Dog-Friendly Easter Egg Hunts
One of the most cherished traditions of Easter is decorating eggs and hiding them for your children. These pastel eggs are the must-haves for the holiday table and around the home. For our fur kids, an unsupervised Easter egg hunt can lead to tummy trouble or a trip to the veterinary emergency.
Everyone, even dogs, can enjoy this colorful holiday event, while staying safe. The team at Union Lake Pet Services is here to tell you how.
The Great Egg Debate
Eggs and their health have been debated over the past few decades in the human world. It’s no surprise that eggs and their nutritional value is debatable among pet lovers. As a rule, eggs offer a good source of protein and important amino acids, and are equally easy on the pocketbook.
As you may have noticed, eggs are part of most commercial diets for dogs. They are also in a number of baked treats and goodies.
All this sounds great, right? Sadly, eggs can cause harm if you’re not careful.
- Salmonella – Raw and partially cooked eggs contain salmonella which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. Make sure to thoroughly cook any eggs given to a dog to avoid a visit to the animal emergency hospital.
- Dyes – Look for nontoxic dyes that are both child- and pet-friendly, as regular dyes are harmful if consumed.
- Harmful bacteria – Easter eggs hunts can leave unfound eggs in the backyard or home. Your dog can consume harmful bacteria if they discover these forgotten eggs after they’ve gone bad.
Cooked eggs can be fine for your fur friend, but within limits. One too many eggs can cause stomach upset (and gas!). Make sure to dole out the Easter eggs prudently. We recommend a few slices for small pups to one egg for larger dogs. You can also grind up eggshells and add to your dog’s food as a good source of calcium and protein.
Fake Eggs and Their Toxic Treats
Hiding filled, plastic Easter eggs is a fun way to celebrate the season with your family. Placed into Easter baskets, used as decor or for your Easter egg hunts, these colorful shells are usually filled with tasty delights.
Dogs are especially good at sniffing out anything tasty, so Easter egg treats can prove to be hazardous to them if not pet friendly. Chocolate and candy containing nuts or Xylitol, a sugar substitute, are toxic to pets.
If you use filled plastic eggs this season that aren’t safe for dogs, be sure that they are off limits to your Rover. Keep those Easter egg hunts just for human kids, not the furry ones.
Dog-Friendly Easter Egg Hunts and Baskets
It’s entirely possible to have a fantastic Easter egg hunt with the whole family, neighbors, and friends and still be conscientious of your dog’s wellbeing.
Here’s how!
- Keep your dog in a safe space during the hunt.
- Keep a map of all of the eggs and their locations so you can easily pick up any unfound ones.
- When it’s over, reward your dog with his very own egg, or a few slices.
- Place Easter baskets with eggs and other goodies out of the reach of dogs.
- Stow away all eggs and treats when not being used.
You can also host a doggie Easter egg hunt with friends and family. Use plastic eggs stuffed with dog biscuits, cut up hotdogs, and other goodies. If you do, please post pictures to our Facebook or Instagram account! Just be sure that any plastic eggs are too big to be swallowed to avoid a choking hazard.
Do you have any questions about Easter egg hunts for dogs or Easter safety? Please call our friendly team. Happy Easter!