Believe it or not there are a bunch of dangerous things for your dog right in your own backyard. Everything from poisonous plants, choking dangers and even a fence that isn’t adequate. In this article we will discuss some of those dangers so you can watch out for them.
Let’s start off with your backyard fencing system. Is it adequate or can your dog actually jump a climb over your fence? Not being able to keep your dog confined in the backyard can be very dangerous because dogs that get out of the yard have a tremendous chance of being run over by a car, are wondering off and getting lost.
If you have a small dog a 4 foot fence is probably very adequate. However if you have a larger dog or a dog that likes to climb fences a 6 foot fence is much more of a necessity.
So what about the underground invisible type fences? If installed correctly and maintained when necessary these fences are very adequate to keep your dog contained. However consider the situation where the wild dog pack comes into your yard and attacks your dog. That’s the one situation were a real fence would be a definite asset.
Now let’s talk about choking dangers that can be found in your backyard. Quite often the real choking danger can be in something as simple as a tennis ball. Believe it or not tennis balls can kill dogs. They can be popped easily and then the dog tears off a piece, and chokes on it. I have had a couple of clients that had that happen to their dog. If your dog likes to pick up rocks and chews on them it could possibly swallow one of those rocks and choke on it as well. You want to look for anything that your dog could possibly chew on, break off a piece, and cause a choking problem.
Another backyard danger for your dog is the plants you’ve used in your landscaping. Here are a few just to give you an example.
Wild mushrooms
Lilies, some varieties
Sago palms
Azaleas
Daffodils
The list can go on and on but here is a link to a site that lists more of the poisonous plants you want to avoid. You can also find more by doing a Google search.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control?
I hope I was able to give you some ideas to look for to keep your dog safe in the backyard. Keep your backyard safe and you and your dog will have a happy life together.
Do you still need help training your dog? If so visit us at Canine Behavior Specialists and give us a call, or for our out of town readers www.TrainMyDogOnline.com .
Until next time,
P.S. Do you need some advice from a Canine Behavior Specialist? If so CLICK HERE now!
About the Author: Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialistsin Nashville, TN. Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director ofCanine Behavior Specialists Network.
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