dog safety

For those of you who are experiencing the change of seasons from the gray and white of winter to the verdant green of spring, you understand how good the transition feels. It’s a good bet that your pooch feels the same way.

Chances are you’re eyeing the flower bed and your garden patch and trying to remember where you last saw your good gardening gloves. The garden centers have stocked up on fertilizer, bags of mulch and those tempting little the seed packets that carry so much promise.

If your dog enjoys spending time outside, he may be happy to get his paws in there to ‘help’ with your gardening, but that might not work out so well for your garden . . .or for your dog. Your dog’s gardening penchant can be dangerous for him because many beautiful plants, and the fertilizers and mulches that we use to nurture a beautiful landscape, are toxic to dogs.
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While Halloween is an exciting time for us humans, it can be a downright scary and stressful time for dogs. Tons of people who may or may not actually look like people, constant noise and activity, doorbells ringing, doors opening and closing – all of this can be highly upsetting to many dogs. If not celebrating Halloween is not an option at your house, here are some guidelines from DogWatch to help you keep your dog safe and sane on the scariest night of the year.
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Happy Holidays from Dog Tails! All year, we’ve enjoyed sharing our stories and advice with you, our fantastic audience of passionate pet owners. We hope our blog has kept your informed about and, of course, entertained by all things canine (and feline, too)!

In our last post before Christmas, we pulled together one last list of tips to keep your pets safe during the end-of-season holiday madness. Noise, food, decorations, guests, travel – these next two weeks have it all! Follow our final list of tips for 2010, and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year with your wonderful pets!

The Food

Holiday feasts are not only tempting for us, but also for our pets. Be sure to keep an eye out for unattended plates or serving dishes left within reach. Also, don’t forget to watch the trash and any drinks – your pets can get in trouble exploring these things, too!

Extra caution is needed for specific, dangerous foods containing chocolate, xylitol, bones, alcohol or grapes. (For more information on good and bad people food for pets, check out this previous blog post and the ASPCA website.)   As we discussed in our Thanksgiving tips, leftover treats should be kept to a minimum and limited to foods that your pets have tried before without incident. (Nobody enjoys a Christmas trip to the Vet!)

To avoid food-related surprises altogether, purchase or prepare special holiday-themed treats (like these for dogs and these for cats). Inform your guests that table scraps are off-limits for Fido and Fluffy, and instead, have proper treats available so you can include your pet in the holiday festivities without risking any unintended consequences.

The Tree

The Christmas tree is a holiday tradition for many – but it can be a nightmare for dog owners. The ASPCA reminds you to securely anchor your tree to make sure it does not fall, especially if your pet likes to play near it. If you have a real tree, keep your pet away from the tree water. It may contain fertilizers, and if it stays stagnant, it can upset your pet’s stomach and cause diarrhea.

Also, keep your pet away from the tree’s strings of lights. Some dogs are tempted to chew these cords, which can cause a serious electric shock. Check for signs of chewing each day, and do not let your pet play in the tree area if these signs appear.  If you need more than a stern warning to keep your pet away from the tree, you may want to consider using an electronic indoor boundary to ensure the safety of both your pet and your tree.  Indoor boundaries also work well for other indoor areas (such as the kitchen counter!).  Check the Indoor Boundaries section of the DogWatch website for more information.

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