When you finish reading this article on “how to keep my dog safe”, you will have learned how to protect your dog from an early death.
Be sure to read this blog clear through to the end or you will miss some of this very valuable information.
Table of contents
6 Easy Ways to Keep Your Dog Safe from Early Death
1. The leading cause of death
Preventable accidents are sadly also a leading cause of early death for many dogs. Dogs, which suffer from car accidents, injuries from, dogfights, and accidental poisonings are unfortunately seen regularly in veterinarian clinics everywhere.
While accidents sometimes happen no matter how many precautions we take, there are things that you can do to help keep your dog as safe as possible.
2. Protect From Vehicular Accidents And Fights
Never let your dog outside unaccompanied, and try to keep it in a fenced in yard. Keep the possibilities of accidental fights down by introducing your pet slowly to other dogs, or better yet keep others away from your dog all together.
Most fights occur when dogs are outside by themselves; be sure that he or she cannot run out of the house or escape from the yard.
If your dog is in an area where there are any vehicles, even golf carts or mopeds, watch it closely and always keep it on a secure leather dog collar and leash set.
Dangerous dogfights can also occur when dogs are in a household that has a lot of other dogs. If you own more than one dog, and they continue to fight, then you may need to permanently separate them to keep them from hurting one another.
3. Train It To Respond To Your Commands
A big part of keeping your pooch safe involves training, which will help it respond to your voice in any type of situation.
Professional training classes are often needed to obtain the desired and effective results, and the lessons you and your dog learn in these classes will need to be continually practiced throughout the its lifetime.
If one day your dog does run outside without a leash, you can quickly call it back to you before he or she gets into an accident; if your dog confronts another one you may be able to call yours away before a fight occurs.
Training your dog can save its life, and working with your dog will also help you and it develop a stronger bond.
4. Accidental Poisoning
Every year dogs around the world experience fatal poisoning accidents. Many of these accidents are caused by rodent poisons that are placed around the home or in outside areas where your pet has access to them.
A dog may be treated successfully from rodenticide poisonings, but ingesting these products can often lead to permanent organ damage. If you use any poisonous products around your home, make sure that your pooch will not be able to reach them at all.
Poisoning accidents can also occur from products around the home that are deadly, but they do not have a bad taste or smell and so your dog may ingest it out of curiosity, thirst, or hunger.
Anti-freeze is an example of a dangerous household product that can fatally poison dogs; while anti-freeze is a hazardous chemical, it actually has a slightly sweet taste; try to be aware of any products in an around the home that may harm your pet.
Other more common accidental poisonings occur when dogs eat prescription medications and over the counter drugs.
These drugs may taste horrible to us, but for some reason dogs seem to find pills particularly appetizing. You may not think that your dog is tempted to eat your bottle of Xanax, but it does happen.
In fact, recently some pet owners have discovered that their dogs are obsessed with getting into anti-depressant medications.
While some of these stories are amusing, the health consequences that dogs can suffer from these types of overdoses are serious.
Always keep over the counter drugs and prescription medications far out of reach of your pooch.
5. Microchip Your Dog
Chipping your dog is one of the most proactive steps you can take towards keeping it safe, healthy, and in your care for as long as possible. If at some time you and your dog become separated, than a microchip may help to reunite you with your dog.
When it becomes lost there is always the possibility that another person may adopt it, but a lost dog can also suffer from starvation, fights with other animals, or an accident with a vehicle.
6. When you can’t claim your dog
Dogs that are lost are frequently picked up and brought to humane animal shelters as well, but if the dog is not claimed or adopted within a specified amount of time the dog will be euthanized.
However, if your pet does become lost and ends up in an animal shelter, a microchip will quickly identify your dog removing any chance that it may be accidentally euthanized.
A microchip will also help to identify your dog if you and it are separated in an emergency.
Mandatory evacuations caused by fires, floods, and storms are notorious for separating dogs and their frantic owners; while you may experience a temporary separation from your dog in the event of an emergency, a microchip can bring the two of you back together.