’ his space where he and his precious family he relies on for survival live, as a possibly dangerous threat. This can easily lead to dog fights, and many unfortunate animals were severely injured because of these misunderstandings. This can be an enormous problem when young children are concerned.

Sure, well-socialized dogs are happier and tend to play well with others. But safety is the real reason it is so important to socialize your dogs!

Socializing Puppies: Start Early

When it comes to young puppies, eager to explore the world and take in new experiences, always expecting the best outcomes out of everything, socialization couldn’t be easier! There is only one all-important rule you have to follow no matter what:

All Important Rule: Make sure every interaction is a happy one!

  • Introduce your puppy to children, adults, and other dogs (with close supervision, of course). Ironically, ‘obedience’ classes are usually better for the socialization dogs to get with ‘classmates’ than any actual obedience skills they might learn.
  • Let your puppy interact with friendly cats. Invite family and friends over to meet your new and interesting puppy, allowing your pup to get used to larger groups of people (careful not to overwhelm the pup).
  • Make these encounters into fun games if you can. As long as you follow the one rule above, your pup’s social skills will continue to grow!

It can range from difficult to near impossible to socialize poorly trained, fearful adults, especially those who’ve endured past trauma. The aggressive ones you might hear about often fall into this category. That is why it is so important to ‘start young’, around 8-12 weeks of age!

If nothing else, well-socialized dogs play better with other well-socialized dogs, able to get much better exercise on their own and remain healthier!

dog at pets in the city hawaii

Warm Weather & Pets

by PetsInTheCity

Hiking With Your Dog

Perhaps one of the absolute best summer activities anyone could enjoy with their dog, hiking provides active stimulation for both parties no dog owner should miss out on! On the flip side, there are also safety measures vital for a good experience.

Keeping Cool

Keeping cool and preventing heat injuries is one of the most important factors to consider when hiking with your dog.

  • Plan your routes ahead of time.
  • Consider hiking either in the mornings or evenings, when it is cooler.
  • Bring a rubber foldable travel water bowl for your dog, as well as plenty of fresh water.
  • Allow your dog to take breaks in shaded areas.

Don’t Shave a Double Coated Breed

To a human’s reasoning, a smaller coat and less fur equal a cooler dog, right? After all, a heavy winter coat wouldn’t make a person feel cooler during the summer. Sadly, this rationale leads to countless needless heat injuries every year.

Many dog breeds have evolved, in diverse climates through thousands of years, a thick double coat of fur meant to serve several functions. Not only does this thick coat keep them cool during the winter, but the topcoat helps trap in cool air during the summer, guard against harmful rays from the sun, and protect from insect bites.

Shaving the topcoat (the first coat of fur cut) will remove these protections and increase the likelihood of heat injuries.

  • Offering a shallow ‘kiddie pool’ in your backyard is a great, safe way for your dog to cool off!
  • Wet dog food contains more moisture than dry, and is a good way to offer additional means of hydration.

ID Tags & Microchipping

ID Tags will help others identify your dog if he/she does happen to run off, as well as offer methods of contacting you (the owner) so you can find your pup. Most pet stores will allow the simple self-creation of these tags for as little as $5.

  • Contact Number (phone- YOURS, not the shelter you got your pet from)
  • Home address
  • Rabies vaccination tag

Simply inserted right beneath your pet’s skin and completely pain-free, microchips can be scanned at any vet clinic or animal shelter your pet may end up at, instantly providing that worker your full contact information, as well as a wealth of information about your pet (at least what you choose to provide).

Swimming with the Dog

Swimming is both a fantastic summer playtime bonding experience and a great way for your pets to cool off! Believe it or not, Grey wolves are and always were, very comfortable among the water. Since today’s domesticated dogs are descendants of Grey wolves, many retain the water-resistant double coats and are naturally good swimmers (although they may not realize it at first).

On the other hand, some aren’t. Short nose, barrel-chested breeds like variations of the bulldog lines, many like breeds or descendants, and Pugs (as well as several other small breeds) are notoriously poor swimmers and should avoid large bodies of water unless closely supervised. Consider researching your breed, and whether or not he was meant for water activities.

  • Make sure to follow beach pet rules.
  • Always supervise your dog around water like you would a child to avoid accidents.

Don’t forget, enjoy the outdoors (safely) with your dog!

Pet Friendly Treats On Thanksgiving

by PetsInTheCity

Who doesn’t love getting together with the family, and celebrating a wonderful and memorable Thanksgiving together? With that in mind, why not bake a few extra goodies for the family dog, along with the family feast? You’ll find that making your own Thanksgiving pet-friendly treats isn’t only cheaper than going to the store, they are often healthier and you control the ingredients.

Cranberries

Though raisins and grapes are toxic to dogs, the American Kennel Club agrees that cranberries are a wonderful treat! Cranberries, when used in moderation, can be a very unique Thanksgiving ingredient, adding a special flavor to your dog treats the little furry one rarely gets to experience.

Pumpkin

Both canned organic pumpkin and pumpkin seeds offer a great source of fiber and Beta-carotene (body converts to vitamin A), especially good for digestive health. Since it is already a traditional Thanksgiving staple, why not treat your pup with a bit of tasty Pumpkin?

Peanut Butter

Not only will they absolutely love the taste, but peanut butter also offers additional protein to supplement your pup’s diet!

  • Make sure your peanut butter ingredients do not contain Xylitol!

Sweet Potato

Another Thanksgiving staple, sweet potatoes provide dogs with a range of health benefits in addition to a taste they’ll love.  Like pumpkin, sweet potatoes are also high in fiber. In addition, they offer B6, vitamin C, and manganese.

Foods to Avoid

Though there are many tasty human foods that offer surprising health benefits for our dogs, there are also some that they shouldn’t eat. In case your pup does happen to devour one of the ‘no-nos’ listed below, it may be recommended to induce vomiting (normally a tbsp of hydrogen peroxide will do it), but you should always contact a veterinarian before making any medical decisions.

Chocolate

Chocolate is by far the most common on this list since most dogs enjoy the taste and it is often a baking component. White chocolate, found in most store-bought candies, contains a very minuscule amount of theobromine (toxic ingredient). It would take a very large amount of white chocolate to cause any real harm to most dogs, of course varying with size and weight.

Baker’s chocolate, dark chocolate, and even worse- cocoa powder, contain dangerously, often deadly, high levels. If your dog happens to get into any one of these, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Grapes

Wine/Beer/Alcohol

Raisins

Excessive amounts of salt (many Thanksgiving foods are high in sodium)

Cranberry, Pumpkin, Peanut butter & Oatmeal Thanksgiving Delights

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

11/2 oatmeal flour

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup pure packed pumpkin

2 large eggs

½ cup peanut butter

Cooking Directions:

  1. Beat eggs for 1 minute using a standard mixer
  2. Add peanut butter, continue to beat/mix until creamy
  3. Slowly add flowers and dried cranberries until dough is thick and perfect for rolling
  4. Flour work area, placing dough on the floured surface after.
  5. Cut dough in half, roll to approx. ¼” thickness.
  6. Cut away with your favorite cookie cutter!
  7. Line cooking trays with parchment paper, load with treats.
  8. Bake in an oven at 350*F for 30 minutes
  9. Allow time to cool before you offer them up!