FALL THE GATEWAY TO THE HOLIDAYS……..

written by Lori Miller founder of Animal Behavioral Consultants.

 

 

    I have put together a list of some of the holiday hazards to be wary of as well as some training tips to help ensure a happy and healthy holiday season to come. Falling leaves means falling acorns.   These are great for squirrels, but bad for your dog. Other nuts that might be in your home this time of year are walnuts, and macadamia nuts. I could not find info on what toxin is in the nuts, but I did find that these nuts have been linked to partial paralysis in dogs .

 

Happy Halloween! Whether you celebrate it or not others around you will. This holiday brings many strangers dressed in costume, and tons of candy.. We often hear of many safety concerns for our children with this holiday but not so many for our fur kids. One biggie most of you know is chocolate, or more precisely the Theo bromine , and caffeine that is in chocolate all it takes is one half ounce per pound of body weight to cause nervousness, trembling, hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea , excessive urination, fast breathing , weakness , seizures, and even death. But another culprit that is in that goody bag the tots bring home is sugar free candy great for the dentist, but the sugar free candies containing xylitol can cause liver damage and even death in dogs. So be sure when your little goblins get home from trick or treating you keep the candies up out of the reach of pets. Keep the phone number of your veterinarian and the animal poison control center ( 888-426-4435 ) on your fridge or near your phone just in case. You also have to watch for the little boxes of raisins. Raisins and grapes can also cause kidney failure in pets.

The second issue about Halloween is the parade of strangers coming to your door. You might delight in seeing the neighborhood kids dressed as a princess or super hero but to your pet this can be a very dangerous situation. To your pet they are intruders and they may seem even more threatening because of makeup and masks. Remember rule number one is if it has teeth it can bite. If your pet feels threatened your pets natural instinct can kick in. All animals have a fight or flight response. This means that your pet may try to run away from the little goblins or snap at them so for your pets safety and the safety of the trick or treaters keep your pet in a safe room away from the door , or on a lead . Many animals have been lost by running out the open front door thru the costumed children and become disoriented by the amount of people out in the street so always better safe than sorry . Never open your door until your pet is secured. And for the above mentioned groups of people out and about ,you might want to make a point of walking your pet early in the day or in a yard to avoid the crowds. I also suggest using a flashlight for night walks and always be on the lookout for candy that may have fallen out of a Childs bag or been discarded , Many owners have been super careful with the inside goodies , but forget that outside their still might be little bits of chocolate, or other harmful goodies that your pet will surely have no issue with eating if you don’t find it first.

My final safety tip is based on my own experience with my 6 year old autistic child. Some special needs children don’t have the same social boundaries that others have. Many of my neighbors have found this out by my son James opening the door to see if anyone is home. ( another reason to keep pet in secure room, crate, or on lead. ) At some homes he invited himself in to see what type of furniture the family had. He always comments what a lovely home the person has, as I stand there mortified , and the person is caught off guard by the little inspector . Everyone now knows James ,and usually laughs if he offers to inspect their home, some seem upset if he doesn’t . My neighbors are now ready when he comes around, but I know he is not the only child who has entered without warning . I thank goodness we have never had a bad situation because of this, but as a trainer I could see how if he had done the same to some of dogs I have encountered in my many years of working with animals this could be a serious safety issue. So whether it’s a curious child or a real threat I recommend again to aire on the side of safety and keep your door locked so you have control of who enters your home.

Some training commands to work on for Halloween safety:

Heel- working with your pet to stay safely by your side will ensure your having control when walking out and about with the trick or treaters.

Sit, and wait- this can save your dog from running out the door . It helps give you a chance to put the leash on. And a dog that is sitting is not jumping, or running out the door.

Leave it , and Drop it. – teach your pet to avoid something on command , or drop it out of its mouth on command can be the difference between a safe evening at home or an evening at the animal medical emergency clinic having the pets stomach pumped. If your having any training issues with your pet consult a trainer or behaviorist. I hope you , your family and your pets have a very safe and HAPPY HOWLOWEEN!!!! 

Coming soon HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS.