Outdoor Pet Safety

Outdoor Pet Safety

By Robert Forto, PhD

This article is re-posted on the request of a client. I will post it again with a few updates as we get closer to the July 4th Holiday next month.

As the busy fourth of July holiday is upon us next weekend, I wanted to take a few moments to talk about outdoor pet safety and the dangers of fireworks around your furry friends. If you have any questions on this topic please consult your local trainer or veterinarian or give us a call at Denver Dog Works at 303-752-2818 anytime. We will also be discussing this topic on our weekly radio show, The Dog Doctor Radio Show and you can download it anytime by clicking here.

Dogs and Fireworks
• Keep your dog inside when fireworks are being let off.
• Close all windows and doors to help keep the noise to a minimum.
• Close the curtains so your pet can not see the flashes.
• Turn on the TV or some music to drown out some of the firework noise.
• Block any dog doors or other ways for your pet to get outside. That way, if they do get scared, they cannot get out of the house and run the risk of being injured.
• Make sure your pet is wearing a form of identification. That way if they do manage to escape, you can be easily contacted when your pet is found.
• Do not take your pet to a fireworks display! They may be part of the family but this is one trip they will be more than happy to miss.
• Do not tie your pet outside during fireworks, even if you are only popping into the house for a minute.
• Take your dog for a walk during daylight when fireworks are less likely to be let off.
• Avoid leaving your pets alone – they will feel safer with you around.
• Stay calm and act normally, this will help your pet to feel safer and lets them know there is nothing to fear.

Now let’s talk about outdoor pet safety.

Many people enjoy outside activities and leisure time with a pet. Here are some simple tips to help keep your dog or cat safe when they enjoy the great outdoors.

Identify your pet. An identification tag is a simple and inexpensive way to put your name and telephone number, as well as the pet’s name, on a collar. The drawback is that tags and collars can come off. Other forms of ID include tattoos and microchips.

Think safety. Unless very well-trained or in an enclosed environment, your dog should be on a leash. Being hit by a car is one of the most common injuries a pet can sustain outside. Do not leave a chain collar or prong training collar on your dog unsupervised as metal rings may become caught on outdoor items. Similarly, do not leave a pet on a run cable or chain near a fence – pets have been known to hang themselves accidentally when they scramble over or jump a too-low fence.

Keep your pet groomed. Spring, summer, and fall all provide the chance for fleas and ticks from the great outdoors to infest your pet. Check your pet’s skin and coat close to the skin for parasites. Using a fine comb will help. Do not shave your pet down to the skin if he or she spends a lot of time outside. Hair provides protection from the sun (a dog can get sunburned), and insulation from heat as well as cold.

Public areas, like parks, require good pet manners. Be sure your pet is vaccinated for rabies, a distemper/parvo combination, and bordetella. Many diseases are contagious through the air or ground contamination. Early socialization in a dog’s life will make him an enjoyable pet to walk and play with around other pets and people. If you know your pet is not friendly, then take steps to prevent any negative interactions with others or find quiet, isolated areas to enjoy your pet’s company alone.

Many pets, especially dogs, like to travel with their owners. Never leave pets alone in hot vehicles, and remember to bring along the leash and water. Although many dogs love to ride with their heads out the window, this can be a source of eye irritation and damage, not to mention a route of escape if they jump or fall from the vehicle.

Keep a pet first aid kit in the glove compartment or trunk for any minor injuries that may occur when you are away from home.

Your dog or cat will love being with you and savors the outdoors as much as you do. A bit of preplanning and using common sense will keep outdoor ventures a happy experience.

This article is provided as a general overview of the topic. Always consult your veterinarian or trainer for specific information related to diseases or medical care for pets. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to give us a call at Denver Dog Works and please be sure to listen to our radio show (Saturday mornings 9:30 am to 10:30 am MDT) or through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com/

Citation: ABKA

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Denver Dog Works and The Ineka Project and the host of The Dog Doctor Radio Show. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com/

The Postman Doesn’t Always Ring Twice

The Postman Doesn’t Always Ring Twice…

By Robert Forto, PhD

The other day I was at a clients home doing a behavioral modification session for a dog that “barks, jumps, and lunges” at the door, particularly at the mailman and the pizza guy. About fifteen minutes into the session guess who shows up, our boys in blue. No, not the cops but the local mail carrier. It was a sight that I have never seen in my entire life and I will do my best to describe it here.

The door bell rings and the owner answers the door. It is a mailman with a couple of packages and a bundle of mail. The dog, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, greets the mailman with his tail wagging. The mailman freaks out and starts dancing with the dog with the packages out in front of him like a shield. The mailman proceeds to drop the mail bundle and the packages and literally runs, well it was a fast walk really, away.

There was no biting, lunging, barking or even sniffing. The dog was just curious at who was at the door. I can understand the mailman’s apprehension of course, but this dramatic display was off the charts! I just wish I was fast enough to have my iPhone camera on and recording so I could post it to YouTube, but as you know we are never fast enough to capture these moments on film.

I can also remember when I was a kid our local mailman would carry a three huge cans of, I guess it was Mace, on his bag and one at the ready, and he would spray every dog that came within twenty feet of him. This guy looked like Clint Eastwood in a Western movie and the Quick-Draw McGraw was a sight to see for a 6-year old with his cap gun on his waste, like me.

I am not making light of this situation. On the contrary, there is full justification for mailmen, or are they mail-persons in this politically correct world?, to be apprehensive and as I note below, legal authority:

The United States Postal Service, whose mail carriers are plagued by dog bites, is fighting back. Its dog -bite awareness program, aimed at getting owners to keep their pets from bothering mail carriers, has reduced bites to about 3,000 a year. The Postal Service also encourages its carries to sue if they are bitten.

Source: Every Dog’s Legal Guide, Mary Randolph, JD, Nolo Press (2007)

I am writing this article today for the dog owners out there to give them a few tips on how to deal with the mailman and your dog.

Teach your dog sit and to accept a friendly stranger at all times. The AKC Canine Good Citizen Test is a great training routine for this exercise;

Your dog thinks it is a game when the mailman comes to the door and look at it this way: the big scary mailman comes to the door and makes a lot of noise, your dog barks and the mailman walks away. This is self-reinforcing to the dog. He barked and the mailman walked away. Train your dog not to bark at strangers at the door but rather to accept them by sitting politely for petting. Now, getting your mailman to pet your dog is a different story;

Hey if all else fails, put your mailbox on the street instead of the porch, or better yet get a P.O. Box at your local Post Office. (My tongue firmly in cheek of course…)

If you do need help in this training regimen I would suggest contacting a canine trainer or behaviorist and they will develop a training routine based on counter conditioning and desensitization. If you have questions please feel free to give us a call anytime at 303-578-9881

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Dr. Robert Forto is the training director for Dog Works Training Centers and the host of a weekly radio program, The Dog Doctor Radio Show which can be heard every Saturday morning at 9:30 am in the Rocky Mountain West or downloaded anytime. Dr. Forto can be reached through his website at http://www.denverdogworks.com