Easter is the time to celebrate traditions, hunt for chocolate bunnies, and squeeze colourful long-eared plush toys, but not all the festivities are safe for our four-legged companions. Dogsafe Canine First Aid urges families to be mindful of the dangers that the Easter Bunny may bring and offers these canine safety tips:

1.      Keep chocolate bunnies out of reach as chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine, which if ingested by a dog, may cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, hyperactivity, tremors and can be fatal. Dark chocolate has the highest concentration of theobromine but even a 20 ounce milk chocolate bunny may cause serious problems for a 10 pound dog. White chocolate does......

     Spring is the time for cleaning the house, preparing the garden and starting home renovation projects and as we spend more time outside, so do our four-legged companions. Dogsafe Canine First Aid Authorized Instructors remind families with dogs to be mindful of these spring time safety tips:

1.      Keep cleaning products out of your dog’s reach and do not allow your dog to walk on or lick surfaces that are still wet with cleaning products. If your dog does come in contact with these surfaces, they may experience skin irritation and gastrointestinal upset. Most traditional cleaning products are safe to use around pets if they are used as ......

Besides the arrival of Santa, holidays also mark the time when attention-grabbing objects suddenly materialize around the house, at least from your dog’s perspective. Multi-coloured gifts, delicious baked treats and shimmering tree decorations are magnets for canine curiosity.

However, this annual exploration may also bring hazards to our canine companions. You don’t think that dogs will eat tinsel and sharp ornaments but they only appear once a year so they are a novelty. Seriously, and if you have a dog like my Monty, everything new is a magnet that goes straight into his mouth!

A couple of reminders to have a safe and fun canine Christmas:

1.    Keep chocolate (especially baker’s and ......

   Halloween brings yummy treats and ghostly fun for humans but what about our dogs? Halloween can be a hard time of year for many dogs. As a kid, my Chow Chow was so scared of fireworks that she would bury herself in the dark corner of our laundry room, under a pile of blankets.  If your dog also finds Halloween stressful, please check out our safety tips:

            1. Increase your dog’s exercise and walk him earlier in the day before the kids are out trick-o-treating. If your dog is exhausted, she has less pent up energy in which to react to the startling fireworks and freaky costumes.

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  Many dogs experience fear and anxiety with Halloween fireworks. When dogs are in an anxious state from the startling noise of fireworks, they may attempt to flee to escape the noise or become destructive thru digging, chewing or other negative behaviours. These destructive behaviours may put your dog at risk for injuries. When I was growing up, my dog was so scared of fireworks that she would bury herself in the dark corner of our laundry room, under piles of blankets and comforters. I didn’t know how to help her but luckily she didn’t become destructive to the point of hurting herself but many dogs do.

In regards to firework therapy, think about short-term management techniques as well as longer-term behaviour ......

For many families, the end of August marks the time of back to school preparations, changes in family routines and soon-to-be empty houses. Unfortunately, this chaotic time can be stressful, and potentially dangerous, for the family dog.

Michelle Sevigny, creator of DOGSAFE Canine First Aid and author of DOGSAFE: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know in an Emergency, states that during the busy back to school time, dogs suddenly find themselves alone for extended periods of time. “Under-exercised dogs that are left alone may begin to chew on household items that may cause cuts to the mouth, airway or intestinal obstructions” warns Sevigny, “anxious dogs may even break thru windows resulting in glass cuts or bored......

  As the summer temperatures start to climb, canine heat stroke is at centre of all of our minds. At Dogsafe Canine First Aid, we strive to focus on education and planning so you can effectively respond to a typical dog in a hot car situation.

What is Heat Stroke

Unlike humans, dogs don’t have efficient cooling systems. Although

dogs do sweat through their paw pads, panting is their primary method of getting rid of body heat. However, if the outside temperature is the same or higher than a dog’s normal body temperature, panting will not cool a dog down.

A dog’s normal body temperature is 100° – 102° Fahrenheit or 37.8° to 38.9° Celsius. Heat exhaustion is when a dog’s ......

 “I can’t find my dog” is a sentence no dog owner ever wants to say, but it happens. Your dog could get lost while hiking, after getting scared by a loud noise downtown or escaping the yard after a gate has been left open. “When you notice your dog has disappeared, panic can set in and you will not think clearly”, says Michelle Sevigny, founder of DOGSAFE Canine First Aid and author of Operation Find Fido: How to Find a Lost Dog Fast, “so it is essential that you have a written action plan before it happens”.

Sevigny, a former Vancouver police officer, further suggests that you only use dog professionals that are prepared for lost dog situations. “Ask your dog professional if they ......

   Summer is the time to enjoy beaches, picnics and outdoor sports but summer may also bring hazards to your dog. Dogs are more susceptible to heat because they cannot cool themselves as effectively as humans; sweating only from their paws and panting to reduce their body temperature. We urge everyone with dogs to remember these summer sun safety tips:

1. NEVER leave your dog in the car on a warm, sunny day as temperatures can sore to over a 100 F within a few minutes regardless if the windows are open an inch or two or the car is parked in the shade. Older dogs, puppies, overweight dogs and those with heart or respiratory problems generally have a harder time regulating heat. Breeds with short muzzles such as bulldogs and ......

  As the summer sun continues to shine, many dog owners will be taking their four legged companions to the ocean, a lake, a river or a backyard pool for a refreshing dip. Nothing beats the soaring temperatures like getting wet and having fun doing it, but canine water safety should be the utmost priority. However, remember that dogs can drown due to fatigue, quick currents, boating accidents, no access to exits and taking in water while swimming with objects in their mouths. As a 10 year old, I saved our

Chow from drowning in a backyard hot tub and about 4 years ago, saved our demo dog, Monty, from nearly drowning when he suddenly jumped off a dock and surfaced in an absolute panic. It is easy to become complacent and think it ......