Beach

Author: Denise Partlow

Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas

As we approach the warmer months, many of us start heading to the beach and we love to take our four-legged friends with us. Here are some things that you should think about in order to keep your dog safe.

Not all dogs enjoy swimming so don’t force it if your dog doesn’t care for the water. The ones that do like it may not be strong swimmers-this typically isn’t an activity that dogs do all year (and some dogs may be out of shape) so pay close attention to your dog when they are near water especially when there are strong currents and riptides.

It’s also important to know whether there is an abundance of jellyfish or sea lice-so check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions because unfortunately dogs are easy targets.

If you are taking your dog on a boat, make sure that he is wearing a life vest in a bright color so he can be easily spotted should an incident occur.

It is best to prevent your dog from drinking the sea water, it can cause dehydration as well as vomiting and in some cases death. Bring fresh water instead. In addition, the salt and other minerals found in the ocean waters can do a lot of damage to your dog’s fur, so make sure you rinse your pup off at the end.

Sand can get very hot, so always check the temperature before you allow your dog to run across. Also keep in mind that running over dry sand is not as easy to do as it is on a leveled surface, so if your dog is not used to this type of activity, don’t encourage running as it can cause an injury.

Lastly-You may want to avoid allowing your dog to play fetch with toys in the sand. When your dog puts the toy back in his mouth he will likely ingest a lot of sand which is very heavy and will start to develop a blockage in the intestines-food and water will not be able to pass the sand and this will lead to major complications with your dog.

Next post, we will talk about pool safety.