This post about fall safety tips for pets has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RecipesWithPurpose #CollectiveBias
Fall is my husband’s favorite season. As I mourn the loss of warm weather, swimming, and wearing shorts, Dan revels in the changing leaves and crisp air. Our beagle, Honey, is right there with him. She enjoys basking in the warm sun and sniffing the wind while the leaves fall off the trees. Although fall can bring beautiful scenery, holiday fun, and tons of good food it can also bring some risks for pets. A safe, healthy pet is a happy pet. We all love a wagging tail, right? Protect your furbaby with these fall safety tips for pets and make sure to fuel their wag.
Safe hiking tips
The cooler weather and pretty foliage make for great hiking with your pup. Keep the following tips in mind as you travel the trails:
- Beware of fallen debris
Don’t let your dog pick up sticks, pinecones, or pine needles. If ingested, these may damage or puncture a dog’s intestines. Acorns should be avoided as well; they are toxic to dogs and can block intestines. - Don’t forget the fleas
Continuing treatment for fleas & ticks is important during the fall. Fleas breed in the spring so there are a ton of them during the fall. - Provide enough food & water
Bring along a collapsible bowl for water breaks. All the extra exercise will not only make your pup thirsty, it may also make them hungrier. If you go hiking a lot, you may want to add a bit of extra food to their diet. Remember, you need to fuel the wag!
Fuel the Wag
To keep Honey’s tail wagging during our hikes, I picked up some Nature’s Recipe at our local Giant food store. Nature’s Recipe is now available at mass grocery stores in addition to pet specialty stores. Since it is fall, I thought it was appropriate to get the Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe. A nice change of flavors for her! The food has high-quality ingredients—no corn or wheat and no poultry by-product meal. It definitely fuels the wag! Get $3 back when you purchase any one Nature’s Recipe product with this Checkout51 offer that went live 9/14/17.
Halloween pet safety tips
Halloween night can be scary for pets, and not in a good way! Keep these tips in mind as you enjoy Halloween:
- Keep your pet calm
If you are having a costume party or will be opening the door for trick-or-treaters, your house will be filled with people in strange outfits. This may cause some anxiety for pets. Keep them in a separate room so they can remain calm. - Keep candy well hidden
If your pet is anything like my beagle, she will hunt out that chocolate in no time. Remember that chocolate (and probably most candy) is not good for your pets. Make sure it is well out of reach! - Check costumes
If you plan to have your pet wear a costume for the holiday, make sure it fits well (unlike Honey’s). Too snug and it may cause pain or restrict movement. Too loose and your pet could get caught up in it. It is probably best to make sure that your costumed pet is always supervised.
Thanksgiving pet safety tips
Thanksgiving can be a tough holiday for pets. All of those good smells and they aren’t for you! Although pet parents may be tempted to let their furbabies enjoy some of the holiday meal, most of the usual Thanksgiving dishes aren’t very good for pets.
- Stuffing usually contains ingredients like onions, garlic, and chives that may be toxic to pets or at the very least cause upset bellies if eaten in excess.
- Cranberries are actually okay for pets, but who eats plain cranberries with nothing added? Take a look at the canned cranberry sauce ingredients and you may not want to eat it yourself let alone give it to your pet. Homemade cranberry sauce is usually full of sugar and may contain some extra crunchy additions like nuts which are bad for pets.
- Keep your pets away from any turkey bones, skin, or fatty dark meat.
Very small amounts of white turkey meat, plain pumpkin, and plain sweet potato can be fine. Of course, if you are going to give dogs that, why not just feed her the Nature’s Recipe food I bought? Chicken, Sweet Potato, & Pumpkin Recipe definitely seems appropriate, right?
Keep pets out of the kitchen!
When cooking for Thanksgiving, there are tons of hazards laying around that may smell irresistible to pets. For example, when you cook a turkey you probably use things like aluminum foil, twine, and turkey lacers. All of these can be choking hazards or wreak havoc in the intestines. For the same reason, make sure your pets don’t get on the counter or in the trash to eat undercooked turkey or turkey bones.
Remember that with each change in seasons comes fun new things for you to do with your pets as well as some new safety and health concerns. Stay informed and be vigilant so you can enjoy the season with your pet!
As a pet parent, how do you help them put their best paw forward and fuel their wag? Get more Fuel the Wag inspiration from Nature’s Recipe here, and don’t forget to take advantage of the Checkout51 offer!
Terri Beavers says
I love my little dog and don’t know what I would do without him. He’s not just an amazing pet, he’s a service dog. I’m going to use your valuable tips to help keep him safe. He love Nature’s Recipe.
Sarah I. says
Stacey, these tips are SO helpful! We have a black lab who is on the go with us and constantly by our side so these tips really hit close to home, literally! #client
Melanie says
You have left so many great tips for me to consider! I knew about some of these (like the candy!) but not others. The collapsible bowl tip is great! #client