Guest Post by Dr. Jessica Bradford. Dr. Bradford is a small animal veterinarian with 20 years experience in private practice, and a contributing writer for wooddogcrate.com. She shares her life with four dogs, so she can see first hand the many benefits of crate training.

If you are going to expect your dog to spend any length of time in their crate and be happy to do so, you have to make it a safe and pleasant place for them.

Firstly, give your dog something comfortable to lie on. This will be much nicer than a cold plastic or metal floor. If they are a senior citizen and are a bit stiff and sore, they will particularly appreciate a soft bed.

Having said that, some dogs like to chew their blankets and if this applies to your dog, it will be safer to give the soft bedding a miss. The floor won’t be as comfortable, but they won’t get an upset stomach from swallowed fabric.

Toys are always good to put in your dog’s crate so they have something to play with. These toys must be kept very special, so keep them out of your dog’s reach, and only let him play with them while he is inside the crate.

It’s a great idea to put some chew toys in the crate with your dog. Make sure these toys are durable, and aren’t easily destroyed by a sharp set of teeth. A Kong filled with yummy treats will keep your dog occupied for hours. Soft toys and teddy bears are cute, but not at all appropriate to leave in a crate with your dog if they like to chew things.

Every dog crate should contain a water bowl, and it should be checked regularly to make sure there is still water in it. It’s a good idea to buy a bowl that is easy to attach to the side of the crate, so it doesn’t get knocked over.

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Popularity: 17% [?]

A while back we announced the release of the amazing Ottawa Dog Park Finder which is a listing of all of the dog parks in Ottawa derived from a listing from the City.

One downfall of this is that unless the city lists it in its notes, there is no way to search by parks that are fenced in, so I thought I would pose the question to my lovely and awesome readers.

Do you know of any dog parks that are fenced in?
You can just leave the name of the park as we will be able to search for it in the Ottawa Dog Park Finder.

As we compile a list, I will look into how we can use this info for the next version of Parkfinder so we can make it better!

Popularity: 2% [?]

Winter is a Dangerous time of the Year for Dogs. Are You Ready for Cold Weather Care?

Just because our dogs have natural “coats” to keep them warm, that doesn’t mean they don’t feel the chill. Falling temperatures can be just as brutal on your dog as they are on you.

Here are some suggestions on how to keep your dog warm, safe and healthy during the winter months.

• During cold weather, take precautions to keep your dog comfortable, both indoors and out. A nice warm sweater, a comfy warm bed … these things can make a real difference.
• When harsh weather comes, it is much more uncomfortable for your dog to go outdoors. But regardless of the weather, he must go out several times a day. So, how much time outside is too much for your dog? Here’s a good rule of thumb. When you’re out with your dog and you start to feel cold and uncomfortable, it’s a pretty safe bet that your dog will be feeling it too.
• When taking your dog on daily walks in very cold temperatures shorten the length of time outside and watch for wind chills. Pet sweaters and coats are available.
• For dry coats ask your Vet about adding oils such as wheat germ to pet food.
• Do not leave a dog in a locked vehicle, temperatures can drop very quickly.
• Keep pets indoors below 40 degrees – Most dogs and all cats are safer indoors, except when taken out for exercise.
• Bang your car’s hood in the morning – Warm engines in packed cars attract cats and small wildlife. Banging the hood scares them away and avoids injury.
• Routinely check your dog’s water dish – Ensure the water is fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls; tongues can stick and freeze to metal.
• During the cold snowy months ahead, your dog will run the risk of picking up rock salt, ice and chemicals on his paws each time he uses the sidewalks, driveway and streets. There’s a tendency for dogs to lick the salt off their paws, which can cause inflammation in the digestive tract. That is why it’s so important to wipe your dog’s paws thoroughly every time he comes inside, and make sure there are no ice balls between his toes or on the soles of his feet.
• Whether you have a dog that loves to play in the snow or a timid pup that just dashes out quickly to do his “business” and runs back in, your dog can get mighty dirty every time he goes out that door. It’s up to you to clean him up … you will need to wash his paws off with warm water, dry them thoroughly and then give him a big kiss.

Popularity: 1% [?]

According to the Canada Safety Council, studies show that the in 71 percent of dog bite cases the victim knew the dog and 25 percent lived with the dog. Out of those, 64 percent of dog bite injuries were children under the age of 10. Parents can take a large “bite” out of these high incidence rates simply by learning some basic guidelines that will help their children avoid getting bitten by their own dogs as well as educating their children to be safe around other dogs.

Tips for parents:

• Never leave a child or baby alone with a dog.
• When visiting friends or relatives, who have a dog, don’t allow your child to play in the yard unsupervised.
• Do not allow your child to feed a dog unsupervised, as some dogs can be very protective of food and never allow your dog to snatch food from your child.
• Do not allow your child to pull on the dog’s collar to lead it outside the house – it could bite them.
• Children without adult supervision should not be allowed to walk a dog. A child could unwittingly be dragged into a fight with another dog.
• Never let children discipline a dog.
• Your child should always precede your dog through a door or gate.
• Never buy a dog as a toy substitute. Dogs are living, breathing creatures with feelings.

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Canadians spend millions of dollars on food, toys and entertainment for their pets each year, surprisingly we have a blind spot when it comes to pet safety in the car. To ensure the safety of both you and your pets in the car it is essential to make sure your animals are restrained properly. This means using a chest harness in conjunction with the car seat belt.

There are several reasons why we must use proper restraint systems for our animals.

Seatbelts save lives: We know this is true for humans. The force of a collision, even at speeds as low as 30km an hour can fatally injure any unsecured pet that hits the dashboard or windshield.

Driver distraction: It is dangerous to have your pet unrestrained in the car. They can cause a distraction by jumping onto your lap or even interfering with the pedals.

Unsecured pets become projectiles in an accident: At speeds of approximately 60km/hour an unrestrained pet can become a projectile flying through your car with the force of 20 times its weight. Obviously this is not good for your pet, but it is also extremely unsafe for all the human occupants of the car.

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Halloween is almost upon us and I am sure that though a lot of our pooches will get dressed up for the fun evening, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure your dog is safe this Hallow’s Eve.

• Make sure to keep your dog secure – put a leash on him or her just in case and make sure they are wearing their collars with clear identification just in case they slip out the front door.
• If at all possible, try to expose your dog to various Halloween costumes beforehand so they know that it’s not something bad, but something fun!
• One of the most important things is to make sure you keep ALL candy (especially chocolate and gum) away from your dog. The last thing you need is an emergency trip to the vet on Halloween.
• Keep candles (and pumpkins with candles) up high out of reach of your dog. Accidentally knocking them over could cause a fire and curiosity could cause your dog to get burned.

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Popularity: 1% [?]