upsidedowndogs.com

Readers Digest has always had good taste, and they are still keeping up with that great tradition by listing upsidedowndogs.com as one of their 5 favorite sites for the Monday morning blahs: http://www.rd.com/blogs/the-lineup/5-websites-for-a-quick-laugh/post12392.html

We see it all the time. Cruising down the road in the back of a pickup truck, a big doggie standing up on the side railing of the truck, with not a worry in the world.

This can be one of the most dangerous situations you can put your puppy dog in. One quick slam on the breaks, or fast swerve to miss an object on the road, could end in disaster.

If you are going to have your dog ride in the back of an open pickup truck, make sure he is safely secured by a padded harness to the center of the pickup bed with specially designed tethers. Also, make sure you provide a thick comfortable padded surface or dog bed to prevent any injury or discomfort to your dog’s joints. Laying on a hot ribbed truck bed is not exactly a comfortable proposition.

This way your dog can still be loving the outdoors, but at the same time, be safe and comfortable. You wouldn’t let your kid hang out the back of your truck, why let your dog do it?

Late spring, and all summer, is a time of year in America, that there are lots of celebrations involving fireworks. The more popular holidays include Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Altho fireworks are a great thing of beauty and celebration, they can also pose as a potential threat to our favorite furry friends.

Altho the most obvious thing someone things about when the topic of firework safety arises is burns, a more overlooked subject is the loud bangs and explosions. Always try to avoid exposing your puppy or dog to fireworks noise, as fireworks can result in serious short term and even long term phobias. On evenings before the big events try to keep walks with your dog brief, and never leave your dog outdoors in your yard or property if there is any risk of exposure to fireworks noise. When indoors, try to disguise outdoor noises with music, television or air conditioners . If at all possible, you may even consider taking a short vacation with your dog to a quieter community where firework noise is at a minimum.

Remember, our dogs have very sensitive ears. You know how loud firworks can be on a human ear, so imagine doubling or even tripling that loudness. This is what it sounds like to them.

As much as we don’t like to hear it, hundreds of dogs turn up missing every day across the country and it is a very serious problem. The number of pets that are stolen from backyards, outside stores and supermarkets increases dramatically thruout Spring, Summer and Fall. Even the safest and most ‘laid back’ neighborhoods are prone to this ever-growing problem. If at all possible, never leave your dog unsupervised if there is any risk that your dog could be harrassed, poisoned or stolen.

Fortunately, technology in the form of Identification Tags, Tattoos, and Microchips can help you find your pet in the unfortunate event that he or she becomes lost or stolen. Always make sure your dogs’ I.D. tags are in place on his collar, including rabies tags. Please consider microchips and tattoos as a possibility when thinking about your pet.

You know he would do it for you!