Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Outreach Program team has created a series of materials, including videos, to help Girl Scout Brownies earn their Pets badge at home! Step One was to find out what care different pets need. Step Two involves learning about keeping pets comfortable. Step Three focuses on keeping a pet healthy and safe.
Exercise your pet. Dogs need a lot of exercise to make sure that they are happy and healthy. Taking them on walks is a great way to exercise them! Take charge of your dog’s exercise by mapping a route around your neighborhood that you can take them on.
Map a short walk around a couple of blocks for some fresh air and map a longer one around a local park to really get the dog’s energy out! You can use the map apps on a smartphone to plan your route or other apps and websites like MapMyRun. Once you’ve created some routes, take a walk!
OR
Research the foods/items your pet shouldn’t eat. Did you know that dogs shouldn’t eat grapes? Or, cats shouldn’t have onions? Snakes shouldn’t eat fireflies. Keep the Animal Poison Control hotline number (888-426-4435) somewhere visible, like on your fridge, if your pet accidentally eats something it shouldn’t! Look at this resource for a complete guide to poisonous substances. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
Foods to avoid feeding your pets:
Alcohol
Avocado
Chocolate/Coffee/Caffeine
Citrus
Coconut products
Grapes/Raisins
Nuts
Onions, Garlic, Chives
Raw/undercooked meat, eggs, bones
Salty foods
Xylitol (a sweetener found in gum, candy, baked goods, toothpaste, and more)
Yeast dough
Other products to protect your pets from:
Certain plants including aloe, tomato plants, amaryllis, daffodils, azaleas, tulips, lilies, and many more
Human medication
Household cleaning products
Essential oils
Dryer fabric softener sheets
Grout
Petroleum jelly
Mosquito repellent with DEET
OR
Learn five “stay-safe” commands to teach your dog. Caring for a dog is a big responsibility, and it’s your job to keep your dog, and other dogs and humans around them, safe. To do this, you should teach your dog some basic safety commands. These commands set boundaries and guidelines to help them have a safe and happy life.
Come
Stay
Leave it
Drop it
Wait
The key to training your dog is using positive reinforcement, like treats. For tips on how to train your dog, talk to your veterinarian or look at these helpful resources:
We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.