Pet Proof Your Next BBQ

One of the great benefits of good weather is the BBQ. Cool breezes, bright sun, kids playing in the yard, and the smell of hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. The trick, however, is keeping your dog safe and sound. This isn’t easy with kids, guests, and the general chaos that comes with a BBQ. Here are a few suggestions to keep everyone safe.

Keep gates and fences closed. If this is the first event of the Spring or Summer, check both carefully. Many dog breeds have a habit of digging for all kinds of reasons, especially when they’re bored. That rose bush in the corner of the backyard is pretty, but it can hide an escape hatch your dog will use the moment all you want is a burger to absorb the two (or three) beers you drank while grilling.

Remember, the meat goes on a tray, on the table. Preferably on the center of a sturdy table with no chairs around it to avoid canine ninja action. The ideal location is a fold-down shelf attached to your grill. It’s perfect for support, lets you keep an eye on the meal before and after cooking, and it’s a great place to set down your beer when you need to use both hands on the grill.

Of course, the best defense is a good offense. Train your pet now to avoid the grill and not pull items off the backyard table. If your dog already knows to stay off the kitchen or dining room table, then you’re in good shape already.

That said, puppies are puppies and have an attention span even shorter than that of a two-year-old. If you haven’t started training or just started, you may need to keep your dog inside until you finish grilling and put everything away. Not just utensils, that also includes charcoal, lighter fluid, kindling, wood chips, and everything else. Even if what you’re using for fuel isn’t toxic, it’s still big enough to leave a knot on your dog’s (or your kid’s) head.

Now that the food is cooked and everyone is ready to eat, you can relax and begin that fine, American tradition of feeding your dogs from the table. Yes, you’re not supposed to, but this is the outside, so the inside rules can be broken and then duct-taped back together the next day. After all, duct-tape fixes everything.

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