Dog Safety

It’s almost Independence Day in the USA, and folks around the country are preparing for their annual cookouts, picnics and BBQs to be shared with family and friends. Outdoor feasts are a summer staple, and a dog’s dream. “So much yummy food,” says Fido, “and all within reach in my backyard!”

Luckily, there are a number of Fourth of July foods that you can share with your furry family member. DogTails has compiled a dog-friendly BBQ menu to help you put together that special summer bowl just for your pup. These tips will also help you keep an eye out for dangerous foods that dogs should NOT eat on the Fourth (or any other day). As always, pay attention to ingredients, keep servings of the “good” people food small, and don’t leave the food or trash unattended – these are some of the steps to making this a safe and healthy holiday for your dog!

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The DogWatch dogs LOVE summer. Biz the Lab likes to go swimming at lunchtime. Lucy the Pug mix loves to go to Maine to visit family. Nellie the Aussie loves to roll around in the freshly cut grass. And Gizmo the Papillon puppy? He loves EVERYTHING about summer, especially his Friday trips to DogWatch to see his new friends!

In honor of our summer-loving pups, the DogWatch team has pulled together our top 5 tips to help make your summer a perfect one for you and your dog. Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy the sunshine!
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Many dog owners look forward to National Take Your Dog to Work Day, which was Friday, June 21 this year. It’s great fun to have your buddy sleeping cozily at your feet or to watch him greet new friends with sniffs and tail wags, or play keep-away with a favorite toy.

But where is your four-legged friend the rest of the year? Though some workplaces welcome pets, most do not. It would, of course, be wonderful to be able to stay home with Fido, but someone has to earn the green stuff that we trade for kibble and dog toys, so most of us head off to work each day sadly leaving our dogs home alone.

Not only do we miss them, but bored or lonely dogs have been known to chew furniture, destroy blinds, disturb the neighbors with barking, or even hurt themselves trying to escape. You can help your dog adjust to your absence using the following tips.
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There’s no telling what tomorrow will bring. For that matter, even one hour into the future is a mystery to us. We do know, though, that June is the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season; the tornado season is already in full swing; earthquakes, severe weather, fires, floods—it seems there is always some potential disaster “in season.” There’s no getting around it: disasters happen.

But we human beings have the unique capability of imagining the future. Individually and as a species, we analyze our past experiences and use that information to imagine, and even plan for the future. We can, and do, prepare ourselves and our families to survive disasters.

Spring is a good season to review your family’s emergency plan. Remember to include your dog and other pets in your plan, because in a disaster, they face the same dangers as every other member of your family. Advance planning is the key to their safety in an emergency situation.

Here are five tips for emergency planning for your dog.
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