SLM_Pet Guide_062223

Pet Guide

The dangers of letting cats roam outdoors

House cats make peculiar, interesting and lovable companions. Cat owners often go to great lengths to make their furry feline friends feel good, and some may allow cats to roam outside. Though such a decision may be wellintentioned, it could lead to some troubling consequences.

The animal welfare organization American Humane notes that allowing indoor cats outside could jeopardize their health and safety in a number of ways.

Health

Cats allowed to venture outside may encounter feral cats, which American Humane notes can be carriers of disease. A 2014 study published in the journal Zoonoses and Public Health estimated that between 60 and 100 million feral cats live in the United States, and that figure could be even higher today. The animal rights organization PETA notes that contagious diseases such as herpes viral conjunctivitis, feline AIDS, leukemia, and infectious peritonitis are common in feral cats. Indoor and outdoor cats who catch these diseases could suffer serious consequences, including death.

Infection with parasites is another potential outcome for indoor cats allowed outdoors. Though American Humane notes parasites are not usually life-threatening for cats, they can cause a multitude of symptoms, including scratching, skin infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. Fleas, ticks, ear mites, gastrointestinal worms, and ringworm, which can be passed on to people in certain situations, are just some of the parasites cats can pick up if allowed outside.

Safety

Safety is another factor cat owners must consider as they ponder whether or not to let their cats outside. American Human disputes the notion that cats have an innate instinct to avoid busy streets. Reliable estimates regarding how many cats are struck and killed by cars each year are hard to come by, but it bears noting that cats’ small stature makes them hard for motorists to see,

which could make them more vulnerable to being hit by cars than dogs.

Vehicles are not the only outdoor safety threat to cats. Loose dogs and wild animals, including raccoons and foxes, may hunt cats allowed outdoors. Cats also could ingest toxins such as antifreeze, which has a pleasant taste but could prove fatal for cats. And though the image of firefighters saving cats from high perches in trees is common, trees are a significant threat to cat safety. Curious cats may climb trees and then be afraid to come down or struggle to come down safely, potentially leading to severe injuries.

Though owners may allow cats outdoors as an act of kindness, such a decision could place these pets in serious jeopardy.

Take your dog on a sniffari!

What is a Sniffari and why will your dog love them?

A large portion of your dog’s brain is devoted to scent. Dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than humans. So why not put their nose to work doing what they already enjoy?

A sniffari, also called a decompression walk, is all about your dog and not the destination. The direction and speed of your walk are all dictated by your dog. It’s their walk, we might as well ask them what they want to do on it.

Exploring and letting them follow their nose is a great way to enrich your dog’s life. Sniffaris can go a long way towards your dog being happy and fulfilled. The walk helps by exercising their body and the sniffing helps them use their brain. The mental stimulation goes a long way towards calming your dog, tiring them out and helping them behave better in general. No longer is a tired dog a good dog, instead a physically exercised and mentally enriched dog is much less likely to get into trouble.

To get started, grab the longest leash you have available (and that is permitted by law), gear up the dog and let them sniff. You can start from your house or drive to a new park, forest preserve, parking lot or empty field. All you have to do is follow them and watch them enjoy sniffing and exploring their environment. You can also do a treat scatter on your walk to encourage your dog to use their nose.

There is no specific direction or destination. If your dog wants to spend their 30 minute walk sniffing and only end up walking around your block, that’s fine. They choose the speed (within reason), direction (if it’s safe) and how long to spend sniffing. We understand that most of you may not have the desire to sit and watch your dog sniff the same blade of grass for 5 minutes. Just give them whatever time that you can and they will appreciate you for it.

The length of leash affects the amount of time your dog will spend sniffing. A dog on a long line may spend up to 3x more on sniffing. A long line is anything over 10 feet long and they go up to 50 feet. The leash length has a direct relationship with time spent sniffing. Long lines can also benefit your loose leash walking

skills, be used to safely practice recall and give them a near off-leash experience. You can take a Sniffari on any length of leash but the longer they are the more your dog will sniff.

There are many options available for types of long lines. If your dog likes to swim, romp in the mud or walk in the rain, the biothane or waterproof lines would be ideal. They are easy to keep clean and don’t pick up smells but depending on the width and length they can be kind of heavy. There are nylon and cotton options that are lighter weight but get heavy when wet and may retain smells.

If you are interested in finding out more, we do offer a Long Line Workshop. We teach you the skills you need to handle the line safely, cues to use with your pup, and how to use it for loose leash walking and recall training. The workshop consists of two classes, the first without your dog so you can practice handling it without an excited pup on the other end and in the second class we take our long lines and pups to the streets.

Long lines are a lot of fun but do come with some risks. They are much easier to stop and control than a retractable leash. We can teach you how to handle the line safely, so no rope burns. Long lines should only ever be attached to your dog’s harness on the back clip and we’ll discuss the benefits of using a safety strap. We’ve also got plenty of tips and tricks to make it a fun and enjoyable experience for both parties.

We also offer plenty of other fun classes and workshops throughout the year. Almost all of our classes are limited to 4 dogs per class so you get plenty of personalized attention. Our Agility Just for Fun, Nose Work and Rally classes are very popular and there’s no experience required. We recently opened another facility so we can offer daytime classes. In addition to our fun sports classes, we have classes to work on specific skills, like Coming When Called, Loose Leash Walking, and a program specifically for Reactive Dogs. If you’d like to work on basics of sit, down, loose leash walking, stay, leave-it, mat work and more, join one of our Puppy or Level 1 Classes (depending on age). We’ve got something for every dog! If the classes aren’t enough, we offer Private Lessons or Drop Off training,

where we will train your dog for you. Visit our website, www.enjoyyourdogtraining.com to get more information on our classes and schedule. If

you have any questions, please reach out to us at Info@EnjoyYourDogTraining.com. We are here to help you truly Enjoy Your Dog.

Prepare pets for Fourth of July festivities

Many people are eager for Independence Day celebrations in early summer. There is much to be excited about, as festivities often begin in the afternoon with barbecues and pool parties, and commence late at night after fireworks shows that light up the night sky. Still, not everyone enjoys the extra noise and busy nature of July 4th parties, particularly furry members of the family.

Animal control services often report an increase in lost animals between July 4th and July 6th. That’s because the excitement of the holiday puts pets out of their comfort zones.

While pet owners need not cancel their July 4th plans, they should take heed of the many ways to keep their pets safe during the festivities.

UPDATE IDENTIFICATION

Be sure prior to any July 4th events that pets are wearing collars with current identification information. If an address or phone number has changed since the last time you updated microchip records, be sure to check the account is current.

BE CAREFUL WITH ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Party hosts typically serve beer, wine and cocktails. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets, says the ASPCA. Animals can become very intoxicated, severely depressed or go into comas if they drink alcohol. Keep spirited drinks well out of reach.

CHECK WITH THE VET

Many pets are prone to anxiety from loud noises, such as thunderstorms and fireworks, and lots of commotion — something that occurs in spades come July 4th. Some veterinarians recommend a small course of anti-anxiety medication or a sedative to help pets cope with the stimuli.

CREATE A QUIET SPACE

Allow pets to ride out the day in their comfortable, quiet and cozy retreats. If necessary, create a space in an interior room. Cover the pet crate with a blanket and offer favorite toys or bedding to create a soothing environment.

PLACE NOTES ON DOORS AND GATES

While it’s best to keep pets in a locked room away from the fray, some pets like to socialize with guests and are not bothered by noises. However, alert guests with notes posted on doors and fence gates to check to make sure pets are not trying to escape behind them. All doors should be closed firmly when entering or exiting.

PICK UP DEBRIS

Firework debris can rain down on properties even if you were not shooting off the fireworks. Curious pets may pick it up or eat it, which runs the risk of an upset stomach or even an intestinal blockage. Check your yard before letting pets out to play.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE GRILL

Pets can be opportunists, and those burgers and chicken drumsticks smell delicious to pets. Pets that get too close to the grill can become injured. And if pets eat leftovers, they may end up with digestive distress or even be poisoned by foods that are toxic to cats and dogs.

Did you know?

Reptiles may not require the level of daily attention that dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats need. However, it’s a misconception that reptiles are hands-off, maintenance-free pets. The pet experts at Petco note that reptiles often start small but can grow to be rather large. So it’s easy for first-time reptile owners to see a small lizard or snake and assume it will always remain roughly that size and thus require the same habitat and level of maintenance. However, as reptiles grow, owners may need to put in extra effort to maintain a habitat. In addition, parents considering reptiles as a pet for their children should know that experts advise against assigning children primary caregiver duties for these types of animals. Supervision is always necessary when children are near reptiles, which adds to the responsibilities adult reptile owners must accept. The Pet Advocacy Network also notes that certain reptiles, including lizards, have specific needs regarding the temperature of their habitats. Ensuring temperatures within a reptile’s habitat are suitable requires daily attention, which underscores how misleading the notion that reptiles are maintenance-free pets can be.