As the summer weather fades away and the cooler weather creeps in, people prepare themselves for the upcoming fall months. As you prepare yourself and your home for the weather, don’t forget your animals. Here are some tips on how to properly prepare your home with your pets in mind.

Be Mindful Of Your Decorations

Decorating your home for the upcoming holidays can be a fun task, but be aware of the potential dangers your decorations can have on your animals. Keep chewable or tempting decorations out of reach  from your pets, chewing and gnawing can easily lead to accidental ingestion. Your animals can choke or become sick if they get ahold of items like mistletoe, holiday berries, garlands and potpourri. Many of these decorations are nicely scented, which only tempts your animals even more. Don’t be afraid to decorate your home for the holidays, just be mindful of how and where you place your décor.

Keeping Your Animals Warm And Dry

Although we’re pretty lucky to have such beautiful weather year round here in Southern California, El Niño is still due to arrive later this year. Nights in Southern California can also get a bit chilly, especially for pets with shorter fur. Making sure your pets have a dry and warm place to sleep is probably one of the most important steps to take this coming fall. Also make sure your animals aren’t wet from the rain when heading to sleep. Wet animals combined with low temperatures make for uncomfortable and dangerous sleeping conditions.

Keep An Eye On Your Animals When Outdoors

As the fall season sets in, certain vegetation begins to grow due to the extra moisture. Mushrooms, in particular, love to grow in the grass during this time of the year. Although a small percentage of mushroom species are poisonous, keep your dogs wandering nose away from them, as a sniff may lead to a bite. Also, snakes this time of the year are out and preparing for winter. Due to our temperate fall weather, hiking is still popular this time of the year. Keep in mind that snakes still lurk in between rocks– if you see one keep your dogs at a safe distance.

Nutrition

With all the holidays upon us, we love to indulge in holiday treats; we also like to share these treats with our furry companions. Make sure treats are good for your animals and that it does not disrupt their regular diets. Make sure your animals are properly fed with the right amount of nutrients. The colder weather will increase your pets’ metabolism and making sure their dietary needs are met is most important. You may need to adjust the amount of food you give your pets based on their activity levels. Make sure to  speak with your vet to make sure you’re feeding your animals the right amounts.