The incredible heat wave that is blanketing the United States continues. It is impossible to be outside for very long. Louise doesn’t care how hot it is, she still wants to go for her twice daily walks.

Here are my tips for taking your dog out in extreme heat:

• Walk early or late. Before the heat builds up.

• Know your dog, especially if they have those cute smushy flat faces, like pugs. Breathing can be hard on them in the heat. Heavy set dogs like Sofie with her massive coat of fur, should be outside for only short periods (20 minutes maximum).

• Dogs don’t sweat. Make sure to keep them hydrated. Check their gums and skin for signs of dehydration.

• Dogs cool from their paws and belly. Don’t waste water on the top of them.

• Jump from one shady spot to the next trying to avoid as much sunny street as possible. If you can’t go from shade to shade then try to walk on dirt or grass or at least move quickly.

• The dog understands that it is hot and will be fine with a shorter than normal stroll. (Or so I try to convince Louise.)

• Do regular paw checks. Hot paws are bad. Cool paws are good. Water down the paws immediately if hot. Touch your dogs paws at home to get a sense of what they feel like temperature wise when normal.

• We tend to take sit breaks in the shade, on the grass or dirt if we can. Sofie likes to dig down to the cool stuff. As long as it is not in someone’s yard, I let her dig away.

• Room temperature water is much better to bring than ICE. On a hot day, ice is toooo cold and could have a negative effect. Use your water bottle to cool paws and drink.

• Stay close to home. This way if you see the furry struggling, you can get home lickety split (aka – fast).

Sofie wants to plant herself next to the sunflowers and not move. Sounds like a plan to me!

What COOL mischief did you get into today?

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This is a blog hop. I hopped it from MYBrownNewfies. Check them out for more mischief.

Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤