July is Pet Safety Month at BlogPaws, and this is my 2nd post in my Summer Safety series. I found a great infographic to share with safety tips for the heat, and then I’ll tell you what we do to keep safe in the hot summer months.
Shade & Water
We keep one bowl of water outside on our deck, and one down in the yard. We have plenty of options for shade in our yard, with trees lining one side of the dog yard, and underneath the deck provides shade as well. We use stainless steel water dishes, and I keep them in the shade also. I recently read a warning not to use glass bowls outside in the hot sun, because they could overheat and break!
I posted a photo last Sunday of Luke keeping cool in the pool, and many of you commented that you also had a pool, or wish you did. We play a lot of fetch, and getting the pool is one of the best things we have done for the dogs. There are times when I would think it was too hot to play, but with the pool for them to cool off in we can still play for a while. Another option suggested was a sprinkler, which would be great too, though some dogs don’t like the spraying water (Luke loves it but the girls not so much).
No Cars
I know I’m pretty much preaching to the choir here, but we can’t spread the word enough about not leaving your dog (or any pet) in a car in the summer. Some people really are still ignorant of this fact. I don’t quite understand why, because who hasn’t gotten into a hot car in the summer, windows cracked or not, and realized how swelteringly hot it gets in there? We simply don’t take our dogs with us when we go anywhere in the summer, unless one of us can stay in there with them to monitor the heat or run the A/C, or we’re not going to be more than two steps away from the car for a minute or two.
No Asphalt
I’m going to add to check any questionable surface for heat. I was shocked a week or two ago when I took my shoes off on our wooden deck, and realized how hot it was. The deck needs to be re-stained, but I had no idea of how hot it was getting. Luckily the dogs spend most of their time down in the yard, and the deck is shaded for part of the day. We have to be careful of how much they’re out there in the afternoon, and we are re-staining the deck this weekend, and will be sure it’s not an issue once it’s done.
We live in a rural area so walking on pavement is not much of an issue. The trails we walk on are dirt, and even if we’re on the road for a short time to get to the trails, there are wide dirt shoulders that I keep the dogs on. But if you live in a more urban area, please be aware of how hot pavement or other surfaces can get.
Limit Exercise
Our dogs want to play fetch every single day. We try to get them out in the morning to play when we can, and on the days we work, I will play with them when I get home, but limit it to about a half hour, and the pool is always filled with cold water for them. If we are going to take walks or go for a run, that is done in early morning. If it’s going to be a long walk, I bring bottles of water with us. Our summer here hasn’t been as hot as past summers, but we stick to these rules anyway. If we get into an extremely hot and humid spell, we will try to come up with some indoor games to play as well. Luke needs a little more exercise than just that half hour, and we have lots of toys for him to play with in the house, and Sheba will often play with him too!
Heat Stroke
Please be aware of the symptoms of heat stroke, and watch your dogs closely. Heavy panting and difficulty breathing are the first signs. Better yet, follow the tips above so you don’t have to worry about it! There is a very informative article on WebMD Pet on heat stroke and dehydration, click here to read that if you would like to learn more.
Today we’re joining the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop. Many thanks to our hosts 2 Brown Dawgs Blog and Heart Like a Dog. Please visit them and others through the links below!
These are such great tips! Thank you for sharing. I recently moved to the southeast so it’s extra hot for my pups in the summertime. Every now and then I’ll put ice cubes in their pool if they are being extra good!
That’s a good idea, Luke would have a blast with that. We let the water sit in there all day too and that would be a good way to cool it down again if we play in the evening as well.
Thank you for joining the blog hop Jan. These are really great tips. I don’t think it hurts to refresh our brains every now and then.
I’ve been enjoying our morning walks very much. It is so much cooler, less traffic and less interference with other dogs. We do still walk at night but I try to keep those shorter because it’s still warm out when we walk.
Thanks, Jodi, and thanks for having the hop! You’re right, some reminders about things can never hurt!
I am a morning person and love to walk in the morning. The evening isn’t too bad as long as you can find shady areas, but I’m usually wound down by evening and just can’t motivate myself. I will take the dogs out in the yard for some evening fetch though.
PS. I also love the picture of Cricket in the pool! When Callie and Shadow were pups, I bought them a kiddie pool to lay/play in; but Callie avoided it and Shadow just chewed on it. Eventually, we got rid of it.
We are lucky all of the dogs like the pool. Our beagle Kobi was the only one that wouldn’t have anything to do with it, but he wasn’t real active anyway, so didn’t need it quite as much!
Jan, this is a great reminder, or maybe I should say “set of” reminders! Either way, it’s a great post! It gets hot down here in SC, too, even though we’re only about 2 – 2-1/2 hours from the mountains. (Although so far it hasn’t been as miserably hot and humid as it was last year. Of course, it’s only mid-July, so I hope I haven’t jinxed myself!)
I normally don’t take the girls anywhere in the car after 11 AM during the summer, except to pick up Ducky at daycare in the afternoon. Thank goodness she’s light enough to pick up and carry to the car! The asphalt in the parking lot could burn her “sweet little puppy feet”. If they have to go to the vet, I make the appointment for as early as possible. Our back yard looks more like a weed and dirt farm, but the dogs love being out there. Of course, with all the bugs, I won’t let them stay out for too long.
Yeah, bugs are another whole issue, right? I think a lot of places are having a cooler than usual summer, which is not a bad thing! We’re having a few cooler days but it’s back to hot and humid soon.
That is good thinking to pick Ducky up and carry her. Sheba went for her grooming at the vet’s office last week, and I parked as close to the door as I could when picking her up in the afternoon, even though we lucked out and it was mostly cloudy. Cricket is the only one small enough to carry!
The lawn in our yard certainly wouldn’t win any awards, that’s for sure….there’s a lot of bare spots and holes, and it’s more weeds than grass really (though you can’t tell that unless you look closely).
Great tips. I like that you pointed out to check the temperature of any questionable surface. That’s something I tend to forget about. I always check asphalt, but there are other surfaces that can get just as hot!
Thanks. I never thought of it much myself, until after finding out how hot the deck can be….I didn’t expect a wood surface like that would be, especially where it’s light colored.
great post thank you so much for sharing. I love the picture of cricket laying in the pool. funny girl
Cricket really is a nut! She lays down in there cooling off and getting a drink, while guarding the ball between her paws!
These were all such great tips!! Thank you for sharing a super impawtant post. I absolutely love that photo of Cricket laying in the pool!!! I wish my huskies would do that in our mini pool!!! baby steps, baby steps.
Have a great weekend!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thanks! Cricket is the only one that will lay down in the pool though to really cool off….Sheba and Luke just stand in it! I haven’t figured out a way to try to get them to lay down, although right now it occurs to me that Luke is pretty good with his “down” command and some treats might just do the trick!
We could not agree more and infact our blog post is about a very similar topic. Lottie loves frozen treats in the hot weather and her favourite peanut butter ice cream. Head over to our post for the receipe.
Thanks! I’ll be heading over to check out your recipe for sure, because that is also a great way to keep the dogs cool!
Thanks so much for joining the hop. Great summer safety tips. We are enjoying the cooler weather for training. On hot days we try to do mostly water work. I love that picture of Cricket in the pool.
Cricket is the only one that will actually lay down in the pool to really cool off! It’s nice for you to have the option of doing water work on the hot days….sounds like the best plan.
When it’s super hot, I pee and poop right in front of the house and scurry on home. I’m an A/C-loving dog!
Under your deck sure looks like a fun place to play!
We are lucky to have a nice yard to play in! You are smart to stay out of the heat, Chewy! Our dogs love the outdoors so much, once in a while I have to make them come in. But for the most part they like the cool floors indoors when it’s really hot.
Hot can be very dangerous just like cold. Great info!
So true, Brian. If only the weather could always be just right!
Humans need to use common sense. My sisters and I don’t even want to go out much when it is hot out. We do most of our stuff early mornings to avoid the heat. But, on the upside, there is a heat wave heading to us and Mom has made us frozen fruit/water blocks and ice cream 🙂
You are so right, Emma, common sense is really all that is needed (unfortunately a lot of humans don’t have it like you dogs do).
The frozen treats are definitely an upside to the heat! I think I will make some for our crew this weekend.
That’s a wonderful infographic. We were happy to learn that the malls around here have instituted a “pet check patrol” for parking lots to find cars where animals have been left in this heat……thank heavens someone is being proactive. So amazing to me that people do that to their pets! Keeping cool with a pool is a GREAT idea when at home!
Pam and Sam
The pet patrols are so awesome! I wish more malls and businesses would do that. That’s just proof that word is finally getting out and things are being done!
Great post and infograph. We never take the boys with us, unless like you said they can get out with us or one of us stays in the car with the a.c. We live in the “burbs” so we have concrete sideways and streets. Unless they get in people’s yard, there is no grass. I am going to buy shoes for them. That should make for some laughs as they learn to walk in them!
The shoes are such a great idea, I can’t believe I didn’t think to mention that! We used the Pawz boots for our dogs in the winter to protect from ice and snow, so it makes perfect sense for summer as well. Good luck with them….I’m sure you will get some entertainment! Our dogs were actually pretty good about them and adjusted quickly.