SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FOR DOGS

Summer Time, Summer Time, Sum... Sum... Summer Time!!

It's Summer, the time of year both pets and their people look forward to all year.  It's the time of year dogs don't have to beg their people to take them outside, their people are begging them to go outdoors!

Along with all that fun outdoor activity comes a variety of dog safety tips we've packed away in the closet of our minds for Winter storage.  I haven't thought much about all the Canine safety tips for  Summer, those important pet safety measures I follow in Summer, until now.  

Icy and Phoebe love going to the beach!

I've unpacked those important safety tips for dog owners from my mind's closet and jotted them down so they're top of  mind as my dogs and I enjoy the great outdoors from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  Here are my top Summer safety tips for dogs, most of which apply to dogs, cats and other pets you may bring along on outdoor adventures.

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FOR DOGS

THE BEACH

I can't write about safety tips for dogs in the Summer without starting with the beach!  Dogs love the beach and so do their people, but it's important to keep dogs safe. There are some potential dangers for dogs at the beach.

➤ Dehydration is the first thing to worry about.  Bring lots of water along and make sure your pet stays well hydrated!

Take dogs to the beach before 10am or after sunset when the sand is cool.  Sand can easily scorch your pet's paws!  Be careful as you walk across asphalt or concrete parking lots, it can burn your pup's sensitive paws too.  You may want to carry your dog or put some pet booties on him.

The beach can be a great outing for you and your dog.  Here are some additional Beach safety tips for dogs.

TRAFFIC, NOT JUST CARS BUT PEOPLE TOO!

➤ Not only do you always need to be careful of your dog and car traffic, but in Summer watch out for Bicycles, Skate boards, and other things that keep people, especially kids, on the move along sidewalks or in parks.  Many dogs are afraid of skate boards and bicycles and will bark at or chase them as they whiz by.  This can be a danger to your pet as well as the person riding by them.  Try to get your dog used to bikes and skate boards, or any other contraption that might zoom by.  Create a positive association with these items and the people riding them for your dog, perhaps using some training exercises and treats.

➤ Speaking of kids, not every child knows how to properly approach or interact with a dog.  Don't be afraid to tell the child to wait until you know a parent is nearby or that the kid knows how to approach and interact with dogs.  As a Therapy Dog handler, I am always aware of this.  It's amazing but some kids have never been taught how to properly pet or treat a dog. I've had kids' hands get really close to Icy's eyes or mouth and I have to instruct them how to pet her, gently and along her side.

Icy is always running through the bushes & rolling in the grass in our yard.

FLEAS BITE, TICKS SUCK!

➤ Another danger pets face even more so in Summer (as well as Fall) are fleas and ticks!  Dogs love to run through bushes and tall grasses, swim in lakes and ponds, and lay in the dirt and wet sand.  Although they're a threat all year long, with Summer comes an increased risk of fleas and ticks.  Protection against fleas and ticks is an important aspect of pet health.  Tickborne diseases like Tick Fever (Anaplasmosis) can really make your dog sick!  There are many ways to keep your dog protected against fleas and ticks. I use Bravecto, an oral flea/tick medication, all year long to protect Icy and Phoebe.  

OTHER DOGS 

➤ Unfortunately, people often don't adhere to rules about keeping their dogs on leash.  Despite the fact that a park, campground, or hiking trail may have warning signs that all dogs must be leashed, there are always people who violate the rules.  This is one of my personal pet peeves.  I don't bring my dogs to off leash areas, other than one local dog park where I know many of the people and their dogs.  I'm always wary of loose dogs in public areas, and the all too familiar "Don't worry, he's friendly!" line that people who insist on letting their dogs run loose spew out.  You never know how any dog may react to your dog and vice versa.  Just like people, every dog is an individual and every situation is different.  

Make sure your dog has solid Leave It! and Emergency Recall training skills.  Be aware.  Please don't bring a reactive or skittish dog into an off leash area, it's so stressful for them.  Please keep your dog on leash if you're in an area where that is the rule.

THE GREEN GREEN GRASS & PESTICIDES

➤ Around here, it seems like gardeners are out nearly every day mowing, pruning, fertilizing and applying those nasty Pesticides!  Those dreaded tiny yellow signs on lawns that warn you dangerous pesticides have been applied make me cringe.  In fact, we got a letter last week from a company that sprays for mosquitoes.  Apparently, our neighbors are sick of the blood sucking mosquitoes we have in our area and have hired reinforcements.  The letter "recommends" that we keep our pets indoors for one hour after they have sprayed at our neighbor's house!  They also advise keeping our doors & windows shut during and after they've sprayed.  They plan to spray twice a month through September!  We do not look forward to that.

Phoebe loves to smell all the flowers in our yard and in other peoples' yards

WILDLIFE AND OTHER CRITTERS

➤ Wildlife is also out in droves all Summer long.  Critters from raccoons to squirrels, moles, deer, rabbits, frogs, birds, coyotes, opossums (yes, an opossum is the same thing as a possum!), and who knows what else may end  up in your yard, at parks, or on hiking trails!  

We had a possum that hung out behind our garage at night and Icy was so curious about him.  I worried because if cornered it could try to scratch your dog's face.  I didn't let her spend more than a couple of moments out there at night.  

Some wildlife may be aggressive and can potentially carry diseases. If your dog bites a wild animal, she could get infected with Leptospirosis or other diseases.  If your dog or cat gets bitten by any wild animal, you should call your Veterinarian right away.  

Keep these safety tips for dogs and other pets in mind as you enjoy the Summer!!

Do you know of any other pet safety tips for Summer ?  Please leave us a comment & share, we always LOVE hearing from you!