Do you want to know how to become your dog’s best friend? All you have to do is simply take him out for long walks and exciting hiking adventures. Dogs absolutely love roaming nature’s open lands with their masters. And just by watching your dog run and play through grassy lands or forest areas, you can literally see the smile on his face.
However, as much fun and excitement it is for your dog to be running wild out in nature, there are dangers that lurk which can cause serious harm to your lovable pet. It is therefore your responsibility to be educated on these potential dangers to guard your dog from being hurt or possible killed.
Below are a few risks associated with taking your dog out hiking or traveling other outdoor areas:
1. Watch out for ant hills if you live in the south! In the southern part of the United States there exists abnormally large anthills. It is best that you keep your dog completely away from these anthills. From the coasts of South Carolina all the way to the lands of Texas, fire ants are abundant in these areas and are quite ferocious.
These ants are some of the most aggressive ants that you can find and they actually contain venom in which they inject into potential threats who approach their nests. Although their stings are small (yet painful), if your dog is stung by many of them at one time then he runs the risk of being fatally wounded and may die.
2. Be careful of snakes. Rattlesnakes cover most areas and are a potential threat against any dog, or human for that matter. Although different snakes prefer to inhabit different areas, the common grounds are often dry areas that contain burrows and deep vegetation. Hollow logs are also a common place in which rattlesnakes like to hide out. Even though these snakes give off a rattling sound when any potential threat approaches, this does little to scare away most dogs, and as you can probably guess the results often lead to a dog being bitten in the face.
Another common snake that can be found throughout most areas of the United States is the copperhead. These snakes tend to bite often and are extremely painful. However, they are not very venomous at all and most medium-sized to larger sized dogs will not be wounded severely. The same may not be said for a smaller dog due to their size (such as a Chihuahua) and a bite from a copperhead snake may need more serious attention.
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