Outdoor Hazards for Puppies

Outdoor Hazards for Puppies

For adventuresome puppies, the great outdoors offers new and exciting places to explore. However, unsupervised playtime outside, in your backyard, also poses some risks to your frisky little pet, so look out for the following hazards to ensure your puppy's safety.

Exposure

Extreme heat or cold can be fatal to a dog, so keep your pet inside when the temperature soars or drops. If your puppy spends lots of time outdoors, provide an insulated doghouse as a shelter from cold or inclement weather.

To keep your four-legged friend from getting soggy during rain showers, pick a doghouse with a sloped roof and a floor that's slightly raised off the ground. Straw or a padded bed inside the doghouse gives your pup comfortable bedding and helps keep him warm on nippy days.

For hot weather, make sure there's a shady spot outdoors where your puppy can escape the sun, and provide plenty of fresh water. (Consider using heavy crocks for your puppy's fresh food and water so he can't tip them over during playtime.) Anytime you have a doubt about your puppy's ability to withstand the weather, keep him inside!

Garbage

Make sure garbage cans or compost bins are inaccessible. Fatty or decomposing foods can make your dog sick. And, bones from chicken and other meat can splinter and puncture your dog's throat, intestine, or the roof of his mouth.

Inadequate Fencing

Beyond your fence lies an exciting world your puppy would love to explore. And, he doesn't recognize that cars and other critters can be dangerous. Make sure your fence is high enough that your puppy can't jump over it and deep enough that he won't dig under it. Also, check your fence for holes and make sure you latch the gates securely.

If your pet escapes, you want to make sure you get him back, so be sure your dog is always wearing a collar and identification tags. Be particularly careful if you move; many pets are lost during times of transition.

Do you have a pool? Fence it off to keep your pet out of harm's way. Even if your pet can swim, they may not know where to get out of the pool. Plus, chlorinated water isn't the best choice of beverage for your pup.

A note about water sources: You may give your dog plenty of fresh water daily, but he will still be tempted to taste-test other beverages in the backyard. So make any ponds, fountains, kiddy pools, or birdbaths off-limits - chemicals or bacteria in the water can make him ill. And, that goes double for any other surfaces that catch water in your backyard.

Lawn Chemicals

Keep fertilizers, insecticides, and other lawn and garden chemicals in a shed or garage and well out of your puppy's reach. These potent products can be poisonous if your puppy decides to lap some up.

And remember: When you spray, keep your puppy away! You don't want him walking on a chemically treated lawn until it dries, so restrict his access to treated areas, and try to keep him from nibbling on chemically treated grass, flowers, or plants until it's rained or you've watered the area.

Plants

Many outdoor plants and some fruits and vegetables can hurt your dog. A few culprits: English ivy, Japanese yew, azaleas, the underground parts of spring bulbs, rhubarb leaves, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and some mushrooms. Keep potted plants out of reach, and fence your garden to keep your pet out of the homegrown goodies.

Sticks

Five, six, pick up those sticks! Like chicken bones, sticks can puncture your dog's throat, intestine or the roof of his mouth. Your pet will have all the fun of chewing sticks without the danger if you offer him ropes and nylon bones to play with instead.

Cars

Keep your puppy on a leash anytime you venture outside the yard to be sure he doesn't collide with a moving vehicle.

It may seem like your yard is crawling with danger for your pet, but it's still one of the safest places for your puppy to play, and when you know what to watch for, it's even safer. So enjoy the outdoor playtime!