Safety Precautions When Walking Your Dog
By Holistic And Organix Pet Shoppe
When we as pet parents have the duty of walking our dog as we all should, we must also use our ears, eyes and reflexes to stay alert and know how to handle other approaching animals especially loose ones. I am not a dog trainer. These are my own common sense thoughts and what I see around me when walking my dogs.
Most people walk their dogs during the day hours when people are out of their homes hanging out in the front yards or also walking their dogs. I myself walk my dogs late at night. I personally want to avoid humans as much as possible and I will explain later in this article.
When we as pet parents have the duty of walking our dog as we all should, we must also use our ears, eyes and reflexes to stay alert and know how to handle other approaching animals especially loose ones. I am not a dog trainer. These are my own common sense thoughts and what I see around me when walking my dogs.
Most people walk their dogs during the day hours when people are out of their homes hanging out in the front yards or also walking their dogs. I myself walk my dogs late at night. I personally want to avoid humans as much as possible and I will explain later in this article.
These are do's and don'ts when walking your dog and what to be aware of.
1. When you see an approaching pet parent walking their dog as well, either move to the other side of the street or go into the street away from the other approaching dogs. This is one I see that gets abused the most. Respect the other oncoming animals by allowing space.
2. Do not walk your dog on a retractable leash. I don't care if your dog is well behaved on it. It doesn't matter. You need to keep your dog close to you at all times. What if a loose animal approached your dog that was 15 feet away from you. How could you protect your dog? Reeling your dog back in won't work. I won't even mention anything about the retractables as I do use them in my front yard. But that's it.
3. Carry pepper spray and citronella spray on you when walking. Citronella for less aggressive dogs or animals and pepper spray for an all out full blown charging right-at-you animals. Carrying a taser gun doesn't keep them at a distance. You have very little chance to stop an interaction before it starts. A stick might help but where are you going to carry a stick while walking your dog?
1. When you see an approaching pet parent walking their dog as well, either move to the other side of the street or go into the street away from the other approaching dogs. This is one I see that gets abused the most. Respect the other oncoming animals by allowing space.
2. Do not walk your dog on a retractable leash. I don't care if your dog is well behaved on it. It doesn't matter. You need to keep your dog close to you at all times. What if a loose animal approached your dog that was 15 feet away from you. How could you protect your dog? Reeling your dog back in won't work. I won't even mention anything about the retractables as I do use them in my front yard. But that's it.
3. Carry pepper spray and citronella spray on you when walking. Citronella for less aggressive dogs or animals and pepper spray for an all out full blown charging right-at-you animals. Carrying a taser gun doesn't keep them at a distance. You have very little chance to stop an interaction before it starts. A stick might help but where are you going to carry a stick while walking your dog?
|
4. Walk one dog at a time unless you can handle walking one calm well trained and well mannered dog and one not so well mannered. In a bad situation, you want to at least be able to give direction to one dog while you are holding on to the other.
I would not recommend walking more than two dogs at a time unless you are an experienced dog handler or trainer. One is best however. 5. Do not wear headphones or talk on phone while walking your dog. This is like driving and texting. It just doesn't work in your favor. You won't be able to hear anything coming towards you in any direction. You won't be able to hear your dog growling. 6. STAY ALERT. Watch out for strange acting humans, wild animals and anything approaching you from the rear as well. |
|
7. Carry your cell phone in your pocket in case you need to call 911. Like what if you step in a hole and break your foot or leg? You will need help. What if a loose animal attacks you or your dog, you will need to call for help.
8. Let someone know where you are going and when to expect your return.
9. Do not walk your dog when it is hot or very cold outside. Before considering your walk, reach down and touch the pavement. If it is too hot to hold your hand on it for 20-30 seconds, it's too hot to walk your dog. I see this way too often. Same for cold. If it's warm out and you are taking a long long walk, carry some water for you and your dog. They even make fold-up portable water bowls you can stick in your pocket or clip on your belt. If you are walking your dog in below freezing temps, is it too cold for your feet or hands? If so, put some booties and a doggie coat on your dog. YES they DO get cold like us humans. I normally won't walk my dogs below 50 degrees or above 75-80 degrees even at night not saying you shouldn't, just saying think before you do. And of course this depends on the health and age of your dog. I am just saying, if your dog has heart issues, walking your dog in the heat will probably most likely kill it. That's my point here.
8. Let someone know where you are going and when to expect your return.
9. Do not walk your dog when it is hot or very cold outside. Before considering your walk, reach down and touch the pavement. If it is too hot to hold your hand on it for 20-30 seconds, it's too hot to walk your dog. I see this way too often. Same for cold. If it's warm out and you are taking a long long walk, carry some water for you and your dog. They even make fold-up portable water bowls you can stick in your pocket or clip on your belt. If you are walking your dog in below freezing temps, is it too cold for your feet or hands? If so, put some booties and a doggie coat on your dog. YES they DO get cold like us humans. I normally won't walk my dogs below 50 degrees or above 75-80 degrees even at night not saying you shouldn't, just saying think before you do. And of course this depends on the health and age of your dog. I am just saying, if your dog has heart issues, walking your dog in the heat will probably most likely kill it. That's my point here.
10. Don't let your dog poop in someone's yard. OK, when you gotta go you gotta go. So if your dog decides it needs to poop, keep it as close to the edge of the yard as possible closer to the street or the strip in-between sidewalks and the street. Then pick up the poop with your poop bag and move on. I try to get my dogs to poop before we take a walk. Don't feed your dog then take a walk until they have pooped.
11. Do not walk your dog 30 minutes before or 1 hour after feeding your dog. This can cause bloat or digestive issues including vomiting.
12. Keep a close eye on your dog when walking. Don't let him eat things out of the grass. You don't know what may be lurking there. Poison could be in the grass or rotted chicken bones.
13. When returning from your walk, rinse off the dogs paws using apple cider vinegar and water or povidone iodine and water. It's best to dip feet into a pan of water then pat dry. This washes away pesticides and toxins from other grasses or even the chemicals dropped on the streets from cars. Your dog will lick their paws and you don't want them to lick those chemicals.
11. Do not walk your dog 30 minutes before or 1 hour after feeding your dog. This can cause bloat or digestive issues including vomiting.
12. Keep a close eye on your dog when walking. Don't let him eat things out of the grass. You don't know what may be lurking there. Poison could be in the grass or rotted chicken bones.
13. When returning from your walk, rinse off the dogs paws using apple cider vinegar and water or povidone iodine and water. It's best to dip feet into a pan of water then pat dry. This washes away pesticides and toxins from other grasses or even the chemicals dropped on the streets from cars. Your dog will lick their paws and you don't want them to lick those chemicals.
If you have a dog that is fearful, timid, hyper or reactive, it may be best to walk your dog after dark when children have gone inside. This way it keeps down the stress level of fearful dogs and doesn't allow reactive dogs to get overly excited. This is why I don't walk my dogs during the day. I avoid children at all costs. My dogs are not use to kids and have not been around them and I cannot say how they may react if a kid did something to them or petted them wrong. So to PROTECT MY DOGS, I avoid day time walks. If someone does ask me if they may pet my dog, I politely refuse for their child to pet my dogs. Because if something happens, it is my dog that will pay the price. I allowed their death sentence just because I was trying to be nice and not saying "no". I say no for the protection of my own dogs not counting any lawsuit that could happen. This is just not worth it to me. I don't know that child nor do I know if the parents have taught that child how to behave around a dog. For reactive/hyper or fearful dogs, you may want to try giving some CBD oil about 30 minutes to an hour before your walk.
If you have a dog that is a puller, put a harness on your dog instead of a collar. Harnesses can't choke or do damage to their esophagus and they can't slip out of them like they can a collar. Also if they happen to get loose and run off, they won't be able to hang themselves if they get caught in a bad situation and hung up on something. They do make break away collars if you must.
If you have a dog that is a puller, put a harness on your dog instead of a collar. Harnesses can't choke or do damage to their esophagus and they can't slip out of them like they can a collar. Also if they happen to get loose and run off, they won't be able to hang themselves if they get caught in a bad situation and hung up on something. They do make break away collars if you must.
This is for homeowners:
1. Don't throw your dog in the backyard and leave them there. Many times at night when it is really cool outside, I hear dogs barking as we walk by. Even small dogs. WHY? Why are these dogs outside when it is so cold? This is when I hate people.
2. Keep your sidewalks clear of debris. ALL debris including tree limbs, trash, fallen acorns, leaves, fresh cut grass (unswept), portable basketball goals, motorcycles, and overgrown grass growing across the sidewalks from homeowners not taking care of their yards. I see grass growing together from one side of the sidewalk all the way across the other. Weeds 12+ inches tall in their yards. Trash piled up everywhere.
1. Don't throw your dog in the backyard and leave them there. Many times at night when it is really cool outside, I hear dogs barking as we walk by. Even small dogs. WHY? Why are these dogs outside when it is so cold? This is when I hate people.
2. Keep your sidewalks clear of debris. ALL debris including tree limbs, trash, fallen acorns, leaves, fresh cut grass (unswept), portable basketball goals, motorcycles, and overgrown grass growing across the sidewalks from homeowners not taking care of their yards. I see grass growing together from one side of the sidewalk all the way across the other. Weeds 12+ inches tall in their yards. Trash piled up everywhere.
|
Yep these are trashy uncaring lazy people and they live in every neighborhood including my own. How do people live like this? sigh!
Keeping sidewalks clear allows children, handicapped people in wheelchairs or alike and people walking their dogs to avoid the dangerous street. |
|
3. Don't allow your dog to run loose in the front yard especially if they are hyper, reactive or are untrained. Even if it's midnight, there is someone always outside around you including wild animals.
4. Make sure your fence is secure and in good shape and good working order to help keep your dog contained and keep a lock on your gate so noone can open the gate or come inside. One night I was walking my dogs and as we passed by, a wood picket come flying directly at my dog (within inches). Scared me to death as well as my dog. A large dog was on the other side of the fence and apparently this dog really wanted to come out of that fence at us and he knocked a picket out of the fence. What if he had of knocked out 2 or 3, just enough to come through that fence? This fence really needs replacing although the homeowner has only replaced a few pickets and zip tied some others. SMH!
4. Make sure your fence is secure and in good shape and good working order to help keep your dog contained and keep a lock on your gate so noone can open the gate or come inside. One night I was walking my dogs and as we passed by, a wood picket come flying directly at my dog (within inches). Scared me to death as well as my dog. A large dog was on the other side of the fence and apparently this dog really wanted to come out of that fence at us and he knocked a picket out of the fence. What if he had of knocked out 2 or 3, just enough to come through that fence? This fence really needs replacing although the homeowner has only replaced a few pickets and zip tied some others. SMH!
5. If your dog won't shut up barking, you need to do something about this. It's a city ordinance and is annoying for a dog to continuously bark. Some bark non-stop because they are bored or they just like to hear themselves bark. LOL Get a bark collar or hire a trainer. Keep your dog inside most of the time. Give it one hour outside daily or 15 minute intervals. WALK YOUR DOG DAILY. But stop the barking. Be respectful to your neighbors. Certainly don't leave them outside during the day while you are away. You might just get a call from the police.
6. Keep all poisonous trees and plants out of harm's way. Check every single plant and tree to make sure it isn't poisonous to your pets. Most are.
7. Do not chain your dog. Chains cause aggressive dogs and it is cruel. Allow your dogs to roam freely within the confines of a fenced area. Give plenty of space with cover from the sun or any weather elements at all times. Make sure they have fresh filtered clean water daily. Social dogs are happy dogs and are not aggressive. Interact daily with your pets.
6. Keep all poisonous trees and plants out of harm's way. Check every single plant and tree to make sure it isn't poisonous to your pets. Most are.
7. Do not chain your dog. Chains cause aggressive dogs and it is cruel. Allow your dogs to roam freely within the confines of a fenced area. Give plenty of space with cover from the sun or any weather elements at all times. Make sure they have fresh filtered clean water daily. Social dogs are happy dogs and are not aggressive. Interact daily with your pets.
Ok there you have it. I said all the things you've wanted to say to others or maybe don't want to hear yourself. But these are safety guidelines and be respectful to others in keeping your dog safe, happy and for you as well.
Being overly protective or cautious keeps you and your pets out of court and keeps your dog from being euthanized if anything should go wrong, whether it is your dog's fault or not. In reality, it would be your fault if something bad happened to your dog by not taking steps to protect them at all costs.
Being overly protective or cautious keeps you and your pets out of court and keeps your dog from being euthanized if anything should go wrong, whether it is your dog's fault or not. In reality, it would be your fault if something bad happened to your dog by not taking steps to protect them at all costs.
