It's National Preparedness Month - Do You Have a Plan for Your Dog?

In the case of a disaster, do you have a plan for your dog?  September is National Preparedness Month, so we want to make sure you and your pooch would be ready in case tragedy struck.  Preparing for a disaster is easy, but needs to be done beforehand to make sure you are ready for any situation.

Make an Emergency Pack.

                It’s important to have a bag packed for your dog in case you need to leave home right away. The bag should contain the essentials that your dog needs in order to survive. The bag should include:

• A week’s worth of food
• A week’s worth of  water for the dog
• Food and water bowls
• Any medication your dog is taking
• A favorite toy
• A bed or blanket to lie on
• Extra collar and leash
• Medical Records including vaccinations
• Recent photo of your dog (In case your pet gets lost and you need to post missing flyers)

Make an Emergency Plan.

                When planning for an emergency  for your family, make sure you plan for your dog as well. This would include a dog friendly house or place to stay if you weren’t able to say in your own place. You can also see if your local animal shelters or pet care facilities have an emergency plan to take in pets during emergency situations. Our sister company Morris Animal Inn is a five-star boarding facility that has full generator back up in case of power failure and remains open to help people find a safe place for their pets during emergencies like Superstorm Sandy last year.

Make sure your dog has the proper ID.

                To prepare for an emergency situation make sure that your dog has the proper identification on them, that includes tags and making sure your dog is microchipped and up-to-date. If the worst case scenario happens and your dog gets lost, it’s important to make sure they are properly identified so you and the dog can be reunited.

It’s important to make sure you are your pooch are prepared for any situation, you never know when disaster will strike.

Take a Hike! Tips for Hitting the Trails with Your Dog

There’s nothing like a nice, long hike with your dog. Cooler summer or fall days make for perfect hiking weather, meaning there is no better time than now to take to the trails. There are, however, some precautions that you should take in order to make sure you and your pup are safe. Here are some essential tips that you should follow whenever you bring your pooch hiking:

Make sure that your dog is wearing an ID tag: If your pooch runs off, proper contact information is crucial. All ID tag should list the following things:

• Pets name
• Your cell phone number
• Additional contact number 
• Hometown: This way, if your dog is lost, anyone who finds them will know how far your dog is from home.
• Medical issues and/or medicines: If they are lost and no one can get into contact with you, this is vital information for whoever found them to know.

Make sure your dog is in good physical condition, and respect your dog’s limits: Start small and work up to bigger hikes, and make sure your dog is in good shape.

Find a good, dog friendly trail: Some hiking trails aren’t dog friendly, including a good amount of trails in National Parks, so do your research before you go.

Hike during the cool parts of the day: Morning and late afternoon or evening are the coolest times of day. Your best bet is to get on the trail as early as possible so you aren’t walking during the midday heat. 

Pack plenty of water: Dogs don’t sweat, so they will need water to keep the hydrated throughout your hike. Stop frequently to give your dog water breaks and remember not to let your dog drink from ponds, lakes, streams or any natural body of water you may come across. These are breeding grounds for bacteria that could make your dog sick.

Bring a properly packed hiking kit: It’s always good to carry items that your dog may need while on a hike, including:

• Treats: Always have rewards for your dog easily accessible. Whether you’re passing an aggressive dog, a person who doesn’t like dogs or another animal or stimuli in the woods, treats are an easy way to get your dog’s attention and distract them.
• Water: So important, it’s worth mentioning twice! Make sure your pooch stays hydrated throughout the hike.
• Air Horn: Should you get injured or need assistance on your hike, an air horn is always good to have on hand to get the attention of nearby hikers or rescue teams. There is also research that shows that air horns may ward of curious bears, so especially for hiking in New Jersey, which has a high black bear population, carrying an airhorn is always a safe bet.
• Cell Phone: Your phone is essential on a hike not only for safety, but for a lot of great apps with the ability to show you trail maps and track your hike. Map My Dog Walk is a great way to keep track of the distance you’ve gone and the time it took you, plus the GPS tracking lets you know where you are so you won’t get lost.

Ask permission before letting your dog approach anyone, humans or dogs: Not all people and dogs are friendly, so it is always better to be safe than sorry. Even if your dog loves everyone, it doesn’t mean that everyone will love your dog.

Make sure your dog isn’t eating plants along the trail: Keep an eye on your dog at all times! There are plants in the area that can be poisonous to pets if ingested. To prevent any issues, it’s best if your dog doesn’t eat anything found in the woods on your hike.

Prepare yourself for ticks and fleas, and check your dog after your walk: Make sure you thoroughly check your dog after every walk in order to make sure they are free of tick and fleas. If you do find them make sure you treat the problem right away.

Pick up after your dog! Just because you are in the woods doesn’t mean you don’t have to clean up after your dog. If your dog goes, clean it up. Leave a clean environment for future hikers and their pets; many dog diseases are spread through feces, so it’s best not to leave anything behind.

Following these simple tips can mean a safe fun hike for both you and your pooch. Remember to use your best judgment on the trail and to always pay close attention to what your dog is trying to tell you. Safe hiking!

Retrieving Your Roaming Rover

At Morris K9 Campus, we know how important your dog is to you…so the day you lose your dog is probably one of the worst days of your life. Rather than panic, we have some tips you can take to effectively find your dog. A quick response coupled with neighborhood networking will increase the odds of getting your furry friend back pronto. The goal is to distribute information about the situation to as many people and places as you can, so enlist the help of friends and family in the search effort.

IDs, Please!

It is essential for dogs to wear a collar and ID tag with your name and a current phone number on it. Although microchips can be very useful in locating a lost dog, they are only as good as the information provided to the chip’s company. Make sure to renew the microchip service and update your contact information regularly. 

Follow the Trail

As soon as you notice that your dog is missing, ask family members and neighbors when they last saw your dog. For smaller dogs, search under beds, in closets, dark places, small places, behind bulky furniture. You might also find it successful to shake a food dish, treat jar or favorite toy to lure your dog out of a hiding place.

If you’ve determined that your dog is not in or near your home, take a slow ride or walk around the neighborhood and bring along a recent photo to show neighbors. Check under porches and shrubs, and ask neighbors to check in sheds and garages just in case your dog was accidentally locked in.

Man the Phones

First call animal control agencies, shelters and rescue groups in your area. Then check in with shelters daily. If there aren’t any shelters nearby, contact the police.

Advertise

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to create a “lost dog” flyer. Stick with one image or design, so that a consistent message will stick in people’s minds. Large, bold headlines work best. A photo of your dog is essential, and make sure the image copies well. Include your dog’s breed, sex, color, age, weight, distinguishing features, and where and when he was last seen. It’s important to describe your dog accurately. Finally, place your name and multiple phone numbers for both yourself and a friend or family member to be contacted if your dog is found.

                               Some of the best places to post a lost dog flyer are:

• Dog parks
• Pet supply stores and groomers
• Vet offices
• Grocery and convenience stores
• Gas stations and  laundromats
• Bars, cafes and restaurants
• Lamp posts and trees
• Around schools

Be sure to attach flyers securely in outdoor areas and reinforce paper with lamination or another material, and be sure to ask permission before posting your flyers on private property.

The internet is yet another great resource to get the word out. Send emails describing your lost dog to friends, colleagues and family members in the area, and ask them to pass on the info. You can also post messages to animal forums and message boards; lots of parks and dog runs have online communities.

Keep At It

Don’t give up on your dog if you don’t get any immediate leads. Your hard work will likely pay off, and many lost dogs have found their way back home.