Safety – Delightful Dogs

Safety Tips: New Years Eve

New Year’s Eve is a fun night for most of us humans, but for our pets it can be one of the most scariest times of the year. Fireworks, loud music, either owners being away or having lots of strange people in and out of the home can cause our furry companions to try and run away! In Fact, shelters see a greater number if lost dogs following the holidays.

Here are tips to have a safe and peaceful New Years Eve (at least with your dogs, and cats too).

1) Exercise pets during the day. I recommend an hour or 2 before the festivities begin! Dogs- take them on a long walk or a run, play fetch or tug. For cats, play with them for a half hour or more. If they are tired they are more likely to sleep through all the celebrations.

2) Keep dogs and cats INDOORS. Let them potty before all the activities begin. If you must let your dogs out to potty, put them on leash and make sure they have a collar that fits them well (use the 2 finger rule: Once the dog’s collar is fastened, you should be able to easily slide two fingers under the collar. When you slide the width of your two fingers between the collar and neck, the collar should feel snug, but not tight.) with an updated ID tag. It’s best to keep cats indoors. If you have an indoor/outdoor kitty, get them inside around 3-4ish… to get them inside before there should be any unusual noises.

3) Keep dogs and cats in a familiar, cozy area (like a bedroom for example) with food, water, toys and bedding. Try playing soothing music to drown out the noise of the fireworks. For dogs, if they feel safe and secure in their crate, this would be the safest option, make sure to give them some toys to entertain themselves. If you have both dogs and cats, you may want to put them in separate rooms, you know your pets best, use your best judgement.

4) Keep the alcohol and other treats up. New Years is the one time of year when a large number of pets get into alcohol. Alcohol ingestion in pets can lead to depression, unsteady walking, vomiting, and in severe cases, a serious drop in blood pressure and body temperature. PLEASE see the ASPCA website for IMPORTANT information about alcohol and other substances ingestion in animals: https://www.aspca.org/news/celebrating-safely-ringing-new-year-your-pets

Thank you and have a SAFE, but FUN New Years!!

Pet Safety: Christmas

Christmas can be a very overwhelming time for our furry friends. Here are a few suggestions for how to put your pet at ease so they can enjoy the day as well.

1. Play hide and seek with some toys. Give them a KONG filled with wet dog food, peanut butter, or any of these recipes: https://www.kongcompany.com/recipes/

2. A nice long walk- burn some energy.

3. Give some extra cuddle time.

Here are your Christmas safety tips!

1. Check your dog collar, ID tags, and microchip information to make sure it is all up to date. We never want to search for a lost pet during “the happiest time of the year”.

2. Be aware of any items that your pets may want to chew on and eat. Tinsel, ribbons, ornaments, wrapping paper, etc. Things like that can cause blockages and even be lethal to your pet.

3. Do your research on Christmas plants before bringing any home. Some are toxic to our pets.

4. Sweets are for humans only. Please do not share your sugary treats with your pets. Some are even toxic to your pets. If you want to give your dog a treat, you can check out this healthy, but tasty list: https://iheartdogs.com/12-healthiest-human-foods-for-dogs/

5. Make sure your tree is well anchored so your pet can’t pull it over.

6. Safe presents- Chewy.com is a great and cheap place to buy all your pets needs.

7. Traveling with your pet- if you are traveling with your pet, make sure they are secure in a crate or a pet seat belt for theirs and your safety.

8. No surprises- remember pets are for the pets entire life, so please do not give pets as gifts. A great alternative is maybe a coupon for a trip to the near buy shelter or breeder.

Pet Safety: Thanksgiving

Check collar and tags! That the collars are secure and the information is up to date.
Update microchips! Make sure the information is up to date. If your pet is not microchip then call your local vet or shelter to set up an appointment.
Make arrangements. If you are leaving town, do not leave your pet alone for days at a time- water bowls can spill and accidents can happen. Call a pet sitter or a boarding facility. If you are bringing your pet with you on your trip, make sure you bring everything your pet needs for a safe trip (food, water, bowls, crate, toys, bedding, etc). If your pet will be riding in the car please secure them in a crate or a pet seat belt/harness.
If you will be having guests over, tell them to watch for your pet before hand so they are aware or you can put a sign on your door reminding guests to watch for your door dasher. Or you can simply put your pet in another room or in a crate until guests are done going in and out.
Make sure to continue your exercise regimen.
Bring out some new toys to keep your pets distracted. I personally love the KONG- fill it with your pets meal and seal the top with wet dog food or peanut butter and stick in the freezer the night before. It will keep your dog busy for a while.
Make sure you are supervising any children that are interacting with your pets for everyone’s safety.
No table scraps please. Remind your guests of this as well. Some things we can eat on Thanksgiving, our pets can’t have. Make sure you do your research before you feed your pets anything from your table. Also, feeding from the table rewards begging.

You can give your dog plain canned pumpkin as a special treat. Do not use the pumpkin pie mix. 1-2 tablespoon is plenty, less if you have a small dog.

Pet Safety: Halloween

1. Do NOT leave your dog in your yard on Halloween- Many pets are injured or killed by vicious pranksters. So please keep your dogs (and cats) indoors.

2. Keep your dog (and cat) confined and away from front door. A bedroom or a crate will be good to keep your pets safe this Halloween. Keeping your pets away from the constant opening and closing of the front door will help reduce their stress as well.

3. Keep all treats away from your pets. All chocolate can be dangerous for all pets. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures.

4. Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach. While small amounts of pumpkin can be fed safely to your pets, uncooked and potentially moldy pumpkins and corn can cause gastrointestinal upset or even a blockage can occur.

5. Keep glow sticks away from pets.

6. Keep a ID tag with all your current information, just in case your pets escape your home. I recommend this for the WHOLE year, not just Halloween.

7. Don’t lite your pumpkins around your pets. Real candles are dangerous, so please make sure your pets does not have access to a lit candle.

8. Keep electric and battery operated Halloween decorations out of reach. Pets who are big chewers (puppies fall in the category) are more likely to chew on power cords and battery operated decoration. Batteries can cause chemical burns if chewed open and gastrointestinal blockage if swallowed.

9. Don’t dress your pet up in a costume, unless you know they’ll love it. If you chose to dress up your pet, make it a positive experience with lots of treats (dog approved treats). Always have an adult supervision when you have dressed up your dog. Dress your pet in their costume before Halloween to allow them to adjust to having it on. If at anytime your dog seems distressed by his or her costume, please consider just a bandana or his “birthday suit”.

You can give your dog plain canned pumpkin as a special treat. Do not use the pumpkin pie mix. 1-2 tablespoon is plenty, less if you have a small dog.