Dog Dad Zack Manko and his dog Sorcha remind us that April showers bring May flowers, so get those gardens ready to bloom!
Spring is a great season to be a dog owner and lover! Chirping birds and sunny skies should get you outdoors, and all the animal activity and movement should be quite the excitement for your furry friend. We’re entering prime time for walks, hikes, and romps through the garden, folks.
But this season has more to offer than just outside activities. The important holidays of Easter and Passover occur in the Spring, and we have some detailed ways below on how you and your pet can celebrate them together, safely.
Don’t delay—let April open the door to spring today!
Spring Gardens
This is the season many of us are thinking about getting back into the garden. Warmer weather and the thought of future crops and flowers is enough to get our green thumbs itching. Some of us may need a little extra push, and what better way to get it than with some new equipment—a new gardening tool or garden decoration, perhaps? If any of this sounds like you, then Pet Perennials has just what you need to make your garden pop!
For example, our Butterfly Eco Garden Seed Bombs and Window Decal will give your garden the oomph it needs to shine. This two-for-one contains wildflower seed bombs and a butterfly blessings decal for your window. It’s the ultimate way to sow and grow!
Another popular use of gardens is as a type of monument or memorial. Pet Perennials excels in this area—celebrating the life of your pet is our specialty. We offer a variety of items to help your garden honor your furry friend.
Our Memorial Garden Flag is vibrant and durable, and can be hung anywhere. Additionally, it comes with a seed packet to help your garden bloom. We also carry several Pet Plant Stakes—hand-painted resin statues with a stake to place indoors in a plant or outdoors in a garden in memory of a beloved bird or cat. Similarly, we have garden signs that shout your love for your memorialized pet.
Of course, if you are looking for a more meaningful activity, our Memorial Garden Kit for Dogs, Cats and Horses enables pet lovers to actively participate in creating a special memory garden for their pets. This is a simple event that any member of the family can take part in, and the result is a beautiful, constant, and self-renewing reminder of the happy times you had with your pet.
Safety for Easter Fun and Games
An egg hunt seems like the perfect dog activity. Many dogs are bred to find, track, and retrieve things, so this should be right up their alley, correct? Wrong. There are many elements of an Easter egg hunt that make them an unsafe activity for our canine critters.
For example, the plastic eggs used to house the various Easter treats are typically fragile. Any dog worth his or her snout could easily crush or chip away at these containers, causing plastic shards which could injure them, especially if they swallow them. Be sure to use dog friendly "eggs" if including them in the hunt!
Additionally, the treats themselves could be bad news for Fido. Most often, these treats are chocolate candies, which are toxic for dogs. Similarly, small toys or hard candies could be a choking hazard. It’s best to keep dogs away from these, for their own health.
The hazards don’t stop at the eggs and their contents. Egg hunts are active, charged events with lots of screaming kids, running around, and joyful chaos. However, this type of activity can excite dogs, putting them in an agitated state where they might act aggressively. Similarly, it can trigger resource guarding behavior, which can also be dangerous for the egg hunters.
Thus, it’s best to keep dogs on the porch, on a leash, or in the house during these fun holiday egg hunts.
No Fear Feasts
One major category of canine safety during the Easter holiday is food. Sure, many of us will be expecting our favorites—baked ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole—but keep in mind that just because we enjoy these things, they may not be the best choice for Fido. Many of these are or contain ingredients which are toxic to dogs.
Here are some common Easter dishes which should be kept out of the paws and mouths of our four-legged companions:
Keep these in mind when serving Easter dinner or going to Easter brunch or other event. Keep people food for the people!
Special reminder—alcohol is not safe for dogs, even on holidays! Be sure to keep adult beverages out of reach. Don’t leave them unattended on the floor or low tables and such.
Looking for a safe way to share some food or even an Easter basket with your dog? Consider grabbing a dog-safe ice cream kit you can make!
Passover With Your Pooch
One way to include your dog in the Passover celebrations is by making them their very own canine seder plate. You can include ingredients like maror, charoset (sweet apple and nut paste), karpas, z’roa (lamb shank), beitzah (hard-boiled egg, not raw), and tapuz (orange, without seeds).
This setup mirrors the traditional seder dish, with all its rich symbolism, and the ingredients are perfectly safe for your animal.
Additionally, here are some other kosher foods that are safe for your canine companion:
These food-themed activities are great ways to include your pet into Passover celebrations. Plus, they are a lot easier than teaching your dog to speak Hebrew!
Keep the Door Open
Like any month or season, April and Spring are what you make of them. So don’t waste another day on the couch. Get outside and into the garden, and have some fun, healthy fun with your pets during the holidays.
Happy Easter, Happy Passover, and Happy Spring!
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