When summer is over and Raleigh schools are back in session, there is usually an increase in car traffic from buses and commutes which means a higher risk for a dog to get hit by a vehicle if they get loose on the street. Prevent runaway dogs by checking fences around the perimeter of yards. Families with children heading off to school use this time to stock up on school supplies like erasers, pencils, glue sticks and markers laying around. Each of these small items is a choking hazard to puppies and grown dogs. Make sure to store school supplies away from curious pets. Your pup may also need a few remedial training sessions or obedience classes to practice basic commands. Fall is also mushroom season in North Carolina! Only 1% of mushrooms are toxic if ingested, but it can be difficult to distinguish safe mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms. Play it safe by keeping your dog away from ALL mushrooms so they do not get too curious and try to sample one! Fall is a time when many North Carolina animals start to settle into hibernation mode. One of the dangerous animals to keep an eye out for is a snake. Cooler weather may make snakes move little slower, but venomous snakes are just as poisonous. Stay away from snake-prone areas. If your dog has free roam of your property, section off areas like wood piles, rocks and banks of waterways. When you head back inside after a fall walk with your dog, remember that rodents also move inside in the cooler weather. There’s a peak in rodenticide usage during this season. If your pet ingests a rodenticide, the consequences are typically fatal. If you do take your dog on more fall hikes and walks around Raleigh, make sure you’re giving them more food. Dogs are expending more energy to stay warm in cooler weather. Summer heat stresses a dog’s heart, but the cold weather stresses the cardiac system too. Dogs can tire in cold weather just as they do in the heat of the summer. So as usual, monitor your dog’s energy and stress levels when you’re doing outdoor activities and allow plenty of rest and water. In addition to free evaluations and expert pet health advice, Darwin K9 certified dog trainers offer dog training services and obedience classes in Raleigh, NC.
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