Mandatory training: Fire safety for dogs
The other reason I rarely burn food is my judgmental dog
At every potluck, family reunion or backyard BBQ, there is always that one guest who turns her nose up at everything — examining all the food, asking who cooked what and dissecting what is worth putting on her plate. In my household, before anybody else can see anything I cook, the food judge is my dog. Without fail, she walks into my kitchen, sniffs, then decides whether what I made is worth eating or a waste. If she walks away, it’s usually a failed recipe. If she follows me, there’s a 98% chance I’ll cook it again.
There’s something else she does that rattles my patience too. She starts whining and pacing back and forth every single time the fire is too high for her liking or there’s any amount of smoke. Although my kitchen is reasonably ventilated — windows open, overhead fan turned on — it could be better. And she knows it. As soon as I hear a whimper and see her steadily pacing, within seconds, the smoke alarm in a nearby hallway will go off, SHE WILL BARK AT TOP VOLUME in front of it and I will reach for a step stool to pull it down. Without fail, she’s done this off and on for an entire year while I fail and win at recipe book ideas.
For “This Is Us” viewers, ASPCA’s suggestion to assign a family member to rescue pets may not be the most thrilling.
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As irritating as it is for a dog to announce any time my food is a little too “well done,” I have no desire to make her stop barking when fire threats occur. Why? The one time I’m not ready for smoke (or fire), I know who always will be there to get my attention. This is why fire safety for dogs is so imperative.
Whether other dogs are the food critic that mine is, here are some fire safety tips that all pet owners should get into the habit of:
Keep candles in locations that are not easily reachable or easy to knock over. (I’ve had a glass reflective candle holder for the past 18 years that does the trick.)
Immediately train the dog not to chew electrical cords, bump plugs or yank at electronics. (After my dog sat under my feet and chewed a USB cord next to her chew toy, which I thought she was chewing, plug training became a top-priority. She has not chewed any cords since she was 5 months old. In two weeks, she’ll be 1 year old.)
Keep glass (or metal) water bowls in cool places. (For pet owners who have decks or sunny yards, find a shady area. In addition to hot glass and metal being a fire risk, that cold water won’t last long.)
Recommended Read: “Does my dog need a night light? ~ While dogs can see better at night, that doesn't mean they want to”