Top 5 Outdoor Dangers for Dogs

There’s no doubt most dogs appreciate the Great Outdoors. Your backyard or a campsite, dogs love the freedom to run around, play and bask in the sunlight. You can't just give your pup some playing and call it a day, you know. It’s your obligation to keep your pet’s happy place from becoming a harmful area.

For this goal, you need to keep an eye on the surroundings of your house so that your little one’s wicked imagination doesn’t lead it into danger. Dogs are curious sniffers and it may be wise to take all the preventive precautions necessary to keep them away from outdoor hazards. Here are the top 5 outdoor dangers for dogs that can help you protect your pet and let them make the most of their time outside!

Flowers That Kill

You may be quite proud of your flower garden, and you should be, but those gorgeous petals in your backyard might prove to be hazardous and poisonous to your pet dog. There are many types of flowers that can make your dog ill and create significant medical problems if they eat them. Toxic plants and flowers can lead to deadly illnesses like kidney failure and respiratory distress, even if the adverse effects are not always large and noticeable.

A typical error many dog parents make is to assume their four-legged friend won’t harm their plants. But this is not at all true. Your pet animal may not be interested in eating your flowers, but they may exhibit curiosity. Dogs explore the environment around them with their mouths, their noses, they dig in the dirt and rip items out of it. It is in the nature of dogs to bite and swallow things and they can swallow flowers such as lilies, hydrangeas, oleander, azaleas and daffodils which can be harmful for them.

Fire Pit or Grill

If you have small kids around, as a responsible parent, you never light a bonfire or fire up the grill in your backyard. You do everything you can to protect the kids from harm. The same should be true for your pet companion. The aroma of hot dogs and grilled burgers can be very enticing to a dog. So, don't ever light a grill when your pet is around. If you do, you should take all precautions to protect your puppy from burning.

Pesticides

Invasion of insects like ticks, bees and ants can be an annoyance to anyone. No one wants to have creepy crawlies around their home. For this individuals usually employ pesticides to get rid of any unwanted guests from the surroundings around their houses. The difficulty with pesticides though is that these products are not entirely safe for pet animals. If you use pesticide items in your garden and then allow your pet companion to play in those same areas, the chemicals from the goods can readily adhere to your dog's paw pads and fur. Plus, if your dog licks itself, those dangerous substances can easily enter your dog’s body. The negative effects of pesticide poisoning can range from minor to fatal.

Dogs are affected by pesticides much like humans. This might lead to immediate symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, eye irritations, breathing issues and skin rashes. Other long-term hazards may also include developing bladder cancer. You can keep your backyard bug-free and also safeguard your pet animal. After treating your garden, you can simply restrict your dog from spending time outside for roughly 48 hours. Also, remove any cans and bottles of pesticides from places where your beautiful pup can find them.

Pond or Lake

Many dog owners may find this hard to believe, but if you have a dog and live on a lake, or a pond in your backyard, you need to be especially alert to keep your beloved dog safe. Ponds and lakes might be beautiful to look at, but the algae that grows rapidly in moist environments can be quite dangerous to pets! Not only do the blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, create toxins, but it can also affect humans and pets who drink the contaminated water or swim in it. This type of algae can be found in ponds, streams and freshwater lakes. Even the least amount of exposure can be deadly to your best companion.

Sticks

Dogs and sticks typically go together nicely. But that's not the case if your adorable pooch enjoys swallowing objects it chews. If your dog swallows a bit of a stick it has been chewing, it can be a serious choking threat for your animal buddy and can block its airway. This can not only terrify your pet dog but the sharp pieces of the stick can end up in your dog's intestines, stomach, esophagus and mouth leading it to be a lethal predicament for the poor animal.

If your dog spends a lot of time outside, make sure you do frequent maintenance checks on your laws and clean up any tree debris every once in a while. Never leave your beloved dog outside the home if you live in a wooded area. Chasing and chewing sticks might be lots of fun, but you’ll want to take all the necessary procedures to safeguard your pup from choking hazards.

The Bottom Line

If you think some of the above threats are beyond your control, be sure to watch your dog at all times when it is enjoying its playing. Your tiny pup is your responsibility and it’s crucial you make your backyard or other outdoor setting a safe place for your pooch to spend a fun-filled time!