Summer issues with pets

Tips for summer petcare, from the Petcoach www.petcoaching.vpweb.co.uk

Under the Animal Welfare Act, when you bring an animal into your home you must make provision for its care. One of the things you will do when you work with Sue as your coach / mentor is to learn about your legal and moral responsibilities as a pet owner not just in the immediate period after bringing your puppy or rescue dog home, but in years to come - because dogs and cats can and do live for 10 to 20 years, and in the case of cats, sometimes even longer.

Things to think about this summer are:

•Have you factored in the cost of care for your pets along with all of your other holiday expenses? Sometimes the cost of caring for pets can be more expensive than your hotel bill, but you are obliged to care for your animals by law (the Animal Welfare Act) and you cannot just leave them to fend for themselves while you sun yourself on the beach.

•A cheaper alternative might be to use a house sitter, who will also look after your plants, turn lights on and off and pick up your post. Generally dog walkers are not insured if your dogs are left alone at night, so dogs may have to be placed in a holiday kennel if you do not have a friendly relative willing to move in to your house while you are away.

•If you use a dog walker / dog sitter, do they arrive in their own vans or cars covered in advertising for their services? If they do, they will also be advertising that you are not at home. Ask them to park around the corner and walk to your house.

•Have you updated your pet's annual vaccinations? Pets must be vaccinated before they will be accepted by holiday kennels, so to avoid a last minute rush, book your pets in for their vaccinations today!

•Do you leave your pet indoors for long periods at the weekends without any company? This is more likely to happen on summer weekends when you and your family go to the beach, the hills or just the shops, but if your dog has been left alone a lot during the week, is this really fair? Why not take him with you, so you can all enjoy the weekends together.

•Do you take your dog for long walks in the country? If so, do you also take a water bowl, a bottle of water and flask of ice for him and you to share. Dogs cannot sweat like humans, so if you see them panting, give them a drink.

•Never leave a dog in the back of a car, especially if it is sunny. Dogs die that way. The RSPCA has some good advice about this on its website: http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/dogs/health/keepdogscool

•Many dog owners buy five door cars, so their dog can sit in the back. At the very least you should leave a window open but even then your dog will heat up quickly and if they are in a crate - the metal will heat up too! Sun screens on your car windows (meant to protect young children from the sun) might help, but whatever you do, your dog will suffer if they are confined in the car for any length of time. Stop regularly, take them out and give them a drink to cool them down. You can buy food dispensers for dogs and I put ice in one so Hannah, my dog, can crunch up the cubes while I am driving.

•Trips out and about to new and interesting places pose a special risk for your dog. Think: is that plant dangerous? Is it healthy for your dog to eat someone's discarded sandwich? Will that pebble choke him if he tries to swallow it? Seems a daft question, but can your dog swim? I once had a collie who hated water. Had he fallen into a pond or the sea, he would have panicked as he did on the first occasion we invited him in for a swim!

•It is sometimes said that cats do not need water, unless they are fed on dry food. Don't you believe it! If your cat is outside provide a source of water and place it in the shade and not in full sun. Never leave tinned food out for your cat - it will soon be covered in flies and your cat will never touch it.

•Does your cat or dog have long hair? Do you brush it regularly and in the case of a dog, have you considered giving him or her a haircut in summer? It is a myth that cats instinctively hate water, if introduced to it at a young age many cats do enjoy a dip when the temperature rises.

•Finally, if your dog or cat is light coloured, don't forget the sunscreen!


Have a good summer and don't forget to subscribe to Sue's free newsletter, packed with seasonal tips: suetaylorcoach@aol.com Please put petcoaching newsletter in the header, or your email may be deleted as spam.