Petscape and Play This Summer

With summer weather comes plenty of great opportunities to play some fetch or take a walk through the park or on the beach. Fido wants to be right by your side all summer long. Dogs love all of these outdoor activities, but they also need you to look out for them. Keep pets safe this summer by taking an extra few minutes to pet-proof your yard and keep them cool on summer’s hottest days.

Here are 7 tips to have a Safe Paws summer with your pet.

1. Swim Test. If your dog loves swimming, invest in a doggie life jacket. Even the best swimmers can get tired and this will make sure nothing happens to your furry friend as he jumps off the dock or chases a tennis ball on the beach.
2. Go Organic. Your dog loves to play on the lawn, so keep paws safe by using Espoma’s organic lawn care Dogs whose owners applied chemical herbicides were 4.4 times more likely to develop bladder cancer.
3. Create boundaries. Some pets always want to be by their parents’ sides. Others can’t wait to run out in the open. If your dog needs some boundaries, consider adding a fence or petscaping to make sure dogs play where they’re meant to.
4. Use Sunscreen. Dogs can get sunburned, too. Use an organic dog-formulate sunscreen to keep the rays at bay. Short-haired dogs are especially susceptible to sunburns and skin cancer.
5. Keep Cool. Brush your dog’s hair and keep it free of mats to provide good circulation and regulate body temperature.
6. Beat the Heat. Always carry a water bottle with you for walks on hot days. Skip walking outdoors between 1 and 4 pm when heat and humidity can stress dogs the most.
7. Keep it out of reach. Dogs love to grab charcoal briquettes from the grill. Keep these out of reach since they can cause vomiting and require surgery to remove.

Learn more about how to get a Safe Paws lawn here.