Safety

The Winter can be a risky time for animals, but with a few tips and precautions, you can winterize your pet to keep him safe and warm in the most frigid temperatures. Keeping your pet indoors may be the easiest solution, but your dog still needs his exercise, and your outdoor cat will want to keep her normal routine. Weathering Winter elements like snow, ice, and salt takes more than picking the trendiest pet parka; read on for a few simple and important safety tips for winterizing your pet.

If your pet must be kept outside:

• If your dog has an outdoor house, then make sure it's elevated and dry and preferably insulated so that drafts don't creep in. And, of course, furnish it with warm, comfortable bedding.
• Add a pet door to your garage so that he can have access to extra shelter, and provide him with a nice doggie bed in a clean, dry area. Also, make sure to keep poisonous chemicals like antifreeze and rodenticide out of his reach.
• Check periodically to make sure that your pet's water is not frozen, and use plastic bowls instead of metal ones, as your pet's tongue could freeze and stick to metal, à la Ralphie in A Christmas Story.
• This may sound crazy, but check under the hood of your car before you start the engine. Cats are known to seek shelter in car engines when temps are low. Usually banging the hood or honking the horn is enough to startle them out of their hiding places.
• Outdoor pets will require more calories in the Winter to produce body heat, so make sure to keep his food bowl more stocked than in the Summer.

For more tips on how to keep your pet safe in frigid temperatures, just keep reading.

As the parent of a 12-year-old Parson Russell Terrier, I've been fortunate to watch Lily age gracefully into her twilight years while maintaining much of her spunk and agility. But each day I encounter clear signals that she's achieved senior citizen status: the onset of cataracts makes her timid around now-blurry strangers, and bathroom breaks are a frequent necessity (or so our carpet has learned the hard way). We remember fondly the tiny creatures we welcomed into our homes years ago, but the reality is that their bodies and minds are changing, and so too must their lifestyles. Here are a few tips to help ensure that your geriatric animal pals stay healthy and happy.

Sit and be fit. You may notice that your furry friend is less active these days. Understand that — just like grandpa — your pet is feeling his age, but this development does not excuse him from exercise. For dogs, daily walks relieve stiffness and limber up arthritic joints, but be prepared to turn for home when he exhibits signs of fatigue. Keep his reflexes sharp with a game of fetch or catch-the-laser-pointer, but tailor sessions to his mobility and energy limits.

Read on for more tips.

Cyber Monday is almost here, and if you're sitting at your desk cruising the sales right now, beware: dangerous viruses abound. Now that you're in shopping mode, a few reminders can go a long way to keeping your identity and computers safe from virtual disaster.

• Beware of unknown links — Just because something shows up in your inbox or on your Facebook wall doesn't mean it's not spam. If you don't know where the link came from (or it looks suspicious), don't click!
• Don't give out user names or passwords — If you've been asked to enter your user name and password anywhere else than a legit online store, back away slowly.

Check out the rest of our tips after the jump.

We at Savvy love a good discount, and while I'm not sure I'm going to make it to the all the mega sales this Friday, I admire those of you who persevere for a good deal. It's an exciting time for both shoppers and our slowly recovering economy, so I'm all for the start of the season of consumerism.

Before you go, take some time to make sure your shopping spree is as safe and efficient as possible. So if you are braving the Black Friday crowds tomorrow, here are some savvy safety and time-saving tips to remember:

• Keep your purse or bag zipped. Between the distracting sales and the crazy crowds, you may forget to pay attention to your valuables. Keeping your wallet out of your hands and enclosed in your bag will help keep thieves away, and don't forget to put it back right after you use it.
• Use one credit card. If you're using cards instead of cash, designating one will stop you from fumbling around in your wallet to find the right card. Plus, you'll be able to keep track of how much you're spending in one convenient place. Be sure to call the credit card company to warn of any big purchases you plan to make.
• Have a plan of attack. Rather then spending time driving back and forth, take some time this evening to map out where you're going to be shopping so you don't waste time (and gas!) on the road.

More of my safety tips after the break.