How To Ensure the Best City Life for Your Pooch
Your dog’s health is always to keep in mind, especially when living in a city. Dogs will be exposed to different things compared to living in the suburbs. Here are a few veterinarian-approved tips for keeping your dog healthy while living in the big city.
Avoid Hot Pavement
We’ve all done it before; stepped on hot pavement barefoot. It can be a painful experience, so imagine how your dog feels when they step their paws on a hot sidewalk. This is especially true during the summer months when temperatures are higher, and the heat can be sweltering. If a surface is too hot for you to walk on barefooted, then it’s too hot for your dog to walk on. If you have to go outside with your dog when it’s hot, your local pet vet recommends getting your pup a pair of booties or investing in a dog stroller to prioritize your dog’s paw health.
Microchip Your Pet
According to the American Kennel Club, one in three dogs goes missing at some point in their lifetime. Collars tend to fall off and can end up getting lost. Microchipping your dog can help prevent them from getting lost, stolen or even help if something happens to you. It’s a meaningful way your local veterinary clinic can help to protect yourself and your pup from unforeseen dangers.
Keep Your Dog Leashed
Like many other animals, dogs can be unpredictable. Keeping your dog leashed is not only making sure your dog is safe but following the law as well. Many U.S. cities require dogs to be leashed at all times to ensure the safety of their citizens and dogs. Hazards are around every corner, so keep your dog leashed to stay proactive against any accidents.
Curb Your Dog
Many people who live in the city aren’t blessed with large backyard spaces like those in the suburbs. Training your dog to do their business at the curb or the edge of the sidewalk is a common courtesy to your neighbors. It not only prevents them from relieving themselves on your neighbor’s hydrangeas but keeps the streets and sidewalks cleaner. This leads us to our next point.
Scoop the Poop
Cleaning up after your dog is not only polite for your neighbors but better for the environment as well. Not only does dog poop not decompose, but it also contains disease-causing bacteria and parasites, which can contaminate water and soil. Therefore, keeping the sidewalks, parks and streets clean is essential for both your and your dog’s health.
Let Us Help Protect Your Pooch
Living in the city with a dog can be fulfilling with the proper care and precautions in place to protect your pet. Ensuring dog health is prioritized is step one when living in the city, starting with appropriate veterinary care. Come stop by Sunset Veterinary Clinic for all your veterinary needs. We prioritize the comfort and wellbeing of every animal that steps into our doors. Sunset Vet Clinic is — paws down — Edmond’s preferred veterinarian.
Click to see a larger version at Animal Medical Center of Jefferson City.
