Outdoor Safety for Dogs
The outdoor season comes with all kinds of fun activities for you and your dog, but it also comes with a variety of playtime hazards like dog dehydration or water-sports injuries that can be prevented with dog life jackets. Keep Fido safe during outside fun time by following basic tips:
- Beat the heat! Keep your dog safe in the warmer weather or during strenuous activity by making sure he’s always hydrated. Dog dehydration can be fatal. Young dogs tend to get carried away during rowdy playtime and may not stop for a drink. Older dogs are also at risk of dehydration. Remember, it’s a lot hotter down at Fido’s level near the pavement than it is up by your face.
- Never, ever leave your dog locked in a car for any amount of time. Dogs can succumb to heat stroke in cars, even with the windows down, and that can be fatal, too.
- If you keep Fido outside, make sure he has a shady spot and plenty of fresh, cool water at all times.
- When it’s warm, cars often overheat and leak antifreeze, which is deadly for dogs. Unfortunately, antifreeze is very attractive to them because of its sweet smell and taste. Just one lick of antifreeze can make your dog very ill, and may even kill him. There is a safer alternative to antifreeze called propylene glycol that doesn’t attract animals.
- If you’re taking your dog near a body of water, make sure that he knows how to swim and watch him at all times. Invest in a dog life jacket if you’re taking your best friend boating.
- Pool covers come off in the summer, posing a drowning hazard for your pet. Buy a ramp for the deep end of the pool so that Fido can get out if he falls in accidentally. Keeping him in a dog life vest while playing by the pool helps, too.
- People tend to leave their windows open on nice days. If you live in an apartment building, make sure that your screening is intact. If you have a dog that can push through the screening, child-proof your windows. If you live in a house, your dog can escape though an open window or door, so make sure to keep a collar with ID tags on him at all times and get him microchipped with permanent identification.
- Keep Fido’s flea and tick protection up-to-date and check him regularly for these pests.
- Fido and barbeque sauce don’t mix. Your dog will no doubt beg his little heart out at backyard picnics, but refrain from feeding him an abundance of hotdogs and other barbequed meats. A small taste won’t kill him, but don’t overdo it. Remember to avoid dog dehydration and give him lots of water at parties, too.
- If you have a long-coated dog, shorten his ‘do in the summer to help keep him cool. Some dogs, like the spitz-types, have long coats that actually help keep them cool in the summer, so don’t shave your Pomeranian too closely! Hair and skin care are important! If you have a shorthaired dog with fair skin, you can apply sunscreen to his back, head, nose, and ears about a half hour before you leave the house to protect him while you romp in the sun.