8 ways to keep your dog safe this Halloween!

Hello All,

It’s October! Time for turning leaves, pumpkin picking and Halloween treats! I love this time of year, don’t you? I thought I’d pass along some Halloween safety tips for all of my 4 legged friends!

1. Chocolate is a no-no for dogs. It can cause all sorts of problems for dogs including vomiting, diarrhea and even seizures. Candy containing artificial sweeteners can be poisonous too, and be very careful of candy wrappers that get left around; the foil and cellophane wrappers can cause choking!

2. Don’t let dogs eat pumpkins or decorative corn. They can cause gastrointestinal upset or intestinal blockage!

3. If you decorate for the holiday be careful to hide electric cords and keep decorations out of reach! Puppies love to chew!

4. If you carve a pumpkin, be careful if you light it. An excited pup can knock over the lit pumpkin and start a fire or get burned!

5. Please don’t dress up your dog unless he really wants to, sometimes a dog can get very uncomfortable and it causes stress.

6. If your dog does love to dress up, make sure the costume is safe. It should not constrict movement, hearing or sight. Try a “dress rehearsal” night. Make sure there are no small pieces parts to chew off! Remember a festive bandana is another option!

7. Too many costumed visitors can scare a dog! If he seems upset, maybe you might need to put him in a separate room during the busy times.

8. When you open the door for trick or treaters, make sure your dog doesn’t dart outside! And always make sure you dog is wearing his collar with identification! Just incase he escapes and becomes lost!

To help celebrate Halloween, I wanted to extend to you a ghostly good savings offer. If you go to www.DogCandlesAndMore.com you will save 21% off your entire order. Just use coupon code “howl” and receive 21% off! This offer will last just about as long as the candy in our house and it will be gone on October 31, 2009. What would look really great would be to dress your dog up in it's costume and order a photo candle with the picture. If you check out the http://www.DogCandlesAndMore.com/custom page, you will see Lacey all dressed up as Underdog and see how great a candle would look with your picture!

Happy Halloween!

May all your wags be happy!

Love, Fido!

P.S. Don’t forget to send in your Halloween photos of your dogs! I’d love to see them and post them on my site!

PPS. Don’t forget about our hollowing discount! Save 21%! Hurry, offer expires on October 31, 2009!

Is your dog packing on the pounds? How to test and what to do about it!

Is your dog overweight?

Statistics show that over 40% of dogs in the United States are overweight; however, the percentage of owners who think their dog is overweight is significantly lower than 40%.

Quick Tests

Here are two quick tests to determine whether your dog is carrying more weight than he or she should: When you run your hands along your dog's ribcage, can you feel his or her ribs? You should be able to clearly feel the ribs and be able to count the number as you move your hands along your dog's body. Secondly, run your hands along your dog's side, does he or she have a 'waist' - does the body tuck in before the hips? If there's a straight line from his hips to his shoulders, your dog is probably overweight.

What does your vet say?

Your veterinarian is the best place to check to see if your pet would benefit from weight loss. Your discussion with them will also help you to understand how to help a overweight dog lose weight. Be sure that your dog is also examined for any other medical conditions that could be causing weight gain.

If your vet feels that your dog is overweight, they will probably ask you a few questions regarding frequency of exercise, amount and type of food eaten and other foods given as treats. Be as honest as you can. Often times, there are others in the house that may be sneaking snacks. And don't forget that all of those treats each time the dog goes out add up and often aren't counted as "food".

Misconceptions regarding obesity.

1. Healthy dogs do not need to eat every day. Do not encourage your pet to eat if it isn’t interested. If you provide a good quality food and plenty of water, your pet will eat when it wants to.

2. Another common myth is that spaying or neutering causes obesity. The sugrical procedure may slightly slow the pet’s metabolism, as will normal aging. Remember, surgery doesn’t cause the weight gain, eating too much does and you control that.

3. Table scraps are ok in moderation. Besides possible allergies to "human" food, table scraps can be hard to monitor as to the quality or quantity.

How to help shed those pounds

If you have determined that your dog's weight problem is due to over feeding and not enough exercise, draw up a plan for feeding and exercising and stick to it consistently until he's lost the weight he needs to.

Like humans, it's better if the weight comes off slowly and adopting a healthier lifestyle is likely to be more successful than putting your dog on a crash diet and/or giving him some of the new weight loss medications that are now available.

And lets face it, most people could use a better diet and more exercise anyway. Why not make it a goal for both of you!

Your veterinarian will be able to help with you with how much food to feed your dog. Some vets do not recommend "Reduced Calorie" or "Light Diets"! These dog foods have low fat levels to reduce the calories but by necessity have increased the carbohydrate percentages. This increased carbohydrate stimulates additional Insulin secretion which tells the body to store unused calories as fat!

Get everyone involved.

Another important tip is to get everyone’s cooperation in restricting the pet’s intake. There is usually someone in the household who feels sorry for the dieting pet and usually gives in with that “I’m hungry” or “boy, does that look good” look. If they want to really help, it would be best to take the dog on a extra walk, or throw that ball around in the back yard.

Helping your dog lose weight is hard work - but it's worth it. Your dog’s energy level will be back to normal and it’s really better not to carry on those extra pounds.

Puppy proofing your home - 17 tips to keep your new addition safe.

Did you know that March 23 is considered National Puppy Day? So, in honor of all those new puppies, I thought it would be fitting to talk about puppy proofing your home! It is just as important to puppy proof your home as you when a new baby arrives. Especially since they are moving around and chewing almost from day 1!

Living Room –

1. Tuck in electronic wires and cables the best you can. Spray the cables and wires with Bitter Apple to deter chewing or conceal them in hard plastic or rubber runners.

2. If there is a smoker in the house, make sure ashtrays and tobacco products are kept away from pups reach.

3. Keep shoes and toys away from puppies, they love to chew! A child’s bedroom and playroom should be off limits unless the pup is supervised.

4. Small objects are also a danger to pups. Swallowed small items such as coins, rubber bands, nails, screws, earrings and small toys can get lodged in your puppy’s digestive track. Many plants can be toxic if chewed too, so make sure small items and plants are kept out of reach.

5. Puppies can slip and fall down the stairs, make sure you use baby gates to keep that new puppy safe.

6. Keep candles out of reach of your puppy. Unlit candles can broken and lit candles especially cute ones like I help make at http://www.dogcandlesandmore.com/ are interesting with the fragrances and flickering candle light and can lead to burns or even worse to fires. It is always best to keep them out of reach of your puppy.

Bathroom –

7. Check at your puppy’s level for medications and cleaning supplies. Don’t store these items under the sink unless you install a child lock on the cabinets.

8. Keep that toilet seat down!

9. Put away hair dryers and curling irons. These items can be knocked down and accidentally turned on.

Kitchen –

10. Keep trash cans covered and behind closed doors if possible. Coffee grounds and spoiled foods can be hazardous to puppies.

11. Just like in the bathroom, keep cleaners and soaps away from puppy’s reach. Another childproof lock might be a good idea!

12. Store baking goods, especially chocolate and raisins on a high shelf.

13. Keep the dishwasher closed, dirty plates and utensils are temping for a puppy to taste.

Garage –

14. Antifreeze can taste sweet but is deadly. Keep bottles on a high shelf in the garage and frequently check your car for leaks.

15. Keep pesticides, fertilizers, batteries, cleaners, solvents, motor oil, and gasoline all way from your new pups reach.

Outside –

16. Don’t leave your puppy outside unattended. Check your fence for holes and keep an eye on him until he learns his boundaries.

17. A curious pup may fall into a poor or pond. Keep the pool or pond fenced off and consider getting a pool alarm that sounds if something falls into the water.

Everything is new and exciting to your new puppy, but not everything is safe.
You can reduce risks by creating a dog-friendly environment. Get down on the floor and look around at puppy eye level. See his world as he would see it to help make your pup's new home safe.

That's all I have for you this month. Remember to keep your pets safe! See you soon.

Fido

10 winter safety tips for dogs!

This month I thought that I would give you some information on taking care of your dogs during the winter months.

1. Don’t forget that your dog has become just as accustomed to being in a warm house as you have. They most likely have not developed the thick coat of hair required for a long stay outside so be sure and bundle them up appropriately for the amount of time that you and your pooch are going to be outside.


2. If you are going outside for an extended time, don’t forget the water. Even though you and your dog may not feel thirsty, it is just as important to continue to drink adequate amounts of water even when the temperature drops.


3. If you and your dog are outside and are close to any bodies of water, be sure to keep the leash on. Dogs do not necessarily pay attention to what they are walking on, especially when they are running after a toy or ball. If something should happen while they are on the leash, at least you have a way to pull them back to safety.


4. If you use a fireplace, space heater, or even have a candle burning, be sure and watch your dog. They like to get close to the heat source and can get burned, or knock other items into the heat source or knock the heater over and cause a fire.


5. When you come back into the house, be sure and wipe off their paws and legs thoroughly to remove any salt or chemical ice melts that they may have stepped into. This will help your dogs paws as well as prevent the ingestion of the salt or chemicals which can cause stomach problems.


6. If you have an older or arthritic dog, the cold can cause their joints to be stiff and tender. This can cause them to need extra care when climbing stairs or jumping on furniture. Also make sure that a thick, warm bed is available for them.


7. Watch out for harmful items that aren’t normally in your home. Some plants, especially mistletoe, can be toxic and many other items can cause harm to your dog. Things like glass ornaments can cause cuts and scrapes, and gifts of perfume, aftershaves, or even alcohols and chocolates (especially dark) can be toxic as well. Another item to watch out for in the winter months is antifreeze. Even a small amount can be toxic to dogs and dogs seem to be attracted to the smell and taste of this dangerous item. Another item to watch out for are extension cords which can cause trips and falls, as well as be dangerous chew toys for some dogs, especially puppies.


8. If you live in an area that mosquitoes are still a problem in the winter months, be sure and continue your heartworm pills.


9. If you are entertaining for the holidays, be sure and prepare for the additional excitement that your dog will face. Make sure that there is a “safe” place that your dog can retreat to or be placed into for a time out from all of the exciting new guests.


10. If you are traveling for the holidays, be sure and call ahead to confirm that your dog is welcome. If your dog does not handle traveling well or does not handle the excitement of a large group of people, the best option might be to find a reputable place to board your dog, or a dependable pet sitter.

If you have any other tips, I would be glad to hear them.