Keep your dog safe while having a barbecue!

With the 4^th of July behind us, Grilling season has officially kicked off. After all what is summer really about if not a good ole’ American BBQ? Just ask your dog I’m sure he/she will agree! But alas, with great fun usually comes great responsibility. That is why I have taken the time out of my busy day (not really) to list some ways to keep your pup safe and happy at any barbecue!

• Keep your dog away from the grill itself.  Our pets love to taste the food we drop (it’s their favorite finds!) while this is normally a great way to keep the house tidy, remember the foods can be extremely hot!
• Don’t give your dog the leftover corn on the cob or meat with bones. Yeah yeah yeah, dogs love bones… But humans don’t love expensive vet bills! These types of foods can get lodged in the intestines of our best friends and can become quite hazardous. Always use common sense when you want to share your food with your pets!
• Keep BBQ utensils safely covered and out of reach.  Most people keep their tools on dangling from a string on the side of their grills. Well guess what? Dogs are short, they are just about the same height as those pointy tools, and nothing brings a dog over faster than the smell of food…so dog + sharp tools =  no no no.
• Make sure your dog is well hydrated. With the high levels of smoke coming from your grillmaster 5000 plus the heat of a hot summer day, the risk is for heat exhaustion. (For tips on how to spot heat exhaustion in your pet check out our blog post here http://www.dgpforpets.com/blog/beat-the-heat-keep-your-dog-safe-in-the-summer/   .) Keep extra water bowls outside in plain sight of the pooch. Make sure they are filled up and change out the water every so often.
• Keep some dog treats handy. To stop your pup from begging and eating unhealthy people foods, keep some of their favorite puppy treats handy to give them instead!