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Holiday Safety Tips For Your Cockapoo & Other Pets

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Rudy

Rudy

Holiday Safety Tips

Holly, Jolly and Oh-So-Safe!
Of course you want to include your furry companions in the festivities, pet parents, but as you celebrate this holiday season, try to keep your pet’s eating and exercise habits as close to their normal routine as possible. And be sure to steer them clear of the following unhealthy treats, toxic plants and dangerous decorations:

O Christmas Tree
Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn’t tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.

Tinsel-less Town
Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching “toy” that’s easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It’s best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.

No Feasting for the Furries
By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising fur kid will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

Bandit

Bandit

Toy Joy
Looking to stuff your pet’s stockings? Choose gifts that are safe.

Dogs have been known to tear their toys apart and swallowing the pieces, which can then become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible.

Long, stringy things are a feline’s dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that’s too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

Forget the Mistletoe & Holly
Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.

Leave the Leftovers
Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won’t lead to costly medical bills.

Ted

Ted

That Holiday Glow
Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!

Wired Up
Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws’ reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet’s mouth.

House Rules
If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you’re busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.

Put the Meds Away
Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.

Careful with Cocktails
If your celebration includes adult holiday beverages, be sure to place your unattended alcoholic drinks where pets cannot get to them. If ingested, your pet could become weak, ill and may even go into a coma, possibly resulting in death from respiratory failure.

A Room of Their Own
Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the hubbub.

New Year’s Noise
As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat’s intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears.

Published with permission of ASPCA.
Copyright © 2012. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). All Rights Reserved.

Tips for a Safe Fourth of July for Your Cockapoo

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The HSUS Offers Tips for a Safe Fourth of July for Your Pets

The Humane Society of the United States encourages pet owners to take extra precautions to keep their pets safe while celebrating the Fourth of July.

While parades and fireworks displays are beloved Independence Day traditions, for many pets the noise and commotion can be overwhelming. In fact, so many pets become frightened and try to flee the sights and sounds that animal shelters around the nation report a dramatic increase in lost pets during the holiday.

“The loud fireworks and large gatherings of people at public Fourth of July festivities can be stressful for your pets,” said Inga Fricke, The HSUS’ director of sheltering and pet care issues. “It’s best to enjoy the Independence Day holiday by ensuring that your furry friends are safe at home.”

To ensure your pets stay safe this Fourth of July holiday, follow these simple tips:

Keep all pets safely confined indoors on the 4th and the days leading up to it when people may be inclined to set off fireworks. There are many family and group activities that are perfect for pets, but a public fireworks display or any other type of gathering where fireworks will be set off usually isn’t one of them. It’s best to leave your pets safely indoors, preferably with a radio or TV on to dampen jarring noises. Pets usually kept outdoors should be brought inside as an extra measure of safety. And if you do take your pet with you to an Independence Day event, keep her leashed and under your direct control at all times.

Never leave your pet in a parked car. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise to dangerous levels within minutes. On an 85 degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car even with the windows cracked open can reach 102 degrees within just 10 minutes; after 30 minutes the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Even when the temperature outside is a balmy 72 degrees, the temperature inside your car can rocket to a fatal 116 degrees in less than an hour’s time.

Consult your veterinarian if your pet is distressed by loud noises like fireworks displays. Your veterinarian may be able to recommend medications and techniques to help alleviate your pet’s fear and anxiety. You can also find tips for helping your dog cope with loud noises like thunder and fireworks at: Fear of Thunder and Other Loud Noises

Ensure your pet is wearing a collar and identification tag with current contact information so you can be reunited quickly if your pet does escape. All pets, even those kept indoors full-time, should wear collars with identification tags at all times. Indoor-only animals can become so frightened during fireworks displays that they take desperate measures to escape the noise, such as breaking through window or door screens. As an extra precaution, it’s a good idea to have your pet microchipped, with your current contact information registered with the chip company. If your pet does become lost, contact your local animal control and surrounding shelters immediately. If you find a lost pet, either take her to the address on the tag or bring her to the local animal shelter so she can be reunited with her family.

Reprinted by permission of The Humane Society of the United States.



Protect Your Cockapoo During the Sizzling Summer

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Hot Weather Tips

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger, warn ASPCA experts.

“Even the healthiest pets can suffer from dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat,” says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.”

Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

Visit the Vet
A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren’t on year-round preventive medication. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe flea and tick control program.

Cool Cockapoo

Romeo Stylin’


Made in the Shade
Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.

Know the Warning Signs
According to Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.” Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

No Parking!
Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. “On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time-even with the windows open-which could lead to fatal heat stroke,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Also, leaving pets unattended in cars in extreme weather is illegal in several states.

Make a Safe Splash
Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool-not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Screen Test
“During warmer months, the ASPCA sees an increase in injured animals as a result of High-Rise Syndrome, which occurs when pets-mostly cats-fall out of windows or doors and are seriously or fatally injured,” says Dr. Murray. “Pet owners need to know that this is completely preventable if they take simple precautions.” Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured.

Cool Cockapoos

Eric and Xander wearing Doggles

Summer Style
Giving your dog a lightweight summer haircut helps prevent overheating. Shave down to a one-inch length, never to the skin, so your dog still has some protection from the sun. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. As far as skin care, be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.

Street Smarts
When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

Avoid Chemicals
Commonly used flea and tick products, rodenticides (mouse and rat baits), and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, so keep them out of reach. When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. Keep citronella candles, oil products and insect coils out of pets’ reach as well. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance.

Cook Cockapoo

Ryder is a Cool Dude


Party Animals
Taking Fido to a backyard barbeque or party? Remember that the food and drink offered to guests may be poisonous to pets. “Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets, as they can cause intoxication, depression and comas,” says Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA Senior Vice President of Animal Health Services. “Similarly, remember that the snacks enjoyed by your human friends should not be a treat for your pet; any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe digestive ailments. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol.”

Fireworks Aren’t Very Pet-riotic
Please leave pets at home when you head out to Fourth of July celebrations, and never use fireworks around pets. “Exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma to curious pets, and even unused fireworks can be hazardous,” says Dr. Hansen. “Many types of fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as potassium nitrate, copper, chlorates, arsenic and other heavy metals.”

Published with permission of ASPCA.
Copyright © 2012. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). All Rights Reserved.


Happy Father’s Day Weekend

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Taffy and Me

Bill and Taffy

Bill and Taffy

My name is Bill Fireman. I am 69 years old and I live in Marlboro, NJ with my wife, Ilene, and my son Michael. I practiced law in New York City for 46 years, until December, 2010, when I retired. That same month we lost our miniature schnauzer, Licorice, after 13 1/2 years. We had four dogs, three of them miniature schnauzers, over the years, and when we lost Licorice we were devastated. We knew that we had to get another dog, but we decided to try a different breed. We agreed to get a cockapoo. I haven’t regretted the choice.
 
 
Taffy's Puppy Picture

Taffy's Puppy Picture

I went to the internet, and under “New Jersey Cockapoo Breeders” I found the website of Purebred Breeders, Inc. They had pictures of cockapoo puppies who were for sale on their website, and I was absolutely bowled over by an unbelievably cute little face, which belonged to a then four week old puppy. I had to have that dog, and I put a deposit on her. It turned out that the breeder was a very nice lady at Treehouse Kennels in Spring Hill, Fla., named Nancy Kipfer. I spoke to Nancy several times over the telephone, and she said that she was a grandmother who kept her puppies in her kitchen, where her grandchildren played with them, and they were thoroughly socialized.

I should note that I do not generally recommend buying a dog sight unseen over the internet the way I did. There are too many puppy mills out there, and you never know what kind of conditions the puppy was raised in. In my case, however, I don’t believe that the kennel I bought my dog from was a puppy mill, and the bottom line was that I couldn’t have found a more wonderful dog. My experience with Nancy at Treehouse Kennels was overwhelmingly positive, and despite my general reservations about buying a dog over the internet I would highly recommend her without reservation.

By February, 2011, the puppy was eight weeks old, and she was sent to me by air from Florida, with a stop in Atlanta. We picked her up at Newark Airport and took her home. As soon as we got home we let her out of the carrying case. We expected her to be exhausted from her travels, and in no mood to be sociable. Instead, out of the case came a lively little dog, whose attitude was “OK. I’m here. Lets play.” She gave us lots of kisses. That attitude hasn’t changed a bit since we first met her. We named our dog Taffy.

Taffy soon demonstrated that she was a disciple of Will Rogers – she never met a man (or woman) she didn’t like. Everyone she meets gets many Taffy kisses. She isn’t a great watch dog. If a burglar came in the house she would probably watch. But she might lick him to death. She has the sweetest personality of any dog I have ever seen.
 
 
Taffy loves to play with her toys, and she has many of them. She likes toys that squeak, and her favorite is a stuffed dog that we refer to as “big doggy”. There are times, particularly when we are watching television, that big doggy has to be taken away for a few minutes so we can hear the program. She has stuffed squirrels that she can remove from a hollow tree, which also squeak and are favorites of hers. Taffy likes to chew on her Nylabone, and often brings it to me to hold at one end while she chews on the other end. She will bring over a ball, or one of her other toys, and ask me to throw it to her so she can catch it. She catches quite well. I wish the Mets had a few outfielders who could do as well. Taffy is a southpaw – also a northpaw, eastpaw, and a westpaw.

She is a true lap dog. We have a large recliner in which I like to sit and watch television. As soon as I sit down Taffy is in my lap, where she will usually sleep peacefully. Sometimes I fall asleep in the chair and we nap together. If there is a dog on the television screen Taffy will watch with great interest, sometimes attempting to initiate a conversation with her new friend. Her favorite program is Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer”.

We often go to the dog park together. Taffy likes to run around with the other dogs, and gets along with other dogs very well. She likes the people that she meets at the dog park too. If someone is sitting on a bench she has been known to jump onto his or her lap, and lick that person’s face. Fortunately, the people she has done that to have thought it was very cute and haven’t complained about it.

I am always nervous about taking her to the dog park, however. There is always the threat of an overly aggressive dog who might hurt other dogs. But Taffy seems to get along well with other dogs, and if a dog gets too aggressive she will go into submissive position, and the other dog will generally leave her alone. It remains a potential problem, however.

TaffyTaffy eats “By Natures Organic Dogfood”, and seems to thrive on it, but I have been told that the brand is going to be discontinued. If that’s the case we’ll have to find another dogfood for her. She likes Bil-Jac dog treats and Milk-Bone dog biscuits. We don’t give her table scraps, although we occasionally give her an apple, a carrot, or a cucumber, which she enjoys.
 
 
As I said before, I am now retired. Ilene is a few years younger than me, so she intends to continue working for another year or two. That leaves me alone with Taffy a good deal of the time, except for when I take seniors courses at Rutgers to keep my mind active. We have formed a close bond and we can keep each other amused for hours. It is amazing how much love she gives and gets. When Ilene and Michael come home they play with Taffy. She is a joy, and we all feel very fortunate to live with this wonderful dog.

Bill’s Cockapoo Place Member Information is: BillF @valjean24601

Dad

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