Play It Safe

Janet Tobiassen knew something was terribly wrong. The Washington resident had left her Collie Rex and her neighbor's dog Bria, whom she was dog-sitting at the time, in her yard while she ran a few errands. But when she returned, the dogs were nowhere to be found. Then she heard Bria barking in the distance, and ran toward her neighbor's fenced pool.

Tobiassen found Bria standing by the pool, looking fine. Rex, however, was in the pool, panic-stricken and clinging to the deck with his front paws. "Rex was familiar with water – we have a pond – but I'm sure he thought the neighbor's pool was solid," she says.

Tobiassen, a veterinarian, acted quickly. "I pulled him out, he shook off, and ran around like normal," says Tobiassen, still relieved at the memory.

Rex's near-disaster proves that even dogs who have been around water face potential danger in unfamiliar situations.

And summer's outdoor living, traveling, and high temperatures offer even more potential pitfalls. DOG FANCY researched the leading summer hazards, from water-related risks to spilled lawn chemicals in the garage, to compile this guide for minimizing summer mishaps. Read on for tips to help you and your dog enjoy all the season has to offer – safely.


Want to read the full story? Pick up the July 2008 issue of DOG FANCY today, or subscribe to get 12 months of articles just like this.