Safety First

There are a lot of holidays that require Mom and Dad to go away out instead of being home with us. We don’t mind though because they always take care of our needs before they leave.

First, Mom believes that tired pups will most likely sleep and relax while alone in the house. On days like today (New Year’s Eve) we go on a big adventure. This involves more than just walking around the neighborhood like we do every day. Today we went to a hiking trail and spent an hour and a half climbing 412′ in elevation. This doesn’t just tire us out, we are wiped. Feed us our dinner and we will sleep through anything. This strategy of Mom’s works for them too because when they come home, we are ready to go to bed and not ramped up wanting another walk. You know your pooch’s activity level; so you are the best judge of how much extra activity to push for.

Second, Dad leaves music on. I know it sounds silly and cliche, but on a holiday like New Year’s Eve in a state where fireworks are legal, there is bound to be some ruckus in the street. If there is some music on, it creates a bit of a white noise effect and we aren’t so startled when the fireworks go off. We don’t have a dog door in our home, but if you do, consider closing it for the night. When you hear of dogs running away on holidays like this, the problem is that the dog could get out not that the dog was skiddish. If your dog tends to be more nervous to sounds like firecrackers, they are more apt to look for safety when things start popping.

Have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and we will see you all in 2012!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

It’s the Fourth of July! It means I get to wear a red, white and blue bandanna, we play in the pool and Mom and Dad go to watch fireworks later. We also got hot dogs!

Just a few tips for the day to help keep your pets as safe and happy as we are!

• 1. It’s July; it’s hot. Keep that in mind for your four legged family members. We don’t always want to be outside just because our parents are, sometimes we need a rest.
• 2. Water, water and more water. We can’t pop open a cold one. Make sure we have lots of to drink and maybe some to play in.
• 3. Those loud bangs. Some dogs do not do well with fireworks, even little ones you might be setting off at your BBQ. Please consider your pet’s temperament and pay attention. If we start getting upset, bring us inside away from the firecrackers. And always watch that your dog doesn’t get too close to hot embers.
• 4. The big fireworks show. Really, just leave us home. Bringing your dog to a crowded park and then having fireworks go off can be not-so-fun. Let us stay home, turn on a radio so we can’t hear the fireworks if they are close by and everything will turn out fine.