Fall is one of our favorite seasons. The hot, humid air begins to stray away while the cool air and colorful leaves begin to come about. There is nothing more exciting! You are not the only excited one, however. Our pets are just as excited as we are. Your pets are drooling at the mouth (literally and figuratively) of being able to run outside without panting left and right. Unfortunately, a new season brings about a new set of worries as a pet owner as well. Here are some tips from our South Jersey dog training experts to keep your pets smiling and safe during the upcoming Fall months.
Be Cautious of Cold Weather Poisons
As Fall gets well underway, home and business owners begin protecting their homes with different kinds of repellent to keep unwanted rodents, insects, and much more outside. Be mindful of this when your pet is outside exploring. Most of these pesticides or rodenticides are extremely harmful to pets and if ingested completely, can be fatal. If you or someone you may know uses these forms of products, do so with extreme care and put them in spots that your pets cannot find or get to.
Another tip is to look out for poisons that may lurk on driveways and lawns that can be damaging to your pet. A lot of people tend to do work on their cars or house during the fall due to the weather being more bearable. When cars are being worked on, many excess fluids like coolant and oil can be found running off the driveway. Be mindful of this when walking your dog or for your own driveway. Any spills should be cleaned up immediately or avoided to protect your dog from wrongful ingestion.
Keep School Supplies Tucked Away
If you have kids and children in your home, chances are you are gearing up for back to school by buying tons of supplies like glue sticks, markers, pencils, and so forth. All these items look delicious to our pets, but not delicious for their health. A lot of these items won’t be life-threatening, but can cause gastrointestinal pain and blockages that can be a mess to deal with. Be sure that your children and yourself keep any school supplies out of the mouth’s reach of your pet.
Watch Out for Plants & Wildlife
This is kind of a year-round tip, but plants and wildlife appearances always change with the seasons. For Fall, be mindful of the new plants and wildlife that may show up in your yard, parks, and other places you might find your pet walking around in. During the Fall, mushrooms pop up pretty frequently. Most mushrooms have little to no toxicity, but poisonous ones do exist and blend in with non-poisonous ones quite well. These poisonous mushrooms can cause serious damage to any pet or human that touches them or eats them. If you suspect mushrooms are growing in a specific area, be sure to keep your pet out of harm’s way. Along with mushrooms and other plants, new animals will appear. Pet parents should be mindful of animals that are trying to gather supplies for hibernation, which is a particularly aggressive time for wildlife. Snakes and other creatures can be lurking around your house that can be dangerous for your pets. If these particular animals are suspected to be near, keep your pets out of those areas to keep them as safe as possible.
Halo House Animal Resorts hope these Fall tips help you and your pets out this season!