Raising A Well Mannered Mutt with Sallie Palmer
Summer is here. That means hot, hot dogs. So what can we do to make our coated canine companions more comfortable during the heat waves that are common to our area? There is actually a lot that we can do to beat the heat. The following suggestions are actual methods that I use with my very hairy German shepherd, Skete. He's my test pilot.
A child's hard plastic swimming pool. They cost under $20.00 but usually only last for a summer. Skete loves to paw at the water and his nails eventually poke a hole in the bottom somewhere. When this happens I run out and get another one. He absolutely loves his pool. Find an appropriate location and fill the pool with clean cool water. When the heat hits, don't be surprised if you find your dog splashing around and wading in the pool. Skete actually will lay down in the pool. He looks as if he
should have sunglasses and an umbrella drink.
Even better than the children's pool, is a large hard plastic water container for livestock. There is a drain in the bottom so it's easier to get rid of the funky water that collects over time. These pools are pricy but they are larger and definitely will last for longer than one season. Try to get one that is light blue. The blue ones don't absorb the heat as quickly as the black ones. You might also need to put a set of stairs in and out of this pool for easy access for small and old dogs.
Homemade doggie pupsicles. These are easy and fun. Take a plastic container. I use used deli containers. Get creative with Pupsicle flavors. I will take the left over crumbs from the cat food, dog food bags, and broken biscuits, etc. I put some water (or broth) into a blender, add my ingredients and give it a whirl. Then I pour the concoction into the container and place it into the freezer.
If I want, I can make layers of flavors by just pouring a small amount in the container, let it freeze and then add more layers later. When the pupsicles are ready, I pop them out of the container and place them in a dog bowl. It's fun to watch the dogs trying to carry off this big chunk of melting ice. You can also freeze dog toys such as a stuffed kong as well.
Cool beds. When I travel with my dog in a car I am VERY careful that he is as cool and comfortable as possible. Hopefully everyone knows about the new California law that prohibits dogs being left unattended in a vehicle during hot weather. Even if you park in a shady area, don't think that's sufficient. Remember the sun moves quickly and so does the shade. To be on the safe side, leave your dog home if possible.
On those days that it's not possible to leave them home, I will make a cool bed. I use an ordinary fleece dog bed with foam padding but I have the type with a zipper. I have what are called 'Cryopaks' non-toxic, reusable flat plastic sheets filled with water ( www.cryopak.com ). When frozen, they look like synchronized ice cubes. I take one or two sheets of Cryopaks and place them between the fleece and the foam pad. Now my dog has a cool spot to lie on.
Exercise and the heat. Just because it's summer doesn't mean you can forget about walking your dog. You may need to go earlier in the morning or at dusk when the earth is cool. It's not a good idea ever to exercise or run your dog during the heat of the day. Dogs can easily overheat and you might have to rush fluffy Fido to the vet due to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. There are collars on the market called 'cool collars'. Outward Hound makes a nice one. You soak the collar in water so it puffs up holding the water. Then place the collar around your dog's neck so the fat wet part is resting on your dog's chest. It might take awhile for your dog to get use to it but it's worth it. These collars are nice to have while on walks. I like them for me as well. You might want to check out the Outward Hound Day packs (the humans wear them). This pack comes with two water bottles (one for the dog and one for the human) and a doggie water bowl. It's a must have item for those who attend the Sunday morning Dam Dog Walks. Whatever you do to survive the heat remember that your dog needs a cool place to rest and plenty of fresh cool water. If you're hot just imagine wearing a fur coat.
Sallie Palmer, Well Mannered Mutts, offers a variety of Dog training
programs in Ukiah and Willits. For more information, go to
www.wellmanneredmutts.net or call 463-DOGS.
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