Photo by Texas Humane Heros

Fourth of July is one of the most stressful holidays for pets, especially dogs (and my horses).  For both dogs and horses fireworks are scary and stressful.

In 2012 we were celebrating the 4th at a party on Plum Island and found a neighbor frantically searching for their dog Obi. Obi had been frightened by the noise of fireworks, got loose and ran away.  Obi was eventually found at 3:00AM at the Salisbury State Beach. In a panic the dog swam across the Merrimac River!

What measures should you take to keep your dog safe on the 4th.

Prevention. No Fireworks for your pets. For dogs, fireworks and reverberations leave them feeling agitated, startled and stressed. Keep dogs away from fireworks displays and noisy celebrations. Instead, create a peaceful environment by blocking outside sights and sounds, closing blinds and curtains, leave on the air conditioner, radio or TV and provide their favorite toy or blanket.

If your dog is especially agitated by loud noises, consider a Thundershirt. Many of our clients swear by the Thundershirt.  A thundershirt applies a constant pressure and seems to help alleviate anxiety in  some dogs.

If the celebration is at your home consider sending your dog to the quiet home of a family member, friend or pet sitter. Not only will your dog be less stressed but you’ll be freed up to enjoy your company.

Be Prepared. Ensure that your pets are microchipped or at least have on a secure collar with appropriate identification tags. Tags should include your name, phone number (preferably your mobile number) and the name and contact information of the microchip company.

Other Hazards. Dogs have many other potential hazards such as toxic glow jewelry, uneducated party goers feeding them stomach-upsetting foods and potentially hazardous alcohol beverages. A good friend of mine recently told me that she put a sign on her dog saying “please don’t feed me I’m on a special diet”. If you must have your dogs at your celebration be sure your guests know not to feed them.

Watch out for children. Some dogs have difficulty interacting with children and may become anxious, stressed or exhibit aggressive behavior. If your pet shows signs of stress/anxiety with children… send them home…oops, I guess that’s not politically correct.

Finally, please have a safe and Happy 4th of July!

Take your Pampered Pooch on Vacation (AAA)

Tips on Traveling with Your Dog – How to keep your dogs safe and happy when you bring them with you on vacation.

At Seacoast Pet Sitting we love taking care of all our Newburyport area furry friends while their families go on vacation. However, many of our clients also choose to bring their pets with them while vacationing. Both Anne and I have traveled with our pets including long  trips down to Key West and we would like to share our tips and a collection of advise collected from AAA. We have also included a few links to pet friendly places to visit and pet friendly hotels.

Below is a list of AAA’s advise on traveling with your pet and we have added our comments in purple font.

Road trips with Rover

Trial run. Before embarking on a long trip, take some shorter drives to see how your pet responds. Does he get anxious? Car sick?

Buckle up. About 30,000 accidents are caused each year by an unrestrained dog in the front seat, according to the AAA. Pets freely wondering the vehicle aren’t only a distraction to the driver, but they’re also more likely to be injured in the event of an accident. You can help ensure a safe trip by restraining your furry friend with a pet barrier, pet seat belt, pet car seat or travel crate.

I was actually stopped by the police once in Haverhill and told that it was against the law to have my dog in the front seat.

Keep heads and paws inside. Your dog may enjoy sticking his head out the window, but riding this way could cause ear damage or expose your pet to lung infections, according to the ASPCA.

I can’t resist letting my dog stick his head out the window but I save this special treat for my dirt road at 25 miles an hour.

Prepare for the worst. Attach a second tag to your pet’s collar that includes the address and phone number of where you’ll be staying during your trip. Also, bring your pet’s medical records along in case of an emergency.

Our dogs have micro chips and we both think this is VERY IMPORTANT!

Pit stops. The American Veterinary Medical Association advises pet owners to stop every two to three hours for your pet to use the bathroom and get some exercise.

Hydrate. The ASPCA recommends keeping a gallon of cold water on hand to ensure your pet stays sufficiently hydrated during the trip.

Anne found that especially on long trips to Florida the dogs appetite and bathroom behaviors varied from the norm. However this is to be expected and your pets should adjust within a day or two.

Don’t leave them alone. On an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with the windows cracked can reach 110 degrees in 10 minutes, which can be deadly. If you’ll be visiting a destination where pets aren’t allowed, leave them at a pet-friendly hotel — or at home — instead of the car.

Flying with Fluffy

Fit to fly. If your pet is very young, very old or not in good health, it’s best to leave the critter at home. Also, some breeds don’t travel well in cargo, such as snub-nosed dogs like pugs, which are prone to breathing difficulties. Many major airlines no longer allow such breeds to fly in the cargo hold.

Do your research. Regulations and fees vary depending on airlines and whether your pet flies in the cabin or as checked baggage. Be sure to check an airline’s history of flying animals. Incidents of pets being lost, injured or dying have increased in recent years. Currently, about 15 major carriers provide monthly incident reports to the DOT, which list pet-related incidents.

Consider a pets-only airline. Pet Airways offers climate-controlled cabins outfitted with individual crates, and a flight attendant checks on the animals every 15 minutes. After landing, pets are given a bathroom break, and can be picked up by their owners at the airline’s Pet Lounge at participating airports.

This article was the first I’ve heard of Pet Airways but I’ve never flown with a pet. However, I took the time to look into this and the reviews were not favorable (cancelled flights, etc).  When I went to the website they didn’t have a Boston departure and I couldn’t get a quote from another city because it kept telling me there were no flights. Personally I would not fly with a dog unless completely necessary.

Pet papers. If you’re traveling outside the country, find out what vaccinations your pet will need and if quarantine is required. Consult this database of animal import requirements for more information.

Prepare the carrier. Purchase a kennel that has room for your pet to turn around and stand without hitting its head. If your pet hasn’t traveled before, spend some time getting the animal used to being in the carrier. Airlines have different crate dimension requirements, but the USDA requires the following: food and water dishes, “Live Animal” stickers, upright arrows and bedding.

ID tags. Attach contact information to both your pet’s collar and its carrier.

Exercise. Before the flight, play with your cat or take your dog for a walk. The more tired your pet is, the more likely it is to sleep during the trip.

Relax. Cesar Millan recommends using lavender oil as an “association scent” to help your pet relaxed while flying. In the weeks before the flight, he suggests putting a drop of oil on your hands at feeding times or before walks. Once onboard, “the positive association will allow him to calm down and remain relaxed.”

I don’t know about this, I usually recommend a favorite toy/blanket/bed.

Other pet travel tips

Consult your veterinarian before embarking on a trip, especially if your pet hasn’t traveled before or if you have any health concerns.

Keep a familiar blanket or toy with your pet to help it feel more comfortable during the trip.

If your pet gets nervous when traveling, consider getting a Thundershirt. These snug-fitting shirts target pressure points, and veterinarians often recommend this drug-free option for animals that suffer from anxiety.

I have friends who have used these and swear by them.

Book pet-friendly hotels, and look for destinations where you’re allowed to take your canine companion or feline friend. GoPetFriendly.com offers a wealth of information on these topics and can even help you plan your road trip.

One of my favorite places to stay when traveling with family/pets are Marriott Residence Inns. They are pet friendly, good quality clean –  studio, 1 and 2 bedroom suites with kitchen and work stations. Plus I love the complimentary breakfast and some locations have light complimentary happy hour snacks and drinks!

We have included a link to another AAA article on the top 10 pet-friendly places in New England. However, we have not been to any of these so we can not give our personal recommendation. Note that I already see comments listing more locations.

http://www.aaahorizons.com/content.cfm?a=2263

Please share with us any of your favorite pet friendly hotels/destinations!

Here is a link to the original AAA article online
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/23/traveling-with-pets_n_3640948.html

Dog Walking in The Newburyport Area…

I enjoy walking my dog clients right in my own neighborhood which has a nice trail protected by the Essex County Green Belt Association. Anne happily conducts her beach walks during off season or along private beach areas year round. However, sometimes we venture off to local park areas and we would like to share a few of our favorites…

Walking your Dog at Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, MA

Maudslay is not only one of my favorite spots for walking dogs but it’s my number one favorite place to ride  my horse. There is plenty of parking and bathroom facilities. There is a small fee ($2.00) for parking but well worth the convenience of facilities and a well kept trail system.

Keep your dogs on a leash and please watch out for mountain bikers and horseback riders, especially around blind corners. The park offers a easy to navigate trail systems that is relatively flat with small hills. You can usually find a supply of trail maps just inside the parking area.

Situated along the Merrimack River, this park features beautiful gardens and plantings with masses of azaleas and rhododendrons that bloom in May and June. The park is a nesting ground for the bald eagles and some trails are closed during nesting season.

My personal favorite trail, Pasture Trail and the Mile Circle,  veers off to the left as you enter the park. It will take you through a rolling meadow, past a stone bridge, through the rhododendrons and past beautiful river views.

Click here to visit the Maudslay State Park Website

Walking your Dog on Old Town Hill:
Newman Rd, Newbury, MA

There is no leash law in Newbury, MA but it’s best to keep your dog  on a leash. It’s a nice hike but since it borders the salt marshes you should avoid the area during “greenhead season” when pesky biting flies are out. Usually around the first 2 weeks of July.

There is limited parking. There is a small area but it fills quickly on nice days.

Owned by the Trustees of Reservations, Old Town Hill offers the nature lover a chance to walk to the top of a wooded glacial drumlin and explore the edge of a broad salt marsh. It’s a very quiet area with a good combination of coastal birds, inland birds, and wild mammals. Here’s a hike where the road leading to the reservation is worth the trip in itself. Newman Road is a New England country lane in the truest sense; farms, fields, woodlands, pastures, and giant maples line the east end of the road, making it a perfect place to go for a stroll. Farther down Newman Road to the west, you will pass through a beautiful marshy area that drains into the Parker River; it’s a good place to bring the binoculars and do some birding. Highlights: Hilltop view, salt marsh, good birding.

Click here to visit the website of the trustees of Old Town Hill

Take Your Dog for a Walk on Newburport’s Clipper City Rail Trail

The first phase of the Clipper City Rail Trail was completed in 2010, and is a 1.1 mile multi-use pathway running between the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station and the shoreline of the Merrimack River near downtown Newburyport. The trail corridor ranges from about 40 to 80 feet wide, and the multi-use asphalt pathway is 10 feet wide for walkers, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users. In a relatively short distance, the trail corridor cuts through hills and climbs above the harbor, passing through a variety of environments including an industrial park, a densely developed neighborhood, and the waterfront. An 8-foot-wide pile-supported boardwalk made of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified tropical hardwood connects the Rail Trail to Cashman Park along the river. There are a number of stairway and spur trail connections to side streets, as well as amenities such as Haley’s Ice Cream and the Graf Ice Skating Rink, and various bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants are located a short distance from the trail. Two public schools located nearby, the River Valley Charter School and the Molin School, regularly use the trail for students and teachers to walk to the downtown, the harbor, parks, and other destinations. The Rail Trail has a distinct and attractive character due in large part to the extensive public art the City has installed along the corridor.

Check out this video of the Clipper City Rail Trailhttp://youtu.be/Ih6ozeQKdA4

Beach Walks on Plum Island

Dogs are not allowed on Plum Island beach (on the tip of the island) from Memorial Day through Labor Day but it’s a popular spot to walk during the off season. Dogs are not allowed on the National Wildlife Refuge year round.

Below is  a List of Off-Leash Dog Parks in Newburyport, MA published on cityofnewburyport.com in January, 2014

Dog Walking in Downtown Newburyport

Walking around town is a great way to see downtown Newburyport and bringing your four legged friend along makes it even better. You can park at the NRA East lot stroll the waterfront boardwalk up through the waterfront park and into town. Be sure to bring along the all important poop bags as laws are strictly enforced. Although stores do not allow pets you’ll find that many of these pet friendly establishments leave a fresh bowl of water out for visitors.