Summer

With 4th of July preparations underway, we thought it would be a good idea to re-post excerpts from some previous 4th of July articles.  Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

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As soon as your puppy has had all his/her vaccinations, you may want to consider checking out your local dog parks (assuming you are lucky enough to have one near-by.)  Under the right circumstances, a dog park can be a great way for your puppy to burn off some of that wonderful puppy energy.  It can also be one of the ways your pup learns to socialize with other dogs and other people.  But before you head for the park with your canine companion, it is important to check out the park and the park rules. It is also important to spend some time learning how to introduce your pup to the park before you jump into the fray.  A little bit of preparation will help both you and your pup get the most from your experience.
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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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