gaiesville florida dog owners

Puppy safety

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I have been caring for your pets for more than twenty five years as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer, Veterinary Technician and a professional pet sitter with an Associate of Science degree in Animal Science. I have seen well intentioned people bring home a beautiful new puppy only to mourn his or her death from ingesting toxic plants or objects.

Puppies are very orally oriented. That means they like to mouth EVERYTHING including things that are not safe for them. Before you bring them home you should look around both your home and yard and remove as many hazards as possible including toxic plants, you can find a list of toxic plants here http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/ Even after removing toxic plants you should not allow your puppy to chew on any plants. Also make sure any containers of chemicals or hazardous objects are removed or out of your puppy’s reach.Coco bark mulch has become the subject of concern recently, but you should not only keep your puppy from mouthing coco bark mulch, but all mulch and anything else that is not intended for a puppy. You need to be hyper-vigilant when bringing home your new family member. You absolutely must supervise them at all times when they are not crated or in a puppy-proof room. Even when your puppy is on a leash they are going to try to mouth anything they can. Keep them on a short non-retractable leash that will not allow them to wander. You should be prepared if your puppy or any dog for that matter should put something in their mouth that may be harmful to them. DO NOT try to remove the object from their mouth immediately. First make an abrupt sound like AH AH! To distract them then offer them a treat which you have previously determined they like better than any other. This will let you trade the hazard for the treat. Be sure to pick up and remove the object after they drop it. You should also keep the ASPCA Poison Control Center telephone number 888-426-4435, your veterinarians phone number and your veterinary emergency clinic’s phone number immediately available, you can do this by putting the numbers on your refrigerator. Ask each of the clinics and the poison control center if they have their information on a magnet.
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Other pet parents never thought it would happen to them. Whether your puppy is in Florida or somewhere else you can take steps to insure your puppies safety.

I encourage you to post comments that are relevant to the discussion, but please, only leave comments that are pertinent to the topic.

If you have any suggestions as to how the process can be improved I’m all ears. Please let me know your suggestions.

Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a rescue group. like these

Florida Pit Bull Rescue http://pitbull.rescueme.org/Florida

The American Kennel Club

The Bulldog club of America

The American German Shepherd Rescue Association or contact me , and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.

HOW TO SAVE YOUR DOG’S LIFE

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I have been caring for your pets for more than twenty five years as a Zoo Keeper, an Animal Services Officer and as a Veterinary Technician.
I have seen dozens of dogs needlessly hit by cars and attacked and killed by other dogs whose owners never thought it would happen to them. I have seen the suffering that the dogs experience and the heartbreak their owners go through. Please do not let this happen to you. Whether your dog is in Florida or somewhere else
You can save your dog’s life by following a few simple steps:

1. NEVER let your dog outside without you attached to one end of a leash and your dog secured to the other end in a harness. (Except in a fenced yard).

2.When taking your dog outside always use a harness  and not a collar. You should avoid step in and expandable mesh harnesses. The expandable material in the mesh harnesses can  not hold your dog securely and the step in harnesses are difficult to fit properly. An H style harness is your best choice. Remember it needs to fit tightly to work properly.  Your dog can slip out of a collar in a few seconds and be gone forever

3. Do not rely solely on electric “Invisible fence” type fencing. It is not effective for all dogs and is not as reliable as a physical fence.

4. Inspect your fence regularly for any damage or gaps that would allow your dog to escape.

5. Always have your dog’s identification attached to their harness or collar at all times (yes even inside).

6. Use a collar only for the purpose of attaching your dog’s identification or a fashion statement, but never for attaching a leash.

7. Have your pet micro chipped. Make sure you choose a chip that is recognized by your local shelter.

8. Please keep your dog on a leash. Remember you can control your actions, but you can not control the actions of those who may harm your pet, like speeding cars,other dogs,coyotes, etc. Use a harness and leash.

I encourage you to post comments.

What do you like about this post?
What other subjects would you like to see?

Please don’t buy a family member. ADOPT! Prefer a particular breed? Contact a rescue group like these

Florida Pit Bull Rescue http://pitbull.rescueme.org/Florida

The American Kennel Club http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm
The Bulldog club of America http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/
The American German Shepherd Rescue Association http://www.agsra.com/ or contact me at https://bobspetsitting.com/ and I will be happy to help you.
I wish you and your dog many happy years together. Contact me I will be happy to help you.