EASTER SAFETY TIPS

Dear Dr. Woof:

I am a six-month-old Lab puppy. My owners love me a lot and up until now I've really felt like a special part of the family. But now I feel a little left out! Everyone in the family is talking about something called Easter--they are all excited about waking up early that day and running around the house to find the eggs and the baskets. I love snooping around and picking up stuff so I was getting excited too. Then I heard them say, "And we've got to remember to keep Sport in his crate until we're sure we've gotten everything." How come they don't want me to join in the fun? Don't they like me any more?

Dear Spoiled:

Relax! Your family loves you as much as ever. They don't want you to miss anything, but they do want to insure your safety. You see, while the hunt might be loads of fun for you, the things they are hunting for could be very bad for you. You are quite likely to EAT, rather than place in the basket, all of the dyed, hard-boiled eggs you would find. And you'd probably find MOST of them first, having the advantage of a keen sense of smell. Lots of the Easter goodies are chocolate and eating THAT is very, very dangerous for dogs. Even the plastic "grass" that fills the baskets could cause serious intestinal problems for you. Your family is just trying to be sure that you remain happy and healthy for many years to come. Don't worry, they'll be sure to include you in the festivities once the "people only" treats have all been safely stored out of your reach.