Safe, Easy, Stress Free for your Dog & Cat

You’ve been waiting for your vacation for a long time. Your tickets are purchased, hotel is booked, and packing list is made. There’s one last errand to run, and that’s getting your pet to Morris Animal Inn. Unfortunately, timing doesn’t work quite right with your schedule.

There was consideration to lodge your pet at places close to your home or destination. You’ve even heard about airport lodging facilities. The only problem is, you don’t know much about them, and you really want your pet to be in a place that you know and love.

You don’t have to worry anymore. We have solved your transportation problem with our private dog and cat chauffeur service to and from Morris Animal Inn. 

This service is safe, easy and stress free, giving you peace of mind, and you will get a report when your dog reaches the Inn.

If you would like to take advantage of this for your upcoming trip, fill our our easy form. 

ROAD TRIP!

You know the drill. It’s Saturday morning. You are headed to the dog park or a friend's house with your doggie in tow. Since it’s the weekend, you decide to celebrate and treat yourself a little by stopping at your local coffee house for some java and a doughnut. You rush out of the car leaving your dog locked inside. Unfortunately, it turns out everyone within a 100 mile radius had the same Saturday morning idea. What should have been a 10 minute wait, quickly turns into a 30 or 40 minute wait of impatient foot-stamping, caffeine-deprived rage.

While you may be annoyed, your pooch is steaming - temperature wise. Leaving your dog in a parked car in the hot summer months is extremely dangerous. Most dog owners are aware of the cautions of such a habit, but not the extent. The temperature inside your car depends on the outside temperature. According to the Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, in a time lapse of 60 minutes, a parked car can reach up to 123 degrees Fahrenheit even if the temperature outside is only as high as 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun’s shortwave radiation quickly heats dark objects like seats and the dashboard. These hot objects then warm the car’s internal air, creating a dangerous hotbox.

While it is unhealthy for anyone to be locked in an overheated parked car, dogs and children are most at risk for suffering hyperthermia because they overheat more rapidly than adults. Hyperthermia is, “an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate.” Even opening the car windows is not sufficient enough to counter the effects of the heat.

To avoid this unfortunate situation, a good idea is to invest in a Wireless Digital Thermometer that reads the inside temperature of your car. Clean Run has an excellent thermometer for car owners with dogs. The sensor accurately measures the temperature of your car and sends it to the wireless receiver. Temperature readings can be sent wirelessly up to 330 feet away. As long as you religiously monitor the temperature readings and make sure the car temp does not rise to an unhealthy degree, it is possible to stop for that Saturday morning caffeine fix.

However, whenever you are in a bind and don't want to leave your precious pup home alone or stuck suffering in the heat of your car while you run errands during the hot days of the week, bring your precious pooch to Morris Animal Inn for daycare. Your dog will enjoy the cool comfort of our fully air conditioned facility, hydrating water breaks, and best of all, play and attention from our staff !

Sources: National Weather Service Heat Safety

Moving Day: How to Prepare Your Pet

Do you think your pet can tell when you’re preparing for a long trip? From cats crawling into suitcases to pups pouncing on the clean laundry pile, our pets sure seem to know that packing means something different is going on.

If you are packing for something bigger, like a move, your pet is bound to be curious about the process and, ultimately, the new place. Follow these tips for making the moving process, from pre-move packing to adjusting in a new home, easiest for your pet.

Visit your vet. Get a copy of all your pet’s records and make sure that all tags and vaccinations are up-to-date. If you are moving a great distance and need to find a new vet, ask your current vet for any recommendations or research your target area online.

Pack and prepare slowly. Begin packing belongings as early as possible so the transition is not as surprising and drastic for your pet. If you plan to crate your dog at all during the moving process, begin crate training early on as well and give your dog lots of encouragement.

Plan ahead for moving day. Pets appreciate familiar surroundings, so it will be easiest for them to adjust if your furniture and belongings are already in place once they arrive at the new house. Consider scheduling a lodging or daycare appointment for your pet on moving day, so they do not need to be a part of the move-in process. Morris Animal Inn is happy to provide pets a comfortable, secure environment while you are in transition. If your pet will be in the house on moving day, make sure they are secure in a single room or carrier, and pay them plenty of visits to keep their feeding and bathroom schedule as regular as possible.

Settle in. Once you are officially moved in to your new place, it will take some time for your pet to adjust. If your pet seems overwhelmed, consider designating a specific room or area for your pet with all their toys, bed and belongings until they start to feel at home.

Explore together. Your pet trusts you! If you are positive and encouraging about your new surroundings, your pet will feed off your comfort levels. Go for a walk around your new neighborhood, pay a visit to your new vet and spend time relaxing together.

Soon, you will both feel right at home!

Sources: Trips With Pets, The Courier of Montgomery County

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW ACTIVITY PACKAGES!

Morris Animal Inn is excited to announce two new activity packages!  We know that every pet is different! That's why we are working to increase your options with new packages that can be added to any dog's stay (we have other specific play options available for cats). This allows you to choose what Fido would prefer. Read on to discover Fido's options!

Manners and Obedience Training

Improve your dog's manners and general obedience through positive training! You've spent hours training your pooch and now you're going on vacation for two weeks! Might as well kiss those lessons goodbye. Not anymore! With this selection, you can add several daily training sessions to your dog's stay. Not only will this reinforce your dog's manners, but it will break up their day and add mental stimulation. For dog's that have never been trained, this is a great option to go over basic commands. Manners training is also perfect for puppies and can be added a la carte to our Puppy Steps program.  When your canine companion is not training, they can move their muscles with "business walks" on our shaded trail where they can stop to smell the roses!

Health and Fitness

Our health and fitness packages are great for any dog but especially canines with boundless energy or those needing to shed a few pounds. Your dog's day will be active with activities like canine cardio sessions. Canine cardio sessions are customized to your dog's preference and can include our canine treadmill. When not splish splashing in our pool, playing with other dogs, exercising on the canine treadmill or enjoying a serene trail walk, your furry pal can relax on a raised bed while munching on a healthy treat.

Whether large or small, old or young, these new activity packages are great for any dog's stay!

HOW TO CURE YOUR DOG'S CAR SICKNESS

Photo Courtesy of mysza831

It’s a struggle to get your pooch in the car. When you do, you close the door as quickly as possible. You cross your fingers as you turn the key in the ignition and back out of the driveway. Making sure to take turns at a snail’s pace, you avoid the bumpy potholes as best you can. But then you smell it. Yup, sure enough your precious pooch has vomited all over the upholstery of your backseat. It doesn’t matter if you drive slow enough to make out the eye color of the irritated person tailgating you or if you play soft classical music from the car radio to calm your canine. Every time you get your dog in the car, nausea is sure to follow. Not only do you feel sorry for poor Fido, but your backseat isn’t looking or smelling too great either. Read on for some tips to help you with this unfortunate situation.



Photo Courtesy of thetimechannel

 
Pinpoint the Issue

When your dog is a puppy, their ear canals are still forming and this can cause their balance to be off. Being off balance can cause motion sickness, so it is not unusual for puppies to get car sick. Unfortunately, some dogs struggle to outgrow their motion sickness. For other canines the problem can be attributed to anxiety. Many dogs have limited experience in the car and only take a ride when going to the vet; thus, it can be scary for them.


Condition

Whatever the root cause of your dog’s car sickness, it is important to try and condition your dog so that they become used to the car and grow more comfortable with it. It is especially important to start this conditioning when your dog is still a puppy. Hang out in the car while it is parked in the driveway. Bring your dog’s favorite toy and spend some time playing and petting your pup in the car. Get him or her accustomed to the smells and feel of the car while it is not moving. The next day, do the same thing but turn the car on for a short while. Progress to short drives down the block and always keep a fun dog toy in the car. Each day, go a little bit farther. Make sure to take your dog to places like the dog park or a hiking trail so they begin to associate the car as a gateway to fun activities.

Photo Courtesy of abbynormy

Comfort is Key 

Other things to consider when driving with a dog that gets carsick is to make sure the car is well-ventilated and comfortable. The back of the car or the trunk can be the bumpiest section. Your dog might be better off in the backseat, kept firmly in place with the help of a dog seat-belt or in a crate. Limit your dog’s food intake before traveling if they are prone to vomiting.

Don’t Pull Over

When your dog pukes in the car, don’t make a big deal out of it. Resist the urge to pull over and clean it up because your dog will start to realize that vomiting makes the car stop. Instead, protect your car seats with old towels and just throw them in the wash when you get home.

Medication

If your dog’s motion sickness does not seem to improve with time and conditioning, consider medication like a mild sedative. Your vet can help you choose the proper medication to ease your dog’s car-related tummy problems.

Seat Belt Safety - It's a Dog Issue Too!

Photo Courtesy of Emdot

Nothing spells carefree better than the image of a dog sticking its head out the window of a car and their ears flapping in the wind.

Safety First!
Though it may seem sad to harness and buckle your dog into the car, thus preventing the sensory overload they so dearly enjoy, the alternative outcomes are not in your fuzzy pal’s best interest or yours. Keep your pup as safe as you would your child!

Shopping for a Seat Belt

Luckily for us, nowadays, not only does every car come equipped with seat belts unlike your Grandpa’s stories of the old wide Lincoln with nary a buckle in sight, but there are a myriad of seat belt options for your canine companion as well. From harnesses to buckles to booster seats for little ones and even crates, there are many selections designed to keep a dog of any size safe and secure. Companies like Doctors Foster and Smith, Petedge, and Dog.com offer quality dog seat belts.

Buckle Up!

Seat belt safety has long been an important issue in regards to children and adults. The second we get into the car, we ask the pivotal question, “Is everyone buckled up?” You would never let your child hang their head out the window of your car, with no constraints to hold them in. That is reckless, neglectful and dangerous. Why should it be any different when it comes to your fur child? Not only can things get in your dog's eyes when they lean out of the window, but if you are forced to stop short, your dog, if small enough, can fall out or jump out. Your dog can also become a projectile if you are forced to slam on the brakes too quickly. Many dogs would love to be the hood ornament on the front of the car and if given free rein of the vehicle, they can easily get in the way and be as distracting, if not more so than talking on the cell phone. Airbags also pose another risk for smaller, more delicate canines sitting in the passenger seat and when inflated, can seriously injure your pooch. We understand you can’t ask Fido to buckle up, so why don’t you strap Fido in yourself?