It's spring! And as people tidy up their properties, the odor of fresh mulch can be found all over the Hill. Many of our neighbors are partial to using cocoa bean mulch in their landscaping. It looks good, it smells good (especially on hot days!). Unfortunately it also smells good to our dogs and that can be dangerous to them.
We all know chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Cocoa bean mulch is - as the name entails - the shell of actual cocoa beans. If your dog eats enough of it, he can get sick. He could develop signs that resemble chocolate poisoning - like vomiting and diarrhea, or worse if he ingests alot of it.
Many of our dogs love to chew on or even eat mulch, sticks, etc. (some eat much worse!). If your dogs tends to pick things up as you walk around the neighborhood, please be aware when you pass a property that uses cocoa bean mulch. Steer clear of the cocoa!
And if you're thinking of using cocoa bean mulch on your own property and you have a dog who spends any unsupervised time on that property, please think again.
Better safe than sorry.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Car Windows
Every time I see a dog hanging out of a car window, I want to catch up with the driver and say something!
A few days ago, my sister and I were driving home when a dog’s head suddenly popped out of an open window in the car in front of us. All I could do was feel frustration at not being able to stop what I saw. My sister’s reaction…“I bet most people have no idea it’s not good for their dog. You should blog about it!”
Most people, indeed, do not know that allowing their dog to hang out of car windows can be bad, and even dangerous, for him.
It’s bad enough when you’re just driving around your neighborhood and you’re not going very fast, but it’s worse when you’re on the highway.
People think it’s cute when their dog sticks his nose, or more, out. They figure the dog is enjoying it, so there’s no harm in it.
They couldn’t be more wrong. Dogs can get nose, eye, or ear infections or be injured by things, like dirt and debris, that can fly up from the road.
Another risky part of having your dog hanging out of car windows is his unpredictability. Dogs, after all – no matter how well trained – have instincts. If your car window is down too far and your dog sees something he can’t resist (cat, squirrel, dog, or person he knows, etc), you may not be able to stop him from jumping out of the car - in traffic.
The best thing for you to do is to keep your dog safely within the car. If you need to open the windows, make sure the ones near your dog are cracked just a bit – not enough for him to put his nose out of the window.
A few days ago, my sister and I were driving home when a dog’s head suddenly popped out of an open window in the car in front of us. All I could do was feel frustration at not being able to stop what I saw. My sister’s reaction…“I bet most people have no idea it’s not good for their dog. You should blog about it!”
Most people, indeed, do not know that allowing their dog to hang out of car windows can be bad, and even dangerous, for him.
It’s bad enough when you’re just driving around your neighborhood and you’re not going very fast, but it’s worse when you’re on the highway.
People think it’s cute when their dog sticks his nose, or more, out. They figure the dog is enjoying it, so there’s no harm in it.
They couldn’t be more wrong. Dogs can get nose, eye, or ear infections or be injured by things, like dirt and debris, that can fly up from the road.
Another risky part of having your dog hanging out of car windows is his unpredictability. Dogs, after all – no matter how well trained – have instincts. If your car window is down too far and your dog sees something he can’t resist (cat, squirrel, dog, or person he knows, etc), you may not be able to stop him from jumping out of the car - in traffic.
The best thing for you to do is to keep your dog safely within the car. If you need to open the windows, make sure the ones near your dog are cracked just a bit – not enough for him to put his nose out of the window.
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