Building a Beautiful, Safe, Fun Garden for Your Dog

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Contribution from freelance writer Sally Writes

Cute dog

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

If you have just taken a pup or dog home and you are excited about enjoying the best of the outdoors life together, take a look at your garden: is it completely safe for your pooch? In the spring and summer months, the garden will probably be one of his favorite ‘chill out zones’, but it can also form the perfect backdrop to energetic games like fetch, tag, and hide-and-seek. While keeping your furry friend active and entertained, pay heed to these tips to ensure he is always completely safe.

Beware of Toxic Plant Species

It is shocking for some to discover that many everyday plants and flowers, including lilies, daffodils, azaleas and sago palms, are toxic to dogs. Sometimes, plants can cause mild digestive upsets but at other times, organ damage and even death can occur.

If you have a very small garden and know the exact species in it, simply remove any plants that are on the SPCA poisonous plants list. To play extra safe, have an expert gardener come in to possible spot any poisonous plants you may have missed.

If you spot any signs of poisoning, including vomiting, drooling, and fatigue, see your vet immediately.

Go Natural and Organic When You Can

Keeping our lawn beautiful is key, since when the weather is good, we use the garden area to entertain, catch a few rays of Vitamin D, and even enjoy activities such as outdoor yoga.

To reduce the need for harmful chemical fertilizers, pick the right lawn mower – one that you can program to cut only a third of grass blades. This top layer is thin and leafy, and decomposes quickly, providing up to one third of your lawn’s nitrogen needs.

When purchasing fertilizers, try to opt for organic varieties with non-toxic ingredients.

Finally, to keep insects away, use neem juice diluted in water as an effective repellent that is harmless to dogs.

Store Potential Irritants and Toxins Away

A garden shed that is large enough to store all your products and tools well is key. Leaving tools on grass can cause injury, while curious dogs enjoy sniffing and chewing on bottles, potentially harming their health.

Prevent Quick Escapes

To stop your dog from digging an escape route under the fence, build a smooth cement walkway between the fence and the lawn, or use large pots to act as a barrier between the two. To keep him happy and busy, build him a makeshift sandpit, burying toys under the sand to pique his interest.

Having a beautiful, safe garden is a matter of relying less on chemical products, removing poisoning risks, and preventing escapes. Keep your lawn as clear of clutter as possible, so your dog can enjoy running freely and playing the many games you have in store for him.

Advice for Dog Owners in the Moving Market

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Guest Post by Bernie the Boxer

Black german shepherd

Image via Pixabay

Relocating is exciting, but it is a lot of work. Not only do you have to work with a real estate agent to find a new place, but you also have to help your family adjust to the changes that lie ahead. One family member that may have a particularly difficult time is your dog. He doesn’t really know what is going on, but he can sense that there is a big adjustment coming up. Dogs can pick up on human distress and start to experience it themselves. As they struggle with these feelings of anxiety and not knowing what is coming, they may start to show destructive behaviors as a reaction.

These behaviors include:

  • Excessive licking of self or others.
  • Chewing on furniture, shoes, or other non-chew toy items.
  • Barking at inappropriate times.
  • Howling at night or when separated from owners.
  • Digging holes in the yard.
  • Going to the bathroom indoors.
  • Hiding from owners.
  • Darting out the door or digging holes under fences to escape.
  • Pacing nervously.

If you want to help prevent your dog’s anxiety as you move and make the transition as comfortable as possible for him, take these following precautions into account. By finding the right place that fits your pup’s needs, sheltering him during moving upheaval, and taking the time to help him acclimate to your new place, you can make moving easier for your dog. Continue reading →

Is Your Dog Affecting Your Quality of Sleep – In a Good Way?

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Is dog in bed OK?

Photo by Andy Omvik on Unsplash

Contribution from freelance writer Sally Writes

For many dog lovers, as the snowflakes begin to fall and the temperatures outside reach gelid lows, few things appeal more than snuggling up to our beloved pooch, ‘naughtily’ allowing the little gremlin to burrow under the blanket on occasion. There seems to be plenty of conflicting information when it comes to allowing access to bedrooms for dogs; on the one hand, we know that having pets can actually help keep allergies at bay and boost children’s immunity. Pets also wield important benefits to our mental health. On other hand, it is not uncommon to read warnings about the ‘dangers’ of allowing our dogs to get too close.

What Science Says

Early studies (such as one Mayo Clinic study carried out in 2002) found that of 300 people surveyed, 60% had pets who slept in the bedroom; in the latter group, there was a 57% chance that the dog would sleep on the bed. The study found that 53% of participants had sleep disruptions caused by movement in the bed, pets snoring, and whimpering.

In 2012, the Mayo Clinic repeated this survey, finding that around 20% of those who slept with a pet in their bedroom or bed said their sleep was disturbed by their pets. However, 41% felt that their pets helped them sleep better.

The Mayo Clinic finally conducted their own study in 2017, tracking 40 participants via activity trackers. The findings were clear: while those who actually let the dog in the bed had less quality sleep, yet when dogs slept in the room (but not on the bed), their owners actually slept better! The conclusion is that there is no need to miss out on the treat of having your dog nearby. Continue reading →

Three Things to Teach Every Dog – and How to Make It Fun!

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Guest Post by: Mat Coulton, founder of Wiley Pup.

Our dogs not only bring us joy and purpose in life, they also increase or overall health and wellbeing. Don’t we owe it to them to make sure we are looking out for their health and safety as well?

Teach Your Dog - Make it Fun!

Teach Your Dog – Make it Fun!

When we talk about what we can provide for our dogs, we often focus on things like making sure they keep their weight down through proper exercise. Sometimes we talk about basic dog manners and diet as well. However, we should also be looking for opportunities to train behaviors that can protect our companions from potential dangers and emergency situations.

In this article we will explore three such behaviors that might just come in handy to protect your dog. The training methods for all of these “tricks” are easy and fun. When you can structure training as a game, you will be surprised how motivated your dog is to learn, and how quickly they pick up new behaviors. Continue reading →

Pet Proofing Your Home

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Neil Foto, Community Outreach Coordinator for ADTSecurity.com sent us an email to recommend an amazing resource link, an interactive pet safety guide for new pet owners.

I think visitors to your site will enjoy this guide as it offers them the chance to click different rooms of the house and be provided safety concerns that are specific to that room. There is also a checklist for new pet owners and a list of essential supplies they will need.

Please check out this comprehensive guide and add the link to your site as an additional resource for your readers.

Thanks, Neil.  We encourage our visitors to check out this pet safety guide to pet proofing your home.

Pet safety guide

Pet Safety Guide – ADT Security Blog

Dog Defense: Protecting Your Pooch From Harmful Chemicals

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Contribution from freelance writer Sally Writes

An interesting study, conducted in 2012 found that household cleaners increase cancer risk in dogs. Even the cleaners that aren’t detrimental to your health can be hazardous for your dog, and it’s this blind spot that we often run afoul of as human beings.

Protect your dog from harm

Photo by Alexandru Rotariu on Unsplash

So what can you do? What chemicals are in, and what are out, to make sure your house is kept dog-friendly but clean? There are various natural dog-friendly household cleaners, of course, but if you have a supply of store-bought chemicals, here’s what you should know.

Chemicals Your Pet Loves

Whilst many chemicals can harm humans, a greater amount of household chemicals can also harm dogs. And the kicker is that your pet may actively seek them out! As you may well know, dogs – and animals in general – love certain smells and objects that are attractive, but not very good for them. Our noses are trained through learning to avoid such things, but animals obviously don’t have that knowledge. Take antifreeze, for example; the main ingredient is ethylene glycerol, which can damage your dog’s kidneys. However, your dog may be drawn to it, as antifreeze has a sweet smell.

When you’ve got a sweet smelling chemical, or one you’re unsure about in the house, just make sure your dogs can’t reach it. Continue reading →