Doggone Etiquette —

Summertime

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

The next line of that “Summertime” song is “and the living is easy” but there may be plenty of times in the summer, when your living is not so easy. Lots of dogs are dragged down by summer heat and humidity, but do find some ways to get around it, like digging a big hole under a tree down to cool earth. People have figured out lots of clever ways to keep cool, or at least to be more comfortable during the heat waves. Maybe we can get them to share some of those ways with you.

A Word to the (HOT) Dog’s owner:

Most of us do have air conditioners of some sort, and we dearly love them, but as far as Rufus is concerned, watch it! Never let a dog sleep in front of (or under) an a/c outlet. It’s the same rule that applies to sunshine, and also to heat ducts or fireplace in winter. Pets need our protection from over-exposure to heat or cold. When a dog must be left home alone, for example in a working household, an excellent solution in summer is to leave him in a room with a ceiling fan. It moves the air, but doesn’t chill it.  What’s even better, it’s beyond the dog’s range of attack!

Speaking of figuring out ways to keep cool, keep an eye on your inventive canine. I knew of an Afghan Hound, left alone during working hours, that came up with a great way to stay cool – and well-fed.

The dog figured out how to open the door of the fridge, helped himself to whatever he could pull off the shelves, and then enjoyed a cool nap on the floor in front of the open door! Pretty smart, but short-lived!  His owner quickly came up with a solution to that cool caper.

Heavily-coated dogs need lots more brushing, combing and in some cases, need to have their winter-woolies clipped. Running with the kids under the sprinkler or hose is cool fun. No shampoo is needed, but when it comes to drying fur, towels are better (and safer) than hot sun! Water bowls for the dog can be outside as well as in, so long as they all contain fresh, cool clean water. (Left out overnight, the water could be contaminated by bugs and wild beasties.)

Taking Rufus along in the car is okay if the dog’s safety remains your primary concern. For example, on a long trip with the car’s a/c on, stop every couple of hours to let the dog relieve himself and get a bit of exercise – on leash! However, it’s the everyday short trips that can cause the biggest danger. NEVER leave a dog in a car in warm weather, even with windows slightly open, even parked in the shade. It only takes a very few minutes for the dog to suffer heat stroke. Dogs do not sweat. They take in cool air by panting and when that air is used up, the air in the car reaches the dog’s body temperature. At that point the dog can suffer brain damage, go into a coma and die. It all happens very quickly. Get help immediately if you see a dog left in this dangerous situation.

As for daily exercise, when it gets really hot, early morning and late evening walks are the way to go.  We discussed dog-paddling and if your dog is a swimmer, that is plenty of exercise for a summer’s day, followed by a snooze in the shade.

Then there are the puppies. Puppies do normally sleep a lot, and it only takes a little encouragement to get them to play way beyond what’s good for them. Don’t expect the kids to know when to stop. It’s up to the adult in charge to call an end to the puppy’s fun and games and settle the pup (after a stop at the water bowl) into his bed, crate, ex-pen – or, of course (in the a/c, watching TV) on your lap!

Until next time – BE GOOD!

 - Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me! which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award last year.