By Lauren Means

Fall is a fun time for all of us, humans and pets alike. Crisp morning walks, fun pumpkin treats, and time together with friends and family. We have compiled a listing of fun fall activities you can attend with your pets, a couple of fall pet dangers to keep in mind, and a tasty way to incorporate pumpkin into your furry friends treats!

Walk Safely

As we venture out on hikes and adventures with our pets, here are two things to avoid to make those trips safe for everyone.

Mushrooms

Fall is one of the blooming seasons for mushrooms. While, according to the ASPCA, 99% of mushrooms have little or no toxicity, the 1% that are highly toxic can cause life-threatening problems in pets. From upset stomachs to kidney failure, to death, the consequences of consuming a toxic mushroom are wide-reaching.

The easiest way to prevent this is to do your best to avoid your pet ingesting any mushrooms. If you witness your pet eating something poisonous or suspect they have, contact your vet immediately or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Snakes

Whether you love them, hate them, or tolerate their existence for the greater good, as the weather is cooling down snakes are preparing for hibernation. Be mindful of where you are walking and study up on snakes native to your area. There are many snakes that call Tennessee home, but only four are poisonous: northern copperhead, western cottonmouth (aka water moccasin), timber rattlesnake, and western pygmy rattlesnake. You can distinguish the venomous from the non-venomous species by their triangular heads and vertical pupils.

Best practices to reduce the likelihood of a snake bite include using a shorter leash on walks, not allowing your dog to explore areas where you cannot see everything clearly, staying on open paths where snakes would be visible, and keeping nighttime walks to a minimum. If your dog does end up with a bite, call your vet immediately.

Fall Events Perfect for Pets!

Bark in the Boro!

MTSU Student Union Courtyard, Murfreesboro

October 8 from 10am – 4pm  RESCHEDULED FOR APRIL 29, 2023

Join us for the inaugural Bark in the Boro! Free Family Fun! Featuring: Vendors, Adoptable Animals, Music and MORE!

Nashville Humane Association’s Dog Day Presented by Mars Petcare

Centennial Park, Nashville

October 15

There’s fun for the whole family with Tito’s Doggie Fun Zone, our famous Kids Zone with carnival games and inflatable fun, bring your pup, your kids, and the whole crew. There’s even some beer and Tito’s cocktail refreshment fun in our Beverage Garden. Plus, you absolutely can not miss out on entering your pooch in one or more of our costume contests! There’s live music, there’s food trucks, there’s a whole bunch of doggie and people vendors in our vendor village. $10 – General Admission.

Tricks for Treats, an Operation Education Animal Rescue Event

Hop Springs Beer Park, Murfreesboro

October 16 from Noon – 4 p.m.

Come out to Hop Springs Beer Park on October 16 to Trick or Treat with your dog! There will be lots of vendors to visit and each one will have treats available for your dog. Other fun activities will include a Tricks Contest with prize baskets sponsored by Wag It Better Dog Training, an opportunity for your dog to paint a picture with their paws, live music, food truck, trivia and a chance to win a raffle for $1,000!!!

Halloween Pooch Parade

Cheekwood, Nashville

October 22 & 23 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Calling all costumed canines! Whether your dog is ‘paws’itively frightening or ear-scratchingly adorable, we love to see them all. Vendors will delight your furry friends with special treats and photo opportunities abound in the Pumpkin Houses. Each day we will have food trucks, doggie vendors, live music, and a costume contest! More details coming soon.

Pet Treats You Can Make at Home

Pumpkin Oatmeal Dog Treats

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup water

• Add pumpkin, peanut butter, oats, and water to a large bowl and stir to combine.
• Form mixture into 1-inch balls and roll each ball through additional oats.
• Place treats onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.

Pumpkin Cat Treats

• 5 ounce can tuna in water
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree, canned pure 1/4 cup our
• 1 teaspoon dried catnip (if desired)

• Preheat the oven to 350 ̊ F.
• In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until a dough forms.
• Pinch off bite-size pieces of dough and place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake about 20 minutes, until crisp.
• Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.