Puppy Care And Training

Are You Accidentally Harming Your Dog?   by Ann Stewart

The ASPCA released their report on the top 10 poisons for pets in 2010. Pet owners are conscious of some of the items, but not all; here’s what was in the list:

1. Human Medications
2. Insecticides
3. Rodentcides
4. People Food
5. Veterinary Medications
6. Chocolate
7. Household Toxins
8. Plants
9. Herbicides
10. Outdoor toxins

While the chemicals are items most pet owners are at least conscious of, some are not so obvious. We often don’t think of human food, chocolate, and plants as threats to our companions. More often than not, these are problems when your pet is left home while you go to work or are on a trip.

Preventing the Avoidable

If you work long hours, making sure your pet has plenty of attention and exercise is imperative. One way of doing this is enrolling your dog in a doggie daycare program. Try finding someplace that watches your dog, has plenty of space for group play, and separates the smaller dogs from the more aggressive ones.

When you’re traveling, instead of paying for your neighbor to come over and feed your pet, try boarding your pet at a boarding kennel where the staff will actually provide attention to your pet instead of just putting them in a cage until you return. You want to make sure your pet is still getting exercise and attention while you