Yahoo Lifestyle Yellow Lab Puppy Snags Lizard and Sparks Parental Pandemonium
A puppy's entire job is to get ahold of things they're not supposed to touch. It's not their fault they're doing it; they don't know they're not supposed to! While we as pet parents try to be as preemptive as we can, there are just some things we'll never be able to fully prepare for.
For example, our pup snatching up a lizard and refusing to release it, no matter how hard we try to get them to put it down. While most of us aren't really in a position to have to live this nightmare, one family recently was, and it went about as well as could be expected...
Boogie Laine really boogied all the way away from his poor mom with this lizard in his mouth. That's terrifying, especially as a dog/lizard mom!
Related: Yellow Labrador Dutifully 'Inspects' New Puppy to See If She Passes the Test
Boogie Laine is notorious for getting into tons of trouble, as all puppies are. Labs are a special breed, though: they grow up to be respectful, smart, and incredibly helpful, but until they get there... they're absolutely monsters. For example, Boogie needlessly ruining this poor lizard's day!
Boogie grabbed this lizard while his parents weren't looking, and unfortunately, they noticed a little too late: by the time they finally got him to drop the reptile, it was toast, but his mom says that he didn't swallow it. This video was posted a little while ago, so she's since confirmed that Boogie is perfectly fine.
Like any responsible dog parent would, Boogie's parents are using this as a lesson: they figured out that they really need to work on his drop it/leave it command, and they learned that he needs to get better with impulse control. Hopefully he'll learn better before he accidentally ends any other lizards!
What To Do if Your Dog Eats a Lizard
Whether your dog eats the lizard or simply picks them up in their mouth, you should be immediately concerned. Most reptiles carry salmonella, even if only in their fecal matter, but you never know what they've stepped in.
If you notice your dog with a lizard in their mouth, you need to:
Stay calm. don't start yelling or screaming, which could cause the dog to become frightened and bite down or swallow.
Ask them to drop it/leave it. If your dog is good with these commands, that will usually be the end of that.
If the dog will not put it down, try distracting them with something they like more, such as a toy or a high-value treat.
If your dog has swallowed or punctured the lizard, immediately call your vet to get them seen.
If your dog puts the lizard down, rinse their mouth out with warm saltwater and call your vet.
You should monitor them over the next few hours and days to make sure they don't show signs of illness. Whether you treat your backyard to make it less enticing for lizards or train your dog better after that is up to you, but you'll want to act fast!
