Yay springtime! The days are filled with sunshine and an occasional spring shower, the flowers are blooming, and the trees are developing their leaves. Spring makes my heart sing especially after long dark, cold and snowy, winter days. Gone are the hazards of never-ending ice this year especially seemed bad for us as I lost two walkers temporarily to falls on the ice. While I don’t see spring as a dangerous time to walk dogs, I do know that it presents a few dangers that we, as professional dog walkers, need to be aware of. 

Allergens

While not the most dangerous thing we need to watch out for we do need to understand that dogs can have sensitivities to environmental allergens just as we can. You may notice the dogs you walk have some itchiness, be sneezing, have runny eyes, hives, or lick paws or their body constantly. They may be exhibiting some spring allergies. Fleas are more active in the spring and the dog may have flea allergy dermatitis. Some dogs are allergic to the saliva of a flea. This will make the dog itchy and may cause his skin to be inflamed, red or scabbed. You might notice this more at the base of the dog’s tail. Environmental allergens such as pollen, dust or mold can cause an allergic reaction or atopic dermatitis. The most affected areas are the paws and ears (but also include the wrists, ankles, muzzle, underarms, groin, around the eyes, and in between the toes).

Weather

When we go from cold to hot it takes dogs some time to acclimate. I know we all get excited and tend to want to be free from the confines of the house and enjoy the first hot days of the season, but that first hot day is not the time to do a 10-mile hike, work up to that slowly and always have plenty of water available for your furry client and yourself. Be aware too that spring can bring sudden lightning or hailstorms so always be weather aware!

Snakes

I’m definitely not a fan of snakes but we have them all over the trails and open spaces where my clients walk so, we’re ever mindful of them. Spring signals warm weather and it’s their time to become active by seeking warm sidewalks to lay on or next to, another reason to practice excellent walking skills by keeping your pup close by your side. Snakes also hatch babies during this time and the first reason baby snakes are more dangerous is their venom is more concentrated. The second is that they have not mastered the art of controlling the amount of venom they inject into a victim. Therefore, a single bite from a baby snake would be more detrimental than that of an adult snake.

More traffic on trails

Just like us everyone is out enjoying the weather, so it stands to reason we run across more walkers and runners with their dogs on the trails. I’m a huge believer in staying on paths less traveled and even pulling off the path if someone else is coming our way. I always avoid the potential of confrontation. By pulling off the path it also allows me some time to work on “watch me”, “sit” and “stay” too which is valuable mental stimulation time.

As professional dog walkers we are in charge and the responsible party to keep our client’s dogs safe. By always being aware and in the moment (put down the cellphone) we’ll notice any dangers lurking around the next bend and be able to enjoy the beautiful spring weather with our furry friends.

Yvette Gonzales, As You Wish, LLC

NAPPS Past President and NAPPS Volunteer