Written by Dr. Holly McKinley, BVetMed GPCert(SAM) MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon
Reviewed by Dr Jill McMaster BVM&S MBA MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon and in-house expert at BorrowMyDoggy on 8 Jun 2023
Holly McKinley, My Family Pet Vet and Clinical Director at Holly House Vets in Leeds, explains how to make sure your dog stays safe at your home and when playing with their toys.
A dog safe home
Whether you’ve just signed up to BorrowMyDoggy or about to borrow a dog for the first time it’s important that your home is dog friendly. We’ve created a fun infographic with some top tips to create a dog safe environment all around your home.
Whether you’re a first time owner or just looking to make your home a bit more dog friendly, it’s important that all areas of your home are safe for your favourite furry friend. We’ve created a fun infographic with some top tips to create a dog safe environment all around your home.
Dog Toy Safety
“Toys are great for dogs; they allow endless fun, both for the dog to keep themselves entertained and to bond the dog with their owner. They often allow dogs to mimic their innate, more primal behaviour. Sadly though, toys can sometimes prove dangerous in the hands – or to be accurate, the mouth – of the wrong dog; in some devastating cases, they can even prove fatal.
If you take the right measures, however, there is absolutely no reason for this to happen to your dog. It’s all a matter of matching the correct pooch with the correct toy, or at least the correct method of play!”
Rope toys & reminder that you know your dog best
One type of toy that has found itself beneath the spotlight recently is the rope toy. These come in many shapes and sizes but are similar in that they all consist mostly, if not entirely, of rope. The danger of this, of course, is that rope is a thick, hard material that also has the ability to unravel – meaning that dogs can swallow it. The rope can get stuck in the dog’s digestive system and if they swallow a lot of it, can cause serious (sometimes fatal) problems to their intestines or other digestive organs.
Now that’s not to say rope toys aren’t all bad all the time… it all depends on whether your dog is suited to them. If your dog loves a game of tug of war, for example, but isn’t much of a chewer, then they’re most likely fine. If they’re the opposite and like to spend their afternoons pulling toys to bits, it’s a good idea to avoid rope toys, or at least to confiscate them while your dog is not under your supervision.”
A few dog toy tips
The tougher, the better - whether your dog is a big strong St Bernard or a tiny Jack Russel, the less chance they have of breaking their toy, the better.
Beware of spare parts – any toys that contain bells or squeakers, anything your dog could swallow by accident, are probably best avoided if you can.
Keep an eye out for rips/tears – If a stuffed fabric toy has a tear, I would always recommend disposing of it and getting a new one. As soon as the stuffing starts to come out, your dog is at risk of swallowing.
Does the toy fit your pet’s mouth? – Aim to choose toys that aren’t too big or small for your pet. A too-big toy could damage their jaw, whereas a toy that’s too small always risks being swallowed.
If your dog swallows part of a toy?
If this happens, it’s important to contact your vet of out-of-hours provider as soon as possible – especially rope toys or anything sharp. The same goes for poisons or foreign bodies, anything your dog isn’t supposed to have eaten!”
Halloween dog safety
Halloween, or Howl-a-ween, as we like to call it here at BorrowMyDoggy, is creeping up (see what we did there?!). And we want all of our canine and human friends to have a fun filled night, but it’s also important that your family stays safe too. So here are a few suggestions to keep your favourite doggy safe this Halloween.
Keep your dog away and distracted from the front door.
You may be having a few trick or treaters in spooktacular costumes, this can give both you and your doggy a fright. Perhaps keep them preoccupied with their favourite toy in another room.
Remember sweets are for two-legged friends only.
Halloween is prime time for chocolate and sweets, make sure to keep these treats out of reach of your four-legged friends.
Don’t leave your dog in the garden.
It’s great to keep your pup distracted but remember not to leave then unattended in the garden especially as there may be loud, unusual noises and strange visitors.
Keep carved pumpkins out of reach.
Obvious we know, but the candles in carved pumpkin can be dangerous for dogs and humans a like. Pumpkins that have been out for a few days can cause problems for your pup if they are uncooked or have started to mold. So it’s best to keep these away from your doggy.
Have those collars ready.
With front doors being opened and closed regularly it’s best to make sure your phone number or contact details are on their collars, just in case they decide to venture out to follow those pawsome trick or treaters.
