As the green leaves of summer turn into reds, oranges and yellows, we’re reminded that autumn is in full swing! It is a season of cosy nights, pumpkin spiced lattes and the crunching of leaves. Most of us are eager to embrace the season of autumn, but we need to remember that this season brings a set of challenges when it comes to our furry friends. Thankfully, here at Pawfit we have thought ahead and want to provide you all with useful information and tips to keep your pets safe and comfortable this autumn.
Fight those fleas
As the weather outside is getting bitter and cold, it’s the time that most of us start to turn on our central heating. While this is a comfort for our pets who love the warmth, it’s also the time that fleas will make a return. This is the time of year that fleas breed the most so the flea population increases rapidly, and fleas LOVE the warmth. Keeping on top of your dog’s flea treatment is essential at this time in order to keep them and your household flea free!
Darker nights
The hours of daylight are getting shorter so most of us will be going for walks in the dark both before and after work. Our furry friends still need the same amount of exercise, so walking in the dark is going to be inevitable this autumn season. In order to keep our dogs safe on walks it is vital that they stay visible with reflective accessories to avoid any danger. If your dog runs off in the dark, they will be harder to find and could run into a road or get lost. Our Pawfit 3 is equipped with an LED light to help keep your dog visible on their walks and if they run off, you can track them quickly with live tracking on our app!
Toxic Autumn foods
With autumn in full swing, it’s the time that conkers and acorns are falling from trees. These are toxic to dogs when ingested in large quantities so make sure to keep an eye out when your furry friends are exploring. Also keep an eye on fallen leaves, these can seem harmless, but they can be a choking hazard or cause blockages if consumed by pets.
Halloween
Halloween is a fun and exciting time for us humans to decorate, get dressed up and eat lots of sweets! However, for our furry friends it can be a scary and unsettling time. Here are some tips to help your dogs stay safe and calm this Halloween-
- Be careful when opening the doors to trick-or-treaters, as we know dogs are extremely protective especially of their own household, so they may feel unsettled with many knocks at the door on Halloween night. Keep your dog safe by putting them on a lead so they won’t have access to the front door.
- Keep all Halloween sweets and treats away from your dog as they can cause damage to your dog if consumed. Putting sweets away in cupboards or in a place your furry friend can’t reach is going to prevent them from getting ill. If your dog ends up getting to the sweet bowl, keep an eye out for symptoms such as a decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy. If your dog has ate sweets or you notice these symptoms, contact your vet immediately.
- Don’t dress your dog up if they aren’t comfortable. Some of our furry friends love to put on a costume, but a lot don’t, and this will unsettle them further. If your dog struggles or seems destressed when putting a costume on, take it off immediately.
- Try to take your dog on their daily work before the Halloween festivities begin in order to keep them in their daily routine without fearing costumes, trick-or-treaters and loud noises.
Bonfire night
Bonfire night is a fun and exciting night for us humans, but for our furry friends it can be a terrifying and unsettling time. Here at Pawfit we have made a helpful list of things you can do to make Bonfire night as stress free as possible for your pets-
- Take them on their daily walk during daylight hours to avoid the time that fireworks will be set off.
- Close all windows and curtains and play relaxing music in the household to keep your dog calm and as stress free as can be! Classic FM will be hosting Pet classics from 5pm to 9pm on the 4th and 5th of November.
- Make sure your dog has things to do in the house when the fireworks start to keep them entertained and distracted. Play with them and create enrichment activities to keep them occupied.
- Create a ‘safe space’ inside your house for your dog to hide if they are scared.
We hope this information has been useful and will help your furry friends from having a safe and happy autumn!
