My Dog Ate My

Couch
Lauren Conroy

Girl Scout Gold Award

Table of Contents
Your Pet and You
Introduction
Your Caring Canine
Care

My Dog Ate My
Couch

What You Need Before You Can Bring Your Pup Home:

Scout
Gold
Award
Keeping Your Dog SafeGirl
at Home
and
Away:
Collar Types:
Training:

Helping Your Buddy When He/She is Not Feeling Well:

Things to remember:

Cat
Care
What You Need Before You Can Bring Your Kitty Home:
Keeping Your Cat Safe at Home and Away:
Safe Collars and Toys:
Training:
Helping Your Buddy When He/She is Not Feeling Well:
Things to remember:

You and Your Pet

One of the greatest joys you could have is owning a pet. Cats and
dogs are bundles of joy and responsibility. Before finding a friend,
do your research. Find a reputable place like no kill shelters and
the ASPCA. These organizations are usually nonprofits and they
truly care for the wellness and health of the pets in the shelter.
Well-known Pet Adoption Shelters in the New York Area:
Sean Casey Animal Rescue
153 East 3rd Street
Brooklyn, New York 11218
(718) 436.5163
Ollie's Place (Cats only)
430 E 9th St
New York, NY 10009
(646) 425.1385

North Shore Animal

League America
25 Davis Avenue
Port Washington, NY
11050
(516) 883.7575
Save-A-Pet Animal Shelter
608 New York 112
Port Jefferson Station, NY
11776
(631) 473.6333
5

Inspiration for the Book:

When my family and I first picked up our dog Sam, we
began to see a pattern of him eating objects that werent
food and we thought he would just grow out of it. Well we
were wrong. By the age of 5, the list of foreign objects
that he had ingested was growing to an unsettling
amount. The real story started when he began scratching
at a leather couch in our living room. One day we left him
alone in the living room. After we came back, we saw that
had he ripped open one of the cushions and was eating
the stuffing and leather. We immediately took him to the
vet to make sure that he would be ok. We learned the hard
way to never let your pet play unsupervised. I want to
make sure that no one else has to be in the same stressful
situation.

Your Caring Canine

What You Need Before You Can Bring Your Pup Home:
Make sure any green space is fenced of
so
your friend doesnt wander of without you
knowing.
Keep an eye on some of the plants that
are in the green space. Some may be
extremely poisonous like American Holly
and Hosta, which are moderately
prevalent on the Island.
Inside your house can be just as dangerous as outside. Puppies
especially like to find anything to chew on. Try to keep the wires
away from your pet as he/she may view them as chew toys.
Always supervise your buddy when exploring new area of the
house. Common house hold items like socks and tissues can find
their way into your pups mouth. Socks can constrict his/her
intestines and make an emergency surgery necessary!
Keep the toilet lid closed!! It may seem like a personal drinking
fountain to your friend, but in actuality it can be a source of
drowning.
Keeping Your Dog Safe at Home and Away:
If your new family member is not already vaccinate, please do so.
Many diseases are easily preventable by getting
him/her vaccinated.
Make sure your friend has his/her ID tags on as
well as a collar that is not too loose or tight. You
can check this by putting three fingers
underneath the collar and you can feel if its too
tight or loose.
Be careful when using a regular collar around a dogs neck who
pulls a lot. Below this will be a section dedicated to collars.
Never leave your pup alone in a car even with the windows
opened. Would you leave a baby in a car alone?

 When driving keep your dogs paws and face inside the car. They
may enjoy the wind, but particles can get in his/her eyes and the
rest of the ride will be quite interesting.
Play time is a great time for bonding with your
buddy. Make sure that the toys your dog is
playing with isnt a choking hazard like small golf
balls and bones that break of into little pieces.

Collar Types:
Harnesses (Recommended):
o This is the best collar for a dog that pulls a
lot. Instead of being pulled by the neck,
the dog will be genteelly pulled by his/her
chest. There is also a place to put ID tags.
Shock Collars:
o Some people may find these collars
efective, but they can do more harm than
good. Depending on the shock level setting,
the dog can get burns to cardiac fibrillation.
o It is illegal to use shock collars on children
and adults for a reason.
Buckle Collars:
o These are great to have for just around the
house or to let you dog wander supervised in
the backyard. Attach their ID tags to it just in
case they do get loose.
o These are not really recommended for walking
a
pulling dog.
Slip on choke collars:
o Theses collars can cause whiplash, spinal
issues and paralysis to name some problems
with the collar. If you are using this collar be
extremely careful when pulling the dog.
Prong Collars:
o These were made for dogs who pull, but can puncture the
dogs neck and cause scaring.

Training:
The Reward Method :
o This is the way most train their dogs. It takes time and
patience.
o When you begin, say the word, direct him/her how to do it
and give him/her the treat. This has to be repeated many
times for the dog to reinforce the skill.
o This must be kept up because training is not easy to do.
Most dont learn the ABCs by just saying it once. Dogs are
the same way!
o If you dont have time to train the dog, try obedience
school. It can be a fun and enjoyable way to bond and train
your dog.
o If you consistently dont have time to walk him/her, feed
him/her or play with him/her reconsider getting him/her.
Pup training schools near you:
Shelby Semel Dog Training
Training
1105 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(516) 637.3750

Sublime K9 Dog
1636 Hannington Ave
Wantagh, NY 11793
(631) 241-6482

Helping Your Buddy When He/She is Not Feeling Well:

Signs that your friend needs to see a veterinarian or go to an
emergency clinic:
Decrease or loss in appetite for more than 3 days.
Vomiting anything. If blood is being thrown up,
take him/her to an emergency clinic because the
problem is most of the time more serious than
you think.
Blood in stool (poop). This is serious just like
throwing up blood. Take Fido to the emergency
clinic if this occurs for more than a day.

 Limping/ trouble walking up and down stairs. This could be a

multitude of things so seeing your local veterinarian is not a bad
idea.

Whining or crying. This means

that your pup is in pain and if he/she is never vocal then he/she
might be in excruciating pain.
If anything seems of about your friend schedule an appointment
with your veterinarian. If it seems worse, go to an emergency
clinic.

Things to remember:

Depending on the breed and its

prior situation, a dog can interact with its environment, the
people who surround them (especially kids) and outdoor and
indoor objects diferently.

Do your research! This book

does not cover everything. You may find that your dog is afraid of

vacuums or thunder. There is always information in other books

and websites on how to help your dog feel comfortable.

Your Furry Feline

What You Need Before You Can Bring Your Kitty Home:
Depending on what you and your family decide, your cat can
be either and indoor cat or outdoor cat. Be wary if your cat is
an outdoor cat. Your cat can get into trouble when wandering
the streets. An unsupervised cat can get hurt while wandering

the neighborhood when drivers cant see them crossing the

street
Keep an eye on some of the plants that are in the green space
especially if you cat likes to munch on things. Some plants may
be extremely poisonous like Azalea and Iris plants, which are
moderately prevalent on the Island. There are full lists online on
what plants a cat can and cannot eat. Its not advised for your
cat to just eat edibles outside. Cat food such as dry food,
canned floor or homemade cat safe meals are a much better
option then the edibles outside.
Kitties like to play with anything that dangles. Whether its yarn
or wires, they both can be harmful to your cats intestines. The
wire or string can constrict these organs. An emergency
surgery would be needed to remove the forging object.
Keep the toilet lid closed!!! It may seem like a personal drinking
fountain to your friend, but in actuality it can be a source of
drowning. Be prepared for anything.
Keeping Your Cat Safe at Home and Away:
If your new family member is not already vaccinated, please do
so. Many diseases are easily preventable by getting him/her
vaccinated.
Make sure your friend has his/her ID tags on as well as a collar
that is not too loose or tight. You can check this by making sure
the collar still snuggly fits even when you put three fingers in it.
If your cats wander and get lost, there are chips that can track
your cat to make sure they care safe. There are also collars that
do the same thing noninvasively.
Play time is a great time for bonding with your buddy. Make
sure that the toys your dog is playing with isnt a choking
hazard like small bells and feathers that your kitty could choke
on.
Most cats will pass hairballs once or twice a week, but
sometimes hairballs can go the opposite direction and cause
major blockage. This is life-threatening and could need surgery.
However, grooming your cat once a day will result in the
reduction of hairballs.

 Some breeds that have long hair like Persians and Maine Coons
will have a higher chance of hairballs.
Leaving your cats and kitties outdoors is
not ideal. Some cats can contract
diseases and fleas from wild animals and
other cats.
Safe Collars:
Buckle Collars:
o These are great for a cat who just
wanders around the house and yard.
But be wary if you use this to walk a
tugging cat. Do not pull to hard
because the cats neck is much
easier to hurt. Pulling too hard can
strangle the cat.

Breakaway Collars:
o Again these are great for a cat who
just wanders around the house and
yard. But when walking a cat who
pulls, this collar to prevent
straggling the cat breaks open
and releases the cat.

Safe Toys:
Cat toys are really fun to make and even simple items can amuse cat
for hours! Whether you buy or make them be sure to snip any dangling
ribbons, string and small eyes that can pop of toys.
Cardboard, paper towel rolls, paper lunch bags without
handles, Ping-Pong balls and felt animals are fun things that
can be made around the house.

Training:

 Like any animal, cats respond best to the positive reward method.
o When you begin, say the word, direct him/her how to do it
and give him/her the treat. This has to be repeated many
times for the dog to reinforce the skill.
o This must be kept up because training is not easy to do.
Most dont learn the ABCs by just saying it once. Dogs are
the same way!
o If you dont have time to train the dog, try obedience
school. It can be a fun and enjoyable way to bond and train
your dog.
o If you consistently dont have time to walk him/her, feed
him/her or play with him/her reconsider getting him/her.
Cats dont necessarily need to be trained as intensely as dogs,
but simple things like sit and stay do help.
Helping Your Buddy When He/She is Not Feeling Well:
Signs that your friend needs to see a veterinarian or go to an
emergency clinic:

Decrease or loss
in appetite for more than 3 days.

Vomiting
anything. If blood is being thrown up, take him/her to an
emergency clinic because the problem is most of the time more
serious than you think.

Felines can get

diabetes and leukemia. A diabetic cat may have blood in their
stool or urine. A cat with leukemia can show signs if breathing
unusually or has yellowing gums

Limping/ trouble
walking up and down stairs. This could be a multitude of things so
seeing your local veterinarian is not a bad idea.

Whining or
crying. This means that your kitty is in pain and if he/she is never
vocal then he/she might be in excruciating pain.
If anything seems of about your friend schedule an appointment with
your veterinarian. If it seems worse, go to an emergency clinic.

Cites used:
http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/dangerous-dog-collars/
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/safety/pet-proofingyour-home.html
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxicplants/a?field_toxicity_value[01]=01&
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/safety/pet-proofingyour-home.html
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxicplants/a?field_toxicity_value%5B%5D=01&field_toxicity_value%5B
%5D=02&=Apply
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/CW_Hair.cfm

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/collars.html?
referrer=https://www.google.com/