Dangers in Your Backyard
By now we all know the dangers the heat can pose on our pets, but there are other dangers in your own backyard you need to be aware of. When someone mentions dangers in your yard, your mind may wander to other dogs, snakes and bees or wasps (have you ever seen what a wasp or bee sting can do to your dog's face?), but there are other dangers you should be aware of. When we talk about the dangers lurking in your yard, please be aware that we're talking about human dangers, animal dangers, toxins and other types of dangers. You need to be aware of these and how prevent or fix them since your pet looks at you to keep them safe just as much as they would do anything to protect you.
Human Dangers
There are more people in and out of your backyard than you probably realize. Utility companies have to have access to different meters and boxes in your yard. Gas, water, electric, cable, and phone are the most common and they can come into your yard for various reasons. Power lines down in your yard? Electric company needs in there. Neighbor get new cable? Cable guy may need to put that cable across your yard which means he's going to have to come back and bury it later. Then you have the people that come in your yard regularly. The kid that mows your grass every Wednesday, the poolboy, or the gardener. These people are dangers simply because they are in your yard and can leave a gate open. These people are also dangers because your pets don't actually know them; they just know they're there every week. Dognappers are another very real danger. Dognappers are usually looking for purebreds they can sell, dogs they use for breeding, or dogs they can use for fighting or as bait dogs. Lastly, there's the "someone else's" that pose a danger. The "someone else's" are the people in the neighborhood, family, and friends. Neighbors are a danger because they can show up in your yard unexpectedly, like the kids hit a ball into your yard and they've now come to get it.
Animal Dangers
Dogs are always the first thing to pop into people's minds when they think of other animals getting into their yard. And let's not forget snakes. There's been numerous dogs bitten by snakes either out of curiosity or protecting their humans. But let's think on a much larger scale here. Coyotes are all over the country no matter where you live and they've been known to attack smaller dogs and cats. Then you have the coyotes that have actually started to breed with wolves in certain parts of the country, making them more aggressive, bigger, and attacking more than just those smaller dogs and cats. While we're talking about certain areas of the US, you've got bears and large cats like mountain lions or cougars and jaguars. Deer, opossum, and raccoons can even been dangerous if your curious pet decides to go nosing around and mess with them. A panicked deer that starts kicking and headbutting your dog or rabid raccoon or opossum bite can be horrific for your pet.
Other Dangers
These are those toxins and the dangers your dog creates for himself. Maybe you have a digger or a jumper. Or a chewer or an acrobat! We've all seen the videos on Facebook and YouTube of the dogs using the swingsets and trashcans to take a running jump onto and then almost fly to the fence and use the fence to propel themselves right over it. Then you have those dogs who can jump just like a deer or gazelle and clear a six foot fence without even thinking about it. Lastly, there's those pups who know that no matter what they try, they are not getting over that fence so they just go right under or threw it. They either dig their way under or just eat the fence until there's a hole big enough to go through. Toxins are another big issue for pets. Dogs like to chew on almost any and everything. Keep all chemicals, yard fertilizers, and bug sprays put away in the garage. Plants can also be toxic to pets. There's a long list of toxic plants to dogs and cats and it's best to just not have them in your yard.
How to Prevent Dangers
Ways to deter these dangers are to keep an eye on your pets any time they're in your yard. Don't leave them alone in the yard. Walk your fence line and fix any broken areas to your fence to keep unwanted guests out and your pet in. Make sure you don't leave your pet's bowls outside. If you have a grill, clean it after using it and make sure all trashcans are sealed tightly. If you have a garden, pick your fruit and veggies as soon as they are ripe and keep a fence around them. Don't put anything sweet smelling or meat in your compost. Barbed wire or an electric wire run across the top of your fence and chicken wire run up to two feet under ground will help keep animals from going over and under your fence. Another great option is coyote rollers on the top of your fence, for those dogs who like to climb and jump out. You can also post "Beware of Dog"signs to keep people from coming into your yard. This will make them think twice about going int your yard without coming to your door first.
