Dog Safety Tips

Feeding your dog

  • Never feed cooked bones.
  • Never feed raw chicken.
  • Be aware of the foods and plants that are toxic or dangerous for your dog to eat.
  • Never let your dog play with empty drink cans as they can cut the tongue and mouth.

Dog feeding and exercise

  • Don’t allow exercise one hour before or after feeding.
  • Discourage dogs from picking up pebbles or stones as if swallowed can lead to major bowel surgery.

Dog (and human) safety when walking, training and playing

  • Never use a retractable lead.
  • Never walk your dog off lead except in an “off leash” area.
  • If you are not sure that your dog will come on call only go to fully fenced areas.
  • Avoid puppies and small dogs chasing with large dogs as they can easily get hurt.
  • Never let your dog run around dragging a lead. Lead tangles can cause injuries.
  • Don’t throw balls in the air so the dog leaps for them, falling backwards can cause spinal damage.
  • Never let your dog play with empty drink cans as they can cut the tongue and mouth.
  • Be careful of oyster shells on rocks as they can inflict deep and nasty cuts.

Dog toy safety

  • Never throw sticks for your dog, catching it as it flips over can cause major throat and mouth injuries.
  • Some balls are bad – small super bounce ball are a choking hazard even for small dogs, golf balls often contain poisonous substances in the centre, tennis balls hold grit and are abrasive on the teeth and the furred coating can lead to intestinal blockage. Never use any ball that is small enough to be swallowed or lodge in the throat.
  • Only buy good quality toys, cheap toys can have dangerous parts and material.
  • Remove hard noses and eyes from soft toys or they will be swallowed.

Safety at home

  • Always keep prescription medications out of reach.
  • Always keep cleaning products, bleach etc locked away.
  • Keep asthma inhalers and pressure cans out of reach, they can explode or poison.
  • Batteries of any type are deadly if swallowed.
  • Rubber gloves, underwear, avocado stones etc can all cause bowel obstructions.
  • Check your fences regularly for holes and loose palings, remember animals can get in as well as out.
  • Plastic bags, even small snack bags, can vacuum seal over a dog’s mouth in seconds resulting in asphyxiation and death.