the aspca reminds us about summer safety for pets: the top 5 summer hazards

With good reason, we often focus our pet safety efforts around 4th of July celebrations. The threat is real, as more pets go missing on that day of the year than any other. They flee because they are frightened and don't understand the loud noises from fireworks and the like. In addition to Independence Day dangers, summer, as a whole, can be a dangerous time for pets, so there are other summer hazards we need to consider. The ASPCA has created an infographic outlining the top five. 

The ASPCA reminds us of the top five summer hazards for pets. Please keep your pets safe this season!

consider your particular climate and protect your pets from summer hazards

Here in Phoenix, Arizona, where temps commonly reach over 110° throughout the summer, we take special care to make sure our pets are safe. Though the extreme heat may seem more hazardous to our pets (and it can be if we don't take precautions), sometimes I think the extreme heat is a benefit. We don't mess around. There is NO QUESTION that our pets should not be left in a car or stand on concrete that can burn your skin off in a matter of seconds. Responsible pet owners keep their pets indoors, keep them well hydrated, and keep them protected.

In other regions, where it gets hot, but to a lesser degree, pets may be in even more danger. We may not think it's hazardous to keep Fido outside for an all-day celebration in 85° weather, but, in reality, he can become distressed and dehydrated quickly.

It's important to be mindful of your particular climate and know how it will affect your pets. Take all necessary precautions, as your pets are depending on you. 

How do you keep your pets safe during the summer?

gluten-free: it's gone to the dogs

Have you gone gluten-free? These days, it seems like nearly everyone has, and I'm still not entirely sure why. Gluten seems to be the new devil, and people are eliminating it from their diets regardless of whether they are intolerant. This trend is now trickling down to our dogs, so I thought we'd take a closer look at whether or not going gluten-free is a good thing for our pups.

First of all, do we know what gluten is? The Jimmy Kimmel Show (bomb!) hit the streets and asked health enthusiasts about it in his "pedestrian question" segment. 

If asked this question, would you have been able to answer correctly?

I would have flubbed it. Though I know the definition, I feel like it's sort-of morphed into this diet-craze thing that has become ultra confusing. While gluten can be a real problem for people with celiac disease, we're only just now learning about "gluten intolerance," something I would guess would be more of a "processed food issue," but perhaps it's simpler to peg it on gluten. 

So what is gluten? You still don't know? Me either. I'm confused. 

Let's clarify.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and some grains, including barley and rye. It provides elasticity to dough, giving it a chewy texture. 

Bam. 

And then I did some research.

is gluten all that bad for us or for our dogs?

Unless one has a sensitivity to gluten, it is neither particularly good (except for the fact that it is a source of protein) or bad for you. In humans, gluten sensitivity manifests in the digestive tract, causing stomach upset or bowel irregularity. The same holds true for dogs, but the most common and outward sign in the canine variety is poor skin condition. If your dog has itchy, dry skin, or maybe even a few bald spots, it could be due to a number of things, but gluten may be the culprit.

That being said, have you considered your climate or checked for fleas? Poor food quality (whether or not the food includes gluten) is the most common reason for these issues. 

how common is canine gluten sensitivity?

True gluten intolerance is actually pretty rare in both humans and dogs. PetMD states that "in a study of 278 cases of food allergy in dogs where the problem ingredient was clearly identified, beef, dairy, chicken, egg, lamb, soy, pork, and fish (none of which contain gluten) were responsible for 231 combined cases. Wheat, which contains a lot of gluten, was only involved in 42 cases."

Hmmmm.

The scoop on gluten-free dog food. 

As people become more interested in a gluten-free diet, the trend has trickled down to our dogs. Gluten is commonly in dog food as a binding agent. If your dog is experiencing tummy trouble or poor skin quality, it certainly doesn't hurt to try a gluten-free dog food and see if symptoms improve. If they do–great! Gluten-free dog food is readily available and becoming even more-so, so it's fairly easy to give it a try. 

Gluten-free dog food is often a higher-quality food with meat being the only source of protein. For this reason, gluten-free dog food is usually more expensive. Very inexpensive, poor-quality dog foods will typically contain a lot of grain as a filler since grain is much less expensive than meat. As with the foods we feed our human family members, it's important to read the ingredient list on your dog's food. If your dog is truly gluten-intolerant, you'll probably be saving money on veterinary bills by putting him on a gluten-free food, but, if not, you may be spending extra unnecessarily. 

is "grain-free" and "gluten-free" the same thing? 

Grain-free dog foods are just that–free of any grain. Gluten-free dog food may or may not contain grain. Since gluten is only present in some grains (the most common being wheat, barley, and rye), a gluten-free dog food will be free of those grains, but may contain other grains that do not contain gluten. In summary, a gluten-free dog food might be grain free, while a grain-free dog food will definitely be gluten-free.

Is your head spinning? Mine, too. Just remember:

GRAIN-FREE = GLUTEN-FREE

GLUTEN-FREE may or may not = GRAIN FREE

how to make the transition.

Any time you switch your dog's food, it's important to make the transition slowly for two reasons.

1. Your dog will likely be more accepting of the new food.

2. Your dog's digestive system will have time to ease into the new situation, which is especially important for dogs with sensitive tummies.

I suggest a 1/4 over 4 days formula, which will gradually transition your pet over the course of 12 days. You'll switch 1/4 of your dog's food to the new food for four days, then increase the amount of new food by 1/4 every four days. It looks like this: 

the bottom line.

If your dog experiences tummy upset or suffers from poor skin quality, it certainly can't hurt to try a gluten-free dog food. Regardless of whether your dog is gluten-free or not, it is important to research the ingredients in your pet's food and choose a high-quality option. 

Is your dog gluten-free? Please share your story!

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parenting pets vs. parenting humans: can we call a truce?

I'm sticking my neck out, here, I know. Lately I've noticed a ton of blog posts, Facebook posts, Tweets, and the like, on one side or the other of a particular issue: is parenting a pet the same as parenting a child? There are two extreme camps. Camp A says "my dog is my child," and Camp B says "dogs are not children" (substitute "dog" with "cat" or "mouse," or whatever your preferred critter is). The most common pet in question is the dog, so we'll focus on that. I just don't understand all of the controversy.

what's the gripe?

Some pet parents are furious and insulted that their pets will not be acknowledged by the world as children.

Some parents of human children are furious and insulted that pet parents would dare to call their pets "furbabies," "furkids," or (gasp) "children."

I think we all need to get over it. I am a pet parent and a parent of humans. I don't consider myself a part of either camp. I have friends in both camps. I am campless. I love my dog. I love my tortoise differently than I love my dog. And even the fish get some of my love, but it's different than how I love the tortoise or the dog. I love my step-kid. I love my biological kids differently than I love my step-kid. I love my biological kids differently than each other and differently than the pets. In my world, none of it is the same. Each is an individual, and each must be cared for and loved in it's own way. Does it matter to you what I call them? I love them all.

It seems that most of the people in Camp A admittedly don't have human children, so I'm not sure they qualify to compare their pet parenting to human parenting (I am sensitive to the fact that some of these people can't have children, and some have chosen not to). On the flip side, those in Camp B seem to be extremely offended by Camp A's declarations and are fighting back with a vengeance, which I think is a ridiculous waste of time on something that is really a positive aspect of the lives of so many. Lighten up.

In my opinion, people that see their pets as children seem to be more involved as pet parents, which I think is a great thing. So why do other people care what they call their pets or how strongly they feel about them? It's all good, people. There are plenty of other worthy causes that are actual problems that we can spend our time combatting. What if we took the energy we are spending fighting other parents of any kind and put it toward fighting puppy mills or child cancer, instead?

for the sake of argument

Though pet parenting has many similarities to human parenting, there are also many differences. I don't think we should argue, but for the sake of argument, let's look at some issues surrounding this topic that are most commonly debated:

OUTINGS: Though you can leave your pet home alone for brief periods, you can't do that with the human variety. WHO COMES OUT AHEAD? PET PARENTS. On the flip side, your human children can go everywhere with you, except the bar, so if you're looking for company, HUMAN PARENTS.

ENTERTAINMENT: Pets are usually good with a few minutes of fetch or a daily walk...maybe a bit of TV here and there. Human children must be constantly entertained. PET PARENTS FOR THE WIN!

SOUNDS: Barking vs. crying. Whining vs. whining. Farting vs. farting. I CALL IT A TIE.

SLEEP: Both pets and children will wake you in the middle of the night. Pets sleep a lot during the day, too, which gives them the edge. WHO HAS IT BETTER? PET PARENTS.

COST: Both pets and humans are expensive. Humans eat more, eat more often, require more clothes, require more expensive toys (no dog ever asked for an iPad for Christmas), and, oh, yeah...then there's the whole college thing. WHO GETS THE LONG STRAW? PET PARENTS.

EDUCATION: Pet training can be quite involved, but years and years of schooling and listening to your children whine about homework is a bit more intense. WHO HAS IT EASIER? PET PARENTS.

SUPERVISION: Sure, there are crates for dogs and cribs for babies, but once we're past that stage, it's much more difficult to catch a shower if you're the parent to human toddlers. THE VICTOR? PET PARENTS. 

POOP: Diapers must be changed, but typically only for a couple of years. Pet parents have to deal with that shit for the life of the pet. THE WINNER: HUMAN PARENTS.

REPRODUCTION: You can't spay and neuter your human children. And then there are those awkward conversations that must be had. If you're dog is humping the couch pillow, we all get a good laugh and move on. Teenage pregnancy? Not a problem for pet parents. PET PARENTS STEAL THE VICTORY.

LONGEVITY: Typically, pets are only with their families for a relatively short time. We wish they could stay longer. WHO HAS IT BETTER? HUMAN PARENTS.

LOVE: Isn't this what it's all about? The end-all be-all. WHO WINS?

Love is love. And love is the most important thing. The love between parent and child or parent and pet is love, and you can never have too much. No competing here. EVERYONE WINS.

So who cares if pet parents choose to call their pets their "kids?" Who is it hurting? And for those of us who haven't parented humans? Perhaps we should not make strong declarations about how it's exactly the same as parenting a pet. It really isn't. In my opinion, we're kind-of all right, and we're kind-of all wrong.

Parents of any kind need support. Let's all be supportive of each other in our journeys to raise wonderful, beautiful living things. Can we call a truce? 

it's here! the super-sized pet blogger summer giveaway

We've been anticipating it for weeks, and it's finally here: The Super-Sized Pet Blogger Summer Giveaway! What the heck is going on, you ask? Well, twenty-four awesome pet bloggers have come together to celebrate the onset of summer by offering our readers the chance to win one of three doggone amazing prizes. 

what can you win?

3rd prize: A PawNosh Cubby Bowl. These bowls are GORGEOUS and made from 100% recycled glass. Safe for the environment, and safe for your pet to eat from. 

2nd prize: Your choice of Italian Leather Collar & Leash set from dogIDs. These beautiful sets come in a variety of colors can be personalized with your pet's information.

GRAND PRIZE: A $400 Visa Gift Card. Lots of moolah. Need we say more? 

how can you win?

Between June 15 and June 21st, just follow the easy steps in the Rafflecopter widget, below. The more you enter, the better your chances! If you want to super-size your chances of winning, visit all of the participating blogs. Since there are 24 pet blogs, that gives you like...um...a whole bunch of entries (does anyone have a calculator?). 

And the coolest part? You get to check out some fabulous pet blogs you may not have previously discovered. 

participating blogs

Pawsitively Pets

Christy Paws

Daily Dog Tag

Fidose of Reality

Cascadian Nomads

The Lazy Pit Bull

Oh My Shih Tzu

Pet Product Review

Kitty Cat Chronicles

Animal Bliss

Beagles & Bargains

You Did What With Your Wiener

Kol's Notes

Kama Loves Agility

My Life With Pets

It's Dog or Nothing

Confessions of a Rescue Mom

CindyLu's Muse

Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

My Rotten Dogs

Bones and Fishes

Dolly the Doxie

Tails Are Wagging

well minded pets

Please take a moment to visit our friends and enter to win on each of their blogs. 

Be sure to submit all of your entries by next Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST. Come Monday morning, we'll randomly select three winners and officially announce them on The Lazy Pitbull Facebook page. I'll also be sure to give you the scoop on the Well Minded Facebook page. Now that's a way to brighten a Monday morning!

Happy summer, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the giveaway: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, except where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run from June 15 through June 21, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. Three (3) winners will be randomly selected and notified via email. Winners will have 48 hours to claim their prizes; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. 

10 activities to keep your kid and dog occupied this summer

Has summer boredom set in, yet? Are your kid and dog staring at each other looking for something to do? Look no further. Summer is a great time for kids and dogs to play together, and we've come up with some  activity suggestions!

10 activities to keep your kid and dog occupied this summer

1. Enjoy outdoor dining. Whether you choose an at-home BBQ or a pet-friendly restaurant, summer is a great time to take advantage of outdoor dining. Most restaurants that accommodate pets will bring your pooch a bowl of water, and some even have doggie menus! Kids have a great time eating out with their dogs. They can provide each other with entertainment while you wait for your food.

Dogs and kids love to eat out.

2. Paint with water. Painting with water is cheap and easy and can provide hours of fun. All you need is a cup of water and a paintbrush. Your kid can go to town on the patio or sidewalk, and your pooch can cool his paws and make footprints. My daughter absolutely loves this activity. And it doesn't make a mess like paints! 

3. Do crafts. Get your dog involved in summer crafts. Decorate a collar with felt flowers or buttons (make sure they are secure). Press your pooch's paw into a clay piece that your child can paint. Decorate a dog bowl with food-safe paints. If you're feeling really brave, roll out a long sheet of paper or poster board, let your kid and dog walk in paint, then make footprints across the paper. You may end up with a framable masterpiece!

4. Make frozen treats. Make popsicles AND pupsicles. Juice and fruit chunks work great for the kids. For your pooch, you can use a regular popsicle mold, a bowl, or even a kong. As for flavors? Chicken broth with kibble chips, plain yogurt with peanut butter, or even water with chicken bits frozen inside make great pupsicles! Your child will have fun making them and reaping the rewards with your pooch.

5. Go hiking or geocaching. In most parts of the country, summer is a great time to enjoy nature. Explore local hiking trails or take up geocaching, GPS-guided "treasure hunts." Your kids and your dog will love the adventure!

Go hiking or geocaching.

6. Go swimming or wading. Kids love swimming, and many dogs do, too! Make sure dogs and kids are both comfortable in the water before allowing them to swim together and aways keep safety first. No pool? Get yourself an inexpensive wading pool and let your kids and fur kids splash around to cool off. 

Chillin' poolside.

7. Run through the sprinklers. As long as you aren't in a drought zone, running through the sprinklers is an awesome way for kids and pets to cool off together and can provide great exercise, too. Here in Arizona, most of us don't have sprinklers, so we use the garden hose as an alternative. There are even hose attachments specifically designed for this purpose to make things more fun.

8. Find a dog-friendly beach or park. Pet-friendly beaches can be hard to find, but they're out there. Play time by the lake is also a good option. No water nearby? Hit a dog-friendly park. Bring your frisbee and a picnic lunch, and don't forget your doo-doo bags!

Find a dog-friendly beach or park.

9. Go camping. Kids and pets love the adventure of camping, and many campsites are pet friendly. Enjoy day hikes or just hanging out together enjoying the outdoors. Be sure to remember bowls and food for your pet, as well as a place for him to lay both during the day and for sleeping at night. 

10. Vacation at a pet-friendly hotel. More and more hotels are now accommodating pets, some even making special provisions for them such as pet beds and doggie room service menus. Your kids will love being able to vacation with Fido. You'll need to research policies, because some accommodations do not allow a pet to be left unattended in the room, and some have size restrictions. You may incur an additional fee, but living the high life with your pooch is worth it, right?

Here in Phoenix, we have to be careful with ourselves and our pets during the summer months. Temps can rise up to 120° during the hottest part of the day, so we tend to limit outdoor activities to the early mornings or evenings. In other parts of the country, there may be other conditions to think about. Consider your climate when making activity choices, and consider safety. 

safety tips

Always make sure your kids and dogs are well hydrated. Even when swimming, your dog can become dehydrated, so be sure to provide a fresh bowl of water before, during, and after any activity.

Avoid the hottest part of the day, and keep in mind that your dog's paws are sensitive to the hot ground. If it's too hot for you to walk barefoot, then your pet shouldn't, either. 

Wear sunscreen! Kids AND dogs should wear sunscreen when outdoors for a prolonged period. Light-colored and short-haired breeds especially need protection. Special attention should be paid to areas of the skin not covered in fur. Use a pet-safe sunscreen in case your pooch decides to lick the area where it is applied.

Dogs with sort muzzles such as pugs and bulldogs are more prone to heatstroke due to the fact that it is harder for them to breathe. This can be made worse by hot temperatures, so take special caution not to overexert these dogs.

Always supervise children and pets around water.

Please pick up after your pooch. Aside from just being gross, poo left behind is unhealthy. Plus, when people leave their dog's "presents" behind, places are less-likely remain be pet-friendly.

Above all, have a blast summering it up!! How to you plan to keep your kid and dog occupied this summer?

This article, written by me, originally appeared on Brie Brie Blooms and is reposted here with minor changes with permission.