Safety in the Summertime - Central Bark Doggy Day Care

July/August 2015 Vol. 45
centralbarkusa.com
Safety in the Summertime
Provided by Jessica, Central Bark Brookfield, WI
Summer is the best time of year to be a dog owner. There is so much to do and see and we love to take our dogs with us. We love to
take long walks, trips to the beach, farmers markets and local festivals. It is important that we keep in mind that the warmest months
of the summer can be the most dangerous for our dogs and we need to take steps to ensure their health and safety so they can enjoy
summer as much as we do.
Step 1. Avoid heat stroke.
Heat stroke occurs when your dog’s body temperature rises
dangerously high. This is most common if dogs are left in cars
for too long in excessive heat. Read more about how dogs and
hot cars don’t mix in Dr. Brenda Johansen’s column.
Step 2. Avoid sunburn.
Just like people, white or light colored dogs and dogs with thin
coats have an increased risk of sunburn. Apply sunscreen with
a SPF 15 or SPF 30 formulated for babies or pets. Never use
products containing zinc oxide on your pets as it is toxic. We
suggest hypoallergenic, fragrance free and dye free products.
Be sure to cover the tips of their ears, their nose, the skin
around their mouth and their back. Please be sure to reapply the
sunscreen every 4 – 6 hours.
Step 3. Protect pads and paws.
Sidewalks, patios, streets, sand at the beach and other surfaces
that get hot on a summer afternoon can really hurt your dog’s
paws. Walk your dog on the grass or dirt where the ground is
cooler. Also, walk your dog in the morning or evening when the
surfaces are cooler. As a test to see if the ground is too hot for your
dog, place the palm of your hand on the ground for 30 seconds.
If you are unable to keep it there for that length of time, or if you
can do it but it is still uncomfortable, it is too hot to walk your dog.
Step 4. Hydrate!
Provide clean water at all times and change it as often as
possible to ensure freshness and to avoid bacteria. It is
recommended that dogs drink at least one ounce of water for
each pound of their body weight per day. If your dog is prone
to tip over their water dish, try a weighted water dish so they
can’t knock it over as easily. You can also feed your dog wet dog
food during hot spells which will provide them with more fluid.
Continued on back page...
What’s Inside
• Ask the Vet:
Dogs & Hot Cars Don’t Mix
• The Poop:
The Skinny on Summer Bugs
• The Newest in Dog Sports
What is a Barn Hunt?
• Homemade Dog Recipe:
Pizza Dog Treats!
Ask the Vet, Dr. Johansen
Dogs and Hot Cars Don’t Mix
All across North America, summer time
temperatures can exceed 80, 90 or even 100
degrees in some areas. While these sunny days
may be great for sunbathers and swimmers, the
heat can prove deadly for our pets, especially
when left inside cars. A “quick” trip to the store
often results in owners finding pets suffering from
heatstroke and near death.
Dr. Brenda Johansen is a
licensed veterinarian and
graduate of the University of
Wisconsin – Madison School
of Veterinary Medicine. She
practices at Harmony Pet Care
Many pets, especially our dogs, love to go for car
rides. Unfortunately, this favored activity can turn
deadly when warmer temperatures arrive and
when owners misjudge the amount of time they
will be away from the car. Each year numerous
stories of dogs dying in hot cars are reported by
local media.
in Waukesha and visits all Wisconsin Central Bark® locations
monthly to provide veterinary
services.
When confronted with the fact that their pet’s
death was likely preventable, most owners will
respond with statements like “I didn’t think I would
be gone that long” or that they “didn’t know it
was THAT warm outside”. When looking at the
facts, the reality of just how quickly the inside of a
car can heat up, even in mild temperatures, can
produce some startling revelations for pet lovers.
It’s probably common sense to most people that
hotter days cause the inside of a car to heat
up faster, but few people realize that even with
outside temperatures as low as 65 or 70 degrees
Fahrenheit, the inside of the vehicle will warm
uncomfortably in just 30 minutes. In fact, on a
75 degree day, your car’s interior will be at 100
degrees in about 10 minutes and a blistering 120
degrees in 30 minutes. Despite urban myths,
cracking the windows has little effect on the rate
of heating inside the car.
But, it’s not just the heat of the day that is an issue.
Your pet’s overall health status and behavior can
also contribute to how quickly he will overheat in
the car. Veterinarians across the country have
posted stories online about cases in which dogs
have died when left in cars on days where the
temperature never exceeded 60 degrees. Short
faced breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs, as well as
obese pets, heavy coated breeds and senior
animals will have less tolerance for extreme
temperatures. In addition, excitable animals
and those with separation anxiety issues may
work themselves into a frenzy, raising their body
temperature to dangerous levels.
When in doubt, it’s always best to leave your
pet at home. It’s far too easy for a quick trip to
become complicated and take more time than you
intended.
So, what should you, as an animal lover and Good
Samaritan do if you come across a pet confined
in a car? First, if you are in a store parking lot,
consider contacting the management of the store
or even security. It may be possible to page the
pet’s owner and have them return to the vehicle.
Next, call 911 and try to get the local authorities
involved. This action will help lessen your liability
if the pet is injured during the rescue attempt or
happens to escape. Allow the police or legally
designated person to open the vehicle. Finally,
realize that not every animal in a car is actually
in distress. As mentioned above, some pets may
appear frantic, but others will lie quietly while
waiting for their owners. It’s important to stay calm
and not overreact.
Most importantly, if your pet is overheated seek
veterinary attention immediately. Many lives are
saved through proper medical care but waiting
can be fatal.
For more information on making sure your dog
stays cool, visit: www.MyDogIsCool.com
The Poop. Those darn mosquitoes, flys, bees and knats!
Keep an eye out for stinging and biting bugs and bees.
Some dogs see these as play toys. That can backfire
fast. Use flea & tick control on your dog throughout
the warm fall months, some of these also ward agsint
mosquitoes and flies. A child bug repellant is also a
good idea when taking your dog on walks in parks or
where bugs are prevalent. Daily checks for ticks is
always a good idea too!
Provided by Bonnie, Central Bark Chicago Avondale, IL
Have you Heard the Newest in Dog Sports? What is a Barn Hunt?
Provided by Sue Ann, Central Bark Oak Creek, WI
Most people are familiar with dog
sports such as Agility, Dock Diving,
Frisbee, Flyball and Lure Coursing.
Each taps a dog’s instincts and
abilities. One of the newest sports
is Barn Hunt. No, dogs don’t hunt
barns but they do go into areas
that have bales of hay and securely
protected rats to work a dog’s prey
drive and scent ability along with
agility.
The Barn Hunt was born out of the
Earth Dog sport in which terriers are
allowed to search through tunnels
underground for their quarry. The
Barn Hunt replicates what rat
catchers were hired to do, which
was to rid barns, grain bins, ships,
etc, of vermin in order to contain
the spread of disease or the loss of
harvested crops.
Dogs in action at a recent Barn Hunt at Central Bark Doggy Day Care Slinger, WI
The set up of a Barn Hunt involves
bales of hay, rats in protective PVC
tubes for their safety and a fenced area. The bales
are set up as an obstacle course so that the dogs
must tunnel and climb while searching for the
rats. Depending upon the dog’s level there are
3 to 10 tubes hidden throughout the course and
the dogs are required to climb a certain number of
bales and tunnel. Not all tubes have a rat inside.
Some have just litter and some are completely
empty depending on the level at which the dog is
competing. During the hunt the dog may indentify
only those tubes with a live rat. If an empty tube or
a litter tube is identified, the hunt is over. There is
also a time limit for each level. The more rat tubes
that need to be found, the more time that is allotted.
For instance in the beginning level, Novice, dogs
are given 2 minutes to complete the course. This
includes finding the tube with the rat out of three
total tubes, climb over one bale of straw (which isn’t
as easy as it sounds for a dog) and tunnel once.
For a spectator, it’s fun to watch how the different
dogs work, as well as the handlers. The sport
may be geared toward the terriers but it’s open to
any breed since all dogs have the ability to hunt.
The handler has to be in tune with their dog when
it indicates that a rat tube has been found. Some
dogs are subtle with a simple stare while others dig
the tube out and try to bite it. The handler calls
out “Rat” so the judge knows the dog has “hit” on
the rat. When a rat tube is found it’s immediately
taken out of the enclosure by a “rat wrangler”. For
some dogs they continue to focus on the tube even
though it’s been removed and the handler has to
work to refocus their dog on the next “prize” to be
found. As part of the trial the dog must go through
a tunnel and perform at least one climb to get full
credit for the run. A judge makes the determination
if the task has been completed.
Find a Barn Hunt Class
Near You:
There are several levels or titles that a dog can
obtain. RATI (Instinct), RATN (Novice), RATO
(Open), RATS (Senior), RATM (Master), RATCH
(Champion), RATCHX (Champion X). There are
no pre-requisites for RATI and RATN but the rest
require that the level prior be attained. In the case
of the RATCH a dog must attain 10 additional
Master levels. For a RATCHX title an additional 10
Master titles are required.
Barn Hunt Classes in
Wisconsin:
Barn Hunt classes are available at Central Bark
Doggy Day Care Slinger, WI. Becky Pease, owner
of the Slinger location, has two dogs of her own that
absolutely love it!
Happy Feet Agility
Oak Creek, WI
Deb Chvilicek
(414) 614-8580 or
agilebostons@wi.rr.com
For more information or a list of upcoming Barn
Hunts held all over the country, go to www.
barnhunt.com, the official website of the Barn
Hunt Association.
If you have a dog that likes to use their nose (and
what dog doesn’t?) this may be what you’ve been
looking for to get your dog engaged in a fun and
interesting activity! Happy hunting!
Barn Hunt
Association
www.barnhunt.com
Central Bark Doggy
Day Care
Slinger, WI
Becky Pease
(262) 677-4100
slinger@centralbarkusa.com
For Pet’s Sake
Mukwonago, WI
Patty Muraczewski
262) 363-4529
patti@forpetssake.cc
Safety in Summertime Continued ...
Step 5. Safe swimming in the water
Many dogs love swimming and playing in the water and it’s great
exercise! Be sure to always supervise your dog when they are
playing near or in the water. Dogs can become disoriented in
swimming pools and may not be able to find their way out. Also,
chlorine from pools and bacteria from streams, lakes and ponds
can be toxic for your dog’s system. Always rinse your dog off with
clean water afterwards and try to avoid having them drink water
from any of these sources. Bring along a portable water dish!
Step 6. Keep your dog cool
Make sure your dog has plenty of access to shade. In addition, there are many products on the market that will help you
keep your dog cool. There are fans that are made to clip onto
crates as well as mats with cooling crystals that will stay up to
20 degrees cooler than room temperature. There are also collars
and vests that are made to keep your dog cool. Cooling jackets are soaked in water and placed on the dog like a life jacket
and keeps their core temperature cool as the temperatures rise.
Step 7. Keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy
We love the sunshine and fresh air just as much as our dogs do,
but just as the change in season affects us with allergies, our four
legged friends can suffer from the same ailments we do. Dogs
suffering from allergies should see their vet, however, there are
some things you can do. Using flea and tick control is a great way
to protect your pet from outdoor insects. Weekly bathing may also
help to relieve itchy skin and helps to remove pollens and other
irritants from the skin. Making sure your dog is completely dried
after each bath, or trip to the pool or lake is also critical in keeping
your dog’s skin and coat healthy.
Spending quality time with our dog in the summer is the best feeling in the world. Whether it is a late evening walk when it isn’t as
warm, a day at the beach, or even filling up a kiddie pool in your
back yard, our dogs just want to be part of our lives and spend
time with us. Making sure we are doing everything we can to keep
them safe and healthy will ensure they are in our lives as long as
possible!
Fido Fest Raises $12,000+ for Barkley’s Forever Friends
Central Bark Fido Fest was Milwaukee’s Ultimutt day out on June
13th in Wauwatosa’s Hart Park. Fun for the whole family (twolegged and four-legged!) was had. Folks came out to enjoy a day
filled with a wide array of vendors, doggy activities, lure coursing,
dock diving, live music, great food, contests, demonstrations, the
K9 splash zone, and much more!!
Over $12,000 was raised for Barkley’s Forever Friends,
a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization that is committed to improving
the lives of dogs in need by helping match them with their forever
friend.
Homemade Dog Treat Recipe: Pizza Dog Treats
2 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c low fat milk
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 c water
1 tsp dried oregano
Additional Flour for Rolling + Toppings
(tomato paste, pepperoni, mozzarella
cheese, bacon, grated carrot)
1 egg
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, whisk together the wheat flour, dried basil
and oregano. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and stir in the milk and water. Make
a well in the dry mixture and pour in the milk mixture. Stir together until combined.
Knead the dough into a ball. Use more flour if needed to reduce the stickiness. Roll out
to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut into circles. Lightly spray
a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place the unbaked pizza crusts on the
baking sheet. Top your pizzas with the desired toppings. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or
until the cheese begins to brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Keep
fresh dog treats in refrigerator. You can store in a sealed container for 1 week or in a
freezer up to 6 months.
Provided by Kate, Central Bark Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Inside the Den is published bi-monthly for our customers and friends. Contact us via e-mail at info@centralbarkusa.com or online at centralbarkusa.com
July/August 2015