"Likewise, if your dog is aggressive, please don’t leave him outside unsupervised, even if he is tied."

It's not just aggressive dogs that shouldn't be unsupervised. How many heartbreaking stories do you hear about dogs being stolen when they are outside unsupervised?

Dogs are stolen out of back yards and sometimes sold to laboratories. Once in awhile you hear about a rash of thefts of a particular type of dog when that's what labs are looking for.

I cringe every time I hear someone say they put Fido in the back yard while they go about their business in the house.

One friend was "lucky" when someone tried to steal her dog. They were lifting it over the fence by the collar and the dog's tail got caught in the chain link. Of course, the dog screamed when its tail broke. The would-be thief fled, leaving dog and broken collar.

if you have a big dog it is very important to make sure you keep a close eye on them. Most people do not realize the power a 125 or 150lb dog has. The power is incredible. Both my wife and I have been dragged by big dogs. When I say both I mean together. When we have a new dog my wife holds the safety leash and I hold the main leash and we still have been knocked on our asses and dragged. A big dog can drag 5000 lbs of dead weight no problem.

The other thing I see is people with small dogs letting them run free around the front of their house. If you say something you an A-hole because their 10 lb dog can't hurt anyone.

But if you have a big dog on a leash and that little dog runs out from under a parked car you wont have time to pull your dog away and snap, crackle and crunch" little dog is dead.

It only takes one bite for these little dogs to bleed out.

It has happened to me and my dogs. The aftermath is the police are called, AC is called and no one can do anything because the little dog was running loose on the street.

The big dog becomes "vicious" by the neighbors standards and no one ever asks what really happened. If it is a breed that is the news it can get even worse. Pitt, rotty, doberman....

I have done home visits for big dog adoptions and have denied the adopters. After asking some questions I can tell some of these people have no clue the damage a big dog attack can do to their children or themselves. So it is very true that big dog ownership requires some relevant knowledge of the strength, power and consequences that can occur from a lack of responsibility and leadership.

Smaller dog owners should also be aware that leashing a dog is not only for protecting others but for protecting their dog too.

Personally when I'm out with the beagles I will stop and either let a big dog pass by or yield a few steps to allow the dog/owner to pass. My little 20 pound beagle is the one that will pay if something happens. Once again it's about common sense. 20lbs vs 150 lbs well it's simple who will lose.

One of the things a trainer told me that has really helped. If you feel your dog is not comfortable when a stranger or another dog approaches tell that person to stay away. It seems simple but I always had the kind of the thought that it should be ok for anyone to come up. I am not comfortable with saying to stay away but I do that now if I feel my dogs are not up to it.

My dog Rock is kind of an odd looking dog. He is short but has a 32 inch neck and a 52 inch chest so he looks like a bulldog.
So people are very interested in seeing him. If I go to a pet store I get other dog owners coming up with their dogs, so I have learned to let them know I dont feel comfortable with Rock meeting other dogs face to face. He is fine around other dogs but I am not so sure when he gets forced into a meet and greet.

Here is a cautionary tale. A few years back a friend of mine had a sweet goofy Saint bernard. She was at the park with her boyfriend. An off duty cop walks by and pets the dog. He then starts playing with the dog and gets a little rough. So my friend says I think my dog is getting upset. He tells her no, I have a saint bernard at home: I always play with him like this.

Long story short, the dog bites the cop in the hand. Two months later she is presented with a lawsuit by the cop. She does not have the money to defend it so the cop offers to drop the case
if the dog is put down. She ended up putting down this dog.

So it is always better to move your dogs out of any situation in which you dont feel comfortable.

If you're walking your dog in a park or on trails shared with horses and riders, please, please, please leash or control your dog. Your dog may be friendly, but my horse weighs 1000 pounds and is shod with steel shoes. Please don't let your dog wander underfoot or, worse, run in quickly or chase, risking a kick.

to the concern of poisons in animals. A rule of thumb I go by is this "the prettier or more colorful the plant, the more likely it is to be poisonous." Pretty plant can equal dead pet which is not good. When I had my beagle, who has sadly passed away, I had to keep a close eye on her when we went outside cause she would always try and eat or chew on anything she could get her mouth on. and she loved trash cans.

Be careful though. The boring, frondy fern SAGO PALM has no colored flower, and is deadly to dogs - it results in severe liver failure!

I'm surprised I haven't seen this mentioned: Know your area. Where I live, rattlesnakes are prevalent during the summer. I'm getting my dogs their annual vaccinations soon! I would rather pay the extra money--they are pretty expensive--than risk having a dead dog!