Old dog safety

Dog owners are constantly concerned about the safety and well-being of their pets. Old dog safety can be even more of a concern. Senior dogs in particular are more prone to becoming lost or injured, due to natural declines in their mental acuity and physical condition. Many dog owners, after researching the available options on the market today, decide on implementing a tracking mechanism to keep their pet’s whereabouts always known. Additionally, to further increase old dog safety, owners research and purchase other forms of security, such as reflective dog coats and first aid kits.

Pet locators come in three typical forms, ranging in cost from approximately £60 to £400 (UK). I did not realise that these were available for dogs but it is something I am now definitely considering after a recent scare when my dog Pippa got lost for about an hour. She slipped out of the front door whilst we were busily unloading shopping from the car recently. This is something that we are always aware of and try and prevent. However with two young children running in and out of doors unfortunately on this occasion she managed to escape. So off Pippa went taking herself off for a nice walk into the woods. It was dark which did not help matters. She has an LED collar which is great in the dark, but it was not turned on as we were not going for a walk. Eventually I found her after 45 minutes of frantic searching. It made me realise what the benefits of having a pet locator would be in these circumstances.

Pet locator devices provide old dog safety at different levels and ranges of coverage, up to 20 kilometres. Beeper collars, radio collars and GPS radio collars, while functioning a bit differently, all provide dog owners with the current location of their pet, and each have their associated pros and cons. Beeper collars transmit clear beeps from a transmitter located in the dog’s collar. With a collar that provides audible beeps, it is not necessary for the pet owner to carry a receiver, and although this is the most inexpensive location device, the effective range of such a device (within hearing distance) is very short.

The next type of pet locator device is the radio tracking collar, which send out a radio signal from the collar’s transmitter to a corresponding hand held receiver. The series of beeps emitted from such a device will lead the owner to their pet’s current location. Radio transmitters, although able to track locations up to long distances of 20 kilometres, do not pinpoint the exact location of the canine. Location is directed by signal strength only. GPS trackers provide the handler with a hand-held unit which plots the collar’s exact location on a map. GPS trackers grant old dog safety the most effectively but also cost the most.

While pet locators ensure that dog owners are aware of their pet’s location, additional senior dog safety products provide additional security measures. Reflective dog coats are relatively inexpensive, and provide an extra safety measure for your dog during night-time walks. Along with providing extra warmth during chilly weather, reflective dog coats are also equipped with long, reflective strips so your dog will be visible by drivers even on the darkest nights. LED (Light Emitting Diode) collars, as I mentioned earlier, are great as a visual locator for seeing your dog in the dark, especially if they are not on lead. They also have the added benefit of making both yourself and your dog be clearly seen by motorists or pedestrians in the dark.

Finally, just as humans possess first aid kits in their homes or work, pet owners should also take precautionary measures against unforeseen injuries. Typical first aid kits will contain emergency phone numbers, bandages, specific medical equipment and canine medicine.

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