How is dog ownership in the desert different?

The answer is simple, it requires more responsibility of the individual dog owner!

This means many different things.  In the desert, dog owners are challenged by many things that we would not have to deal with if we and our beloved fur friends lived elsewhere in the country.  We are plagued with things like poisonous toads, various breeds of rattlesnakes, scorpions, cacti (some jumping) unavoidable heat, lack of natural water sources, monsoons, coyotes to not only carry diseases around our home state, but that are also kind enough to stampede and lure our dogs outside of the confines of a safe yard whenever given the opportunity, Valley fever and the ever present lack of freezing temperatures refusing to kill off some of the ailments that ravage  the canine species.  Below, each of these will be discussed so that dog owners new to Arizona, as well as Arizonians getting their first dog, have an awareness for things that are potential problems for our loved ones. 

The page is under construction so if you have questions as it is being written, please contact me via email or see your vet.