Wordless Wednesday – Practicing Pet Safety

I remember working in the corporate world and noticing that I had more pictures of my dogs on my desk than other people had of their children or grandchildren. So I wouldn’t be surprised if some people thought of me as the crazy dog lady. I don’t have kids so my dogs are my family (for years, it was just Sephi and I). And as such, I take care of them as well as, and sometimes better than, I take care of myself. Here are some photos to prove it:

We all eat healthy. Maya & Pierson get a good quality dog food in measured portions.

I feed my dogs twice a day so that they don’t eat a large amount at one time. Eating too much at once can cause bloat, which can be deadly for dogs, especially big dogs. One thing I would like to try is a slow pet feeder dog bowl.

I decided to stop using retractable leads since it made Maya’s walking habits worse and because I heard a horrible story about a dog getting struck by a car because he tried to run across the street after another dog. The owner did not lock the retractable lead quickly enough.

Pierson has a rabies tag, the Home Again tag with his microchip number, and his id tag with my phone number.

Maya is wearing her Kurgo Tru-Fit dog car harness.

I make sure the fenced yard is kept repaired and any dug holes are filled up.

Dougie wears a dog life jacket when he is out on the water. Dougie is not my dog. Maya has one, but I don’t have a picture of her wearing it. Pierson has yet to go swimming so he doesn’t have one yet.

I keep these in my car along with pet identification cards with vet info, a blanket, water, and extra leashes.

This sign goes on my car window whenever my dogs ride with me in the car. It has their photo and emergency contact information.

Dog toys that I know my dogs will chew to pieces are kept picked up and can only be played with under supervision.

After I heard about a dog running with a stick in his mouth and the stick getting jammed into the back of his throat, I try really hard not to let Maya play with sticks.

The first thing I do after a snow is shovel and de-ice the steps. These steps are the only way my dogs can get to the fenced yard and I don’t want them to slip. Warm water is used when they get inside to remove the salt.

How do you practice pet safety? Am I missing anything important?

For more Wordless Wednesday pet photos, check out our Pet Auto Safety Blog for the blog hop.

Practicing Pet Safety for the Holidays

There is so much going on around Christmas time. Things may even get a little chaotic. But don’t forget about your dog or cat. Be sure to practice pet safety for the holidays by being aware of and reducing certain dangers.

Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree itself probably isn’t much of a danger. Just be careful your dog or cat doesn’t knock it down. Cats may like to climb the tree. The ornaments on the Christmas tree could be an issue with your pet. If you have a pet, it is probably not a good idea to have food like popcorn string decorating your tree. If your dog likes to chew, keep tinsel, ornaments, and Christmas lights out of his reach. Be especially careful of glass ornaments. Cats and dogs alike may try to play with them and hurt themselves.

Holiday Decor
Plants like poinsettia, holly, and mistletoe are poisonous. Consider imitation plants instead or keep the plants out of reach of your pets. Other holiday decor which could be dangerous is candles. A dog with a wagging tail may accidentally knock over a lit candle and a cat may accidentally walk by a lit candle and catch his tail on fire. Also be careful of holiday decor which may be enticing to your pet as a toy. Cats love to play and although there may not be much danger in that, some decor can get broken and cut someone. Small children may pick up what your cat knocked over. Dogs may mistake some decor, such as stuffed snowmen or santas, as chew toys.

Christmas Presents
Keep small Christmas presents out of reach. Cats may play with them and unintentionally break the gift. Dogs may chew them. Especially keep stockings with candy and small toys out of reach. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and other candy may upset his stomach. Small toys may be mistaken as chew toys. Your dog may accidentally ingest one and choke or get it lodged in his intestines which may require an emergency surgery to remove it.

Christmas Dinner
Much holiday food is not good for your pet. Do not give your dog turkey or ham bones. Other holiday foods may have spices and fats which will upset your dog’s stomach. Cookies and other sweets could also upset your dog’s stomach. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and macadamia nuts may be as well. Also, if you serve hors d’oeurves for a Christmas party, be sure all the toothpicks are picked up and thrown away. Or don’t use toothpicks at all. This could be very bad for your dog if he tries to chew one. And one last thing about holiday food – be sure to throw leftovers and bones in the outside trash or in a trash can which your dog can’t get into.

Holiday Visitors
The people you invite to your home probably are not a danger to your pets. Otherwise you wouldn’t have invited them, right? But with all the visitors going in and out, they may not be used to pets and may accidentally let them out. Or they may accidentally leave a door open. It only takes a moment for a pet to slip through and go outside to explore. Be sure your guests are all aware of where the pets are and are not allowed. Let your guests know about any issues, such as a dog liking to bolt and not coming when called or a cat being sneaky and squeezing out the door. If you know that one of your pets has this issue, consider keeping him confined to certain areas of the house only. For example, use a pet gate to keep him away from the entryway to the front door. Also make sure your pets are wearing their collars and id tags for in case they do get out.

Young children may also be a danger to pets and vice versa. Make sure children and pets are supervised. Young children may not understand that they are doing something to hurt your pet. If your pet growls or gives warning, a child may not understand what that means and it could lead to the child being bitten.

So for a quick re-cap, beware of holiday items which your pet may break, chew, or knock over. Be careful about your pet eating poisonous holiday plants, candy, or other holiday foods. And make sure your pets are secured indoors and are supervised with children. Puppies and kittens can be especially vulnerable since they have not had much training yet and may be enticed by all the new things and new people around.

Be safe and have a Merry Christmas!

Disaster Preparedness for Your Dog and Other Pets

Disasters happen every time of year in every part of the world. We seldom think about preparing for it because it always seems to happen to someone else far away. But we should think about it. And we should prepare. Make disaster plans for yourself and your family. And don’t forget to include your pets in that plan.

Always make sure your pets are wearing id tags with your current information. That way, if disaster occurs and you are separated from your pet, someone who happens to find your pet has a way to contact you.

Make an evacuation plan for you and your family. When evacuating the home, each member of the family needs to know their escape routes. And designate you or your spouse to be the one who gathers the pets. Dogs, cats, and other pets tend to want to hide during an emergency situation, so know your pets’ favorite places around the house.

Keep supplies on hand. Certain supplies such as water, blankets, and a first aid kit can be kept in your car. Other supplies such as your dog’s leash, any medications, food, and pet carriers should be easily accessible and close at hand. Consider keeping your dog’s vet info and photo in your purse or wallet so that in the event that you get separated from your pet, you have a way of helping others to look for or find him.

Know places in your community where you can go in an emergency. And make sure they will accept your pets. Some shelters don’t allow pets so check with your vet or a friend to see if they would be willing to hold on to your pet in the event of an emergency. Some dog shelters will hold pets too, but these places will likely already be full. PetsWelcome.com has a website which can give you a list of hotels which allow dogs. They also list other dog-friendly places.

Some of the most common disasters include fires, floods, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes. Make an emergency plan for each and include every member of your family. A disaster can be a terrible tragedy. A good plan can help to keep it from being even more devastating.