Environmental Hazards

Summer – my favorite season – is here. The long days provide me and my dogs with extra time to enjoy all our favorite activities: hiking, camping, long walks, and outdoor adventures. Of course, long summer days also bring the risk of heat exposure to dogs. The consequences of a dog overheating can be very serious. Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, can occur quickly and the result can be deadly. By understanding how dogs keep cool – and what we can do to help – we can ensure our dogs don't overheat, so we can all enjoy those dog days of summer to the fullest.

Whether you are starting with a new garden or revamping an already existing garden, taking the time to develop a design or plan that incorporates your dog’s needs can save you a lot of grief. Exactly how do you incorporate your dog’s needs into a garden plan? Begin, as with any garden design, by identifying how the yard is used – in this case, how your dog uses it.

There are many reasons a person might tend to look the other way when confronted with a potentially dangerous dog. You may be busy; you may be fearful of the dog's owner or potential retaliation; you may be friends with the owner and reluctant to cause hard feelings between you; you may worry about being responsible for the dog's impoundment and possible euthanasia; or you may simply feel that it's none of your business.

Every day, people load their dogs into cars for trips to the vet or dog park, to run errands, visit friends, or to take day trips. We advocate keeping your dog restrained at all times when he’s traveling with you. The best form of protection is a crate, securely strapped or, better yet, bolted down to keep it from shifting. If your dog’s crate is too big for your car, a doggie seat belt is our recommended alternative.

Untold numbers of wild and domestic animals lost their lives and many others were displaced. Domestic pets flooded area animal shelters as they were plucked out of evacuated homes and yards by rescue workers. Some had to be placed in shelters by desperate families, as many human shelters would not accept pets.

Foxtail" is a generic term that's often applied to several species of wild grasses

Oh the joy of romping on a sandy beach! Splashing in the surf! Wind blowing in your hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand and the cry of gulls! You and your best friend together regardless of weather.Sounds romantic and it can be. Most dogs love the beach. If your pup is one of them, you certainly want to give him the opportunity. Besides, you can have a lot of fun, too.

That night, I learned that hiking and camping were two distinctly different activities for this young dog. The biggest problem arose when he decided that my little tent was something to be avoided at any cost. Leaving him alone outside of the tent was not a safe option, and it was too cold and damp for me to sleep outside with him. I set to work convincing him that our tent really was an okay place to be. After what felt like hours of coaxing, he finally joined me inside the tent. Throughout what remained of the night, he woke me up by growling at every little nighttime noise.

One of our primary responsibilities as caretakers of our canine companions is to keep them safe. There seems to be an endless host of hazards just waiting to take advantage of a breach in our defenses and attack our unsuspecting pals. If you've owned dogs for any length of time, you've probably encountered your share of those hazards and vowed not to make the same mistakes again. It's easy to become paranoid and want to shroud your four-legged family members in bubble wrap to protect them. But how much protection is reasonable? How do you keep your dog safe and still let him enjoy his life as a dog?

Travel with your carry-on dog can be safe and easy if you are prepared; shipping your dog cargo is an entirely different matter. The airline industry doesn't help its public image when it resists legislation and regulations intended to improve animal safety during air travel. New rules, ordered by Congress and proposed by the FAA, are supposed to go into effect by the end of this year, but are being met with vociferous objection from at least Delta, Northwest Airlines, and the Air Transport Association.

Few people think about their own health when they choose household cleaners, deodorizers, and other common household products, much less their dog’s health. The fact is, there are many potentially harmful household and dog-care products for sale on your grocery store and pet supply store shelves, and you can identify them by reading their labels, which, admittedly, seems to be no one’s favorite task. But it’s an important one.

Every good hiker knows how important it is to stay hydrated. We also know that water can be hard to come by on those rugged mountaintop trails, and that the only water at some beaches is briny and undrinkable. What’s a responsible canine caretaker to do? A good dog bottle should be sturdy, easy to fill, easy to dispense water from, hold an ample water supply, come with a workable dish from which your dog can drink, be comfortable to carry, not leak (duh!), and be reasonably priced. Insulated sleeves to keep water cool are a bonus, and also provide a nice padded cushion for that bottle that is banging on your hip.