WHAT ARE SOME WAYS YOUR DOG CAN RIDE SAFELY IN THE CAR?

There are several safe ways for your dog to ride in the car:

1. Use a crate: Using a crate is the safest option for dogs. It will prevent them from being thrown around the car in the event of an accident or sudden stop. Make sure the crate is large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably and that the crate itself is securely fastened to the floor/surface of the car using bungee cords, etc. if necessary.

2. Use a dog seatbelt: You can purchase a dog-specific seatbelt that attaches to your car's seatbelt or to the headrest of the rear seat of the vehicle and hangs down long enough to allow for some but not much movement. This will prevent your dog from moving around the car while you're driving.

3. Use a dog car harness: A dog car harness is similar to a seatbelt, but it's designed specifically for dogs. It will keep your dog secure and prevent them from being thrown around the car in an accident.

4. Use a barrier: A barrier can be installed between the back seat and the trunk to prevent your dog from climbing into the front seat while you're driving.

DOG WEARING DOG-SPECIFIC SEATBELT

Regardless of the method you choose, it's important to ensure that your dog is comfortable and ‘secure’ while riding in the car. *You should also avoid letting your dog ride with their head outside the window, as this can be dangerous and lead to eye and ear injuries. Also, it’s not a good idea to allow your dog to ride in the front seat of your vehicle. Common sense should tell us that if in most states and provinces it is ILLEGAL to allow a human child or adult human who weighs less than 100 pounds to sit in the front seat of a vehicle due to the fact that IF the front and or side airbags were to deploy in the event of an accident, it is HIGHLY likely that passenger would sustain injuries if not worse, it does not even make remote sense to allow a tiny creature like a dog to ride there does it?…

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO INTRODUCE DOGS TO EACH OTHER, TO HUMANS, LITTLE KIDS, ETC. AND DO SO IN A POSITIVE, NON-THREATENING MANNER?

Introducing Puppies To One Another

Introducing dogs to other dogs:

1. Neutral Territory: ALWAYS Introduce the dogs on neutral territory, so choose a place that the dogs are unfamiliar with such as a park or a beach, where neither of the dogs feels territorial or threatened. Don’t attempt to introduce them in places like their own yard, front porch, owner’s car, etc. even the friendliest, most outgoing dog may interpret this as a threat to defend their ‘territory’, or at the very least may cause them unnecessary anxiety on some level.

2. Controlled Environment: Keep both dogs on a leash and under control, to prevent any aggression or fights. If you feel it might be necessary, have a second dog-savvy person along to help you control your dog and or the other dogs.

3. Slow and Steady: Let the dogs approach each other gradually, keeping a safe distance initially. Watch their body language carefully, noticing the obvious signs like baring teeth, snarling, lunging, as well as the more subtle signs like shying away, turning to one side, turning their back, hiding behind you, and intervene if necessary.

4. Positive Reinforcement: Reward good behavior and calmness, like: greeting each other with uplifted happily wagging tails, sniffing one another and remaining calm, with treats or praise. * Praise is usually best in this case when dogs don’t yet know or feel comfortable with one another because some dogs can be very territorial or express aggression with food/treats.

Introducing dogs to humans:

1. Calm Environment: Introduce the dog to a new person in a calm and quiet environment. Too many people, strangers, or loud noises can be overwhelming and scary for the dog. Its just a lot of energy for the dog to sift through from and energetic standpoint.

2. Positive Reinforcement: Encourage the dog to approach the new person with treats or praise.

3. Body Language: Watch the dog's body language closely. If the dog seems uncomfortable or afraid, don't force interaction. * Since dogs can easily sense and interpret energy, be aware of YOUR own body language and energy. If you are expressing tension, anxiety, etc. your dog will quickly and easily read into this and the likelihood of her/him expressing that to the other dog or human being introduced is more likely. Be calm, cool, relaxed and stay aware, not afraid. Remember, you’re meeting a new ‘friend.’

Introducing Dog To Human Who is a ‘Stranger’ To Her/Him

Introducing dogs to little kids:

Introducing Dog To Little Kid / Toddler

1. Supervision: Always supervise interactions between dogs and little kids to prevent any accidents to either party.

2. Positive Reinforcement: It is YOUR responsibility as a Parent/Caregiver/Teacher to ‘Teach’ the child to approach the dog calmly and slowly and without screaming or loudly talking and no erratic waving of arms, hands etc., as this can represent a threat to pretty much any animal, and remember to reward the dog with treats or praise for good behavior. Most dogs, especially younger dogs and puppies genuinely like little kids, but sometimes their frantic, kinetic, and oftentimes chaotic energy and loud voices can be a bit overwhelming, so its’ best to keep interaction with puppies/dogs and little kids at a minimum- at least initially. Always keep these visits supervised. This is for the safety and protection of the people and the puppy/dog so that everyone comes away with a positive experience.

3. Gentle Touch: Teach the child to pet the dog gently yet firmly and in long strokes/pets over the body, avoiding sensitive areas like the face and ears, and do NOT allow a new person/child to reach OVER a dog’s head. *Think of it ‘as if’ you were a dog or a small child yourself, and a huge creature of a different species, approached you by reaching over your head. What would you think?… How might you react?… * It’s always best to reach UNDER a dog and pet her/his chest area when first being introduced.

4. Give Space: Teach the child to ‘give the dog space’ when she/he wants to retreat or is showing signs of discomfort or apprehension. Never ever ‘force’ an introduction.

   Remember that every dog is different and may require a different approach. Always prioritize safety and observe the dog's body language to ensure that the introduction is going smoothly.

   Its up to you to as the Pet ‘Guardian’ and or the Parent/Caregiver of a child, New human on the scene, to Remember and Respect just like you would with a fellow human being, that some dogs may require a different approach based on their personality and past experiences. Even though dogs DO have voices and understand human languages, they do NOT ‘speak’ human languages and cannot let you know what happened to them in the past and what their own unique personalities prefer, like we can do in human languages. It’s up to us as humans to try to understand them, not the other way around.

   It's important to allow the quality time to observe and understand the dog's behavior to ensure a safe and happy introduction.

Paw Care And Paw Protection

Well, it’s Summer now, and for some parts of the country you may be thinking about preparing for Heat, Sun and Warmer temperatures, and in other Southernmost exposures you may still be dealing with Cold.  Either way, we would like to talk to you about the importance of How To Protect your Dog’s Paws in both Hot or Cold temperatures.

Actual Example of What Can Happen To Your Dog’s Paw Pads If Unprotected In Too Hot or Too Cold of Temperatures

Many of you know, and some of you do not know, that a mere 10 seconds of a dog putting a paw to the ground; albeit frozen ground or overheated ground, is equivalent to us humans placing the palm of our hand or bottom of our foot on that same ground. Meaning of course, that if it feels way too Hot or way too Cold for you, it is going to feel the exact same to your precious pooch.  Yes, this is indeed enough to cause tissue damage. So what do we recommend?  Getting your dog measured for a non-decorative, functional type of boot/paw protector from numerous reputable companies such as Ruffwear brand Bark n’ Boots, Hi-Paw, Ultra Paws, Muttluks, Alcott , and many other reputable brands out there. 

*Use the boots for protection; not just against the harsh cold or hot temperatures, but also for paw protection from dangerous and potentially toxic chemicals such as mag chloride, salt, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, burs, thorns, foxtails, and of course mud.  You can use the boots on your regular daily walks and on your hikes and adventures you and your dogs go on together!

If you cannot find a reputable company with a size of boot that fits your pooch, we are actually working on prototypes for own boots, and we would recommend and advocate the use of a product by the name of ‘Musher’s Secret’.  This is a product for cold weather.  We do not advocate its use in extreme heat.

It coats and protects your pet’s paw pads.  Just make sure to apply between the toes and to the dewclaws as well.  * Many owners of sled dog racing teams use it on their teams of Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies to race in such races as the famous Iditarod. * So this product comes highly recommended from someone who knows firsthand.  This wax can also be used on the paw pads of your cat, hooves of your horses, and even the claws of your chickens. * If you are interested in this product, then by all means please [CONTACT US here at https://www.thedoggoddess.com/nominate and we will see about ordering the product for you or putting you in contact of a distributor in your area if you cannot locate it in your area.

*Cold weather or Warm, stay safe out there and of course keep your dogs away from any ‘interesting’ smells such as antifreeze; which has an attractive, sweet smell and of course is deadly if ingested. And please use common sense when out adventuring with your dog and take things like their age, size, health as well as the ‘surface’ they are playing or adventuring on/in into consideration. Surfaces like astroturf, artificial grass, tennis courts have the potential to damage or rip the surface of their paw pads right off.

Of course it makes sense that asphalt due to its chemical make up of gravel and tar and being black in color would attract and retain Heat faster and for a longer duration so you’re really going to have to be Conscious of this while out with your pup. For example, we took our pup to a nearby beachwalk the other day on a very cool, partly cloudy day and found that even in under 65 degrees Fahrenheit, walking on the partially paved asphalt surface for a very short duration ( under 5 minutes) to get from the underground parking lot to the shops proved too hot for both our feet, and her paws so we had to defer the walk by picking her up and going an alternate way in order to get to the cement and grassy areas again. One can only Imagine how HOT this would be if it were any higher in temperature.

Stay tuned for our articles: HIKING YOUR DOG,AND CAMPING WITH YOUR DOG.

How To Safely Puppy Proof Your Home

Puppy Ages 0-4 Months; Illustrating What We Imagine A Puppy To Behave Like

In the article Purchasing the Correct Supplies To Welcome Your New Puppy Home we touched on How to Safely Puppy Proof your Home.

Basically, you are going to want to think of this as doing the same thing to make your home safe for a human toddler.

Velociraptors- Puppies, at Ages 4-36 months can sometimes behave as though they were Velociraptors

Anything that could possibly harm or injure your ‘baby’ will need to either be put up high enough and or out of sight or just consider putting the items away until your pup is out of that what we refer to as the ‘Velociraptor’ phase. * you know, that phase where all they are doing is exploring with their mouths, sharp teeth, and potty training; only unlike human toddlers, baby animals like puppies have very sharp teeth and no diapers.

Put up any electrical, phone and computer/laptop cords, as obviously these could do serious damage if they are plugged in and your puppy gets electrocuted by biting into one that is plugged in; or you get electrocuted trying to get the cord away from the puppy. Safety first. You can always replace an inanimate object like a laptop or a lamp, but you cannot replace a life. Yours or that of your puppy.

Trash/garbage- It is called trash/garbage for a good reason, and there could be any number of nasty things in there that could seriously harm or make your puppy very sick if they got into it and or ingested it. So keep the trashcan in a place where a puppy cannot easily access it; like under your kitchen sink, and since dogs have very sensitive noses, keep the trashcan emptied on a regular basis. *Some new puppy parents keep only one central trashcan and put bathroom and bedroom trashcans away until puppies are fully house trained and finished with teething.

Foods, Chemicals, Medicines, and Household Items that are TOXIC to Dogs-

This is going to be an Extensive list. Most of it makes ‘Common sense’ to most people.

Chocolate, and anything related to the chocolate family such as cacao, cocoa, * the active phytonutrient ‘theobromine’ is what is TOXIC to dogs, as well as many other species of animals.

Onions and oftentimes vegetables from the same family; the Allium family, like chives and garlic that is grown in China can be toxic or very upsetting/damaging. * If you are going to use Garlic in your dog’s diet, please only buy ORGANIC and grown in your HOME Country, for example USA. Garlic is NOT ‘Toxic’ just please do NOT ever use Garlic grown in CHINA.

Anything from the ‘Grape, Raisin family’

Xylitol- this is the artificial ingredient in many gums and candies and can cause DEATH, liver and kidney damage in very minute/small amounts

Caffeine- coffee, coffee grounds, caffeinated beverages like Coca-Cola, many teas

Alcoholic beverages, ALL items containing alcohol. This includes ‘extracts’ like Vanilla extract, almond extract, and so on. NO ALCOHOL Period.

Macadamia nuts

Pits and Seeds from fruits like peaches, apples, etc.

Uncooked dough

Moldy or Rotten food

Thin bones from birds like chicken, pheasant, duck- they are very, very fine and will easily splinter and get caught in your dog’s throat and or puncture their intestines if ingested, and people commonly put these bones in their trash cans and think nothing of it, not realizing that dogs will dig these out of the trash in a New York Microsecond, and in many cases it will be too late for you to help them. * This is something one of our senior writers first heard about when her Aunt lost her beloved Collie dog many years ago when the dog quickly snagged a chicken bone from the trash. The chicken bone quickly splintered and lodged in the dog’s throat, ripping the lining of her throat, causing her to hemmorraghe and choke to death within seconds. These types of bones are no joke.

Pharmaceutical prescription drugs and over the counter OTC medicines: NOT prescribed specifically for your dog by their veterinarian can be harmful or deadly/toxic.

*We’ll include as complete of a list as possible including:

Acetaminophen(Tylenol)

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs/NSAIDS-(Motrin, Advil, Aleve)

Allergy/Decongestant medications like (Mucinex-D, Claritin-D, Allegra-D)

Aspirin

*There are some human OTC medications that are ‘considered’ to be safe to dogs at the dose recommended by veterinarians, but this is going to depend on YOUR Pet’s Veterinarian and if and what they prescribe for your dog. But the ones here on this list are NOT safe for dogs.

Anti-Depressants (Effexor, Lexapro, Prozac, Cymbalta)

ADD and ADHD medications including (Adderall, Ritalin)

Blood Pressure medications ( including Torpor, Lopressor)

Sleep Aids like (Ambient, Lunesta)

You need to treat ALL medications both prescription and OTC, with great caution around puppies/dogs/pets. Just like you would if you have a human baby/toddler in the house, you have to assume that since they explore and learn by putting pretty much any and everything they discover into their little mouths, you’re going to have to play it safe and keep all of these things up and safely locked away where they have no chance at getting them.

*Don’t do foolish, forgetful things like: leaving medications on the countertops, desk, nightstand, coffee table.

Don’t store these in plastic baggies they can chew thru; keep all pet and human medications in separate places and in their original containers with child-proof caps intact, but know that puppies /dogs can chew right through plastic bottles if they have the opportunity to do so.

Also pay attention to your dog when out in public like at retail shops as we all know humans throw things on the ground; anything from gum or a kleenex, or an accidentally dropped pill could endanger your pup if they were to snap it up and choke on or swallow it.

• In The Summer of (2022) there was a publicized incident where a woman’s dog snapped up a dropped fentanyl and had the pet parent not acted rationally and quickly the dog would have lost his life. https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/dog-goes-blind-after-eating-oxycodone-at-a-santa-monica-park/ * Copy/paste this link into your internet browser.

We always recommend that you keep your Primary Veterinarian’s contact information as well as your Emergency Veterinarians info and the ASPCA Poison Control Center Hotline Phone number handy/visible like on your Refrigerator door.

The ASPCA POISON CONTROL HOTLINE # is: 888-426-4435.

and we recommend to also put a sign or a Magnet in the Front and Back windows of your home: PET INSIDE- in case there were ever an Emergency like a Fire, the Firefighters will know they need to look for your pets and not just humans.

Household Plants- There are over 30 we can think of that are TOXIC including:

Aloe Vera- roots and stems. Its ok for them to ingest the gel. NOT the Roots and stems.

Amaryllis

American Holly

Azalea

Bay Laurel

Begonia

Calla Lily

Cherry Tree: All parts of it

Crocus

Daffodil

Daisy

Deffenbachia

Fleabane * these are wildflowers that grow all over the USA

Foxglove

Grapes, raisins, currants, dates * this whole family of fruits and their leaves, roots, stems

Hops

Hosta

Hydrangea

Iris

Jade

Juniper* Blue Star Juniper

Kalanchoe

Lillies

Locust

Marijuana- due to the tetrahydrocannabinol(THC)

Mistletoe

Morning Glory

Nicotiana ( Nicotine producing plant)

Oleander

Pacific Yew

Sago Palm * This is ONE Of THE MOST TOXIC plants to dogs and yet it is often seen as an inexpensive way to landscape a yard or public business and it is therefore seen all over the place in many countries.

Tomato- *only the leaves and stem are toxic to dogs as they are to humans. Eating tomato fruit or paste is fine in moderation.