Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer!
During the summer time in ancient Rome, Canis Major, the dog constellation, walked side-by-side with the rising and setting sun. Canis Major is home to Sirius, The Dog Star, and the brightest star in the summer sky. Sirius is so bright, in fact, that the Romans believed the extra heat of summer came from that star!
Our modern idea of Dog Days falls July 3rd and August 11th. And we are certainly in the midst of some of the hottest weather of the year!
Summer is most often associated with fun: extra time with family and friends, vacationing, sporting events, trips to the beach, outdoor picnics and BBQ's; hopefully all activities we can share with our dogs. But what do Dog Days mean for our dogs?
Unfortunately, the summer heat and high humidity levels can spell danger to our four-legged friends. Hyperthermia, or heat stroke, is a condition the internal body temperature rises to dangerous, and sometimes deadly, levels. Dogs are unable to cope with hot weather as easily as us humans do. Sweating, for a human, causes an evaporative cooling effect which helps to maintain our body temperature.
Dogs, however, don't have sweat glands all over their bodies (with the exception of some hairless breeds) to help keep them cool. Their primary method for cooling themselves is through panting: which passes air over the large surface area of their mouth and tongue, evaporating moisture and cooling blood, which then circulates to warmer parts of the body.
Keep in mind the following tips so you can safely have some summer fun with your dog!
- Never leave your dog in the car while running errands. Even with the windows cracked and parked in the shade, the temperature inside your car can, within minutes, raise 30-40+ degrees above the outside temperature. Closed cars = coffins for dogs.
- If you do take your dog for an outing, be sure to take a moment to cool the car off before piling in. Open doors and windows and run the AC for a few moments to make things more comfortable for your cruising companion.
- Check the pavement before heading out for a walk. Dogs' pads are tough, but not tough enough to withstand scorching hot pavement. If it's too hot for you to walk barefoot, it's too hot for them. If there's no way around it, protect their feet with dog boots.
- Be sure your dog always has access to fresh, cool water. Drinking cool water helps regulate their body temperature, plus panting dehydrates them quickly. Bring a portable water bowl with you when you walk or travel, and offer water every 15 minutes.
- Swimming is a fun summertime activity for most pups, and a great way to burn energy while staying cool. If your dog's not a very savvy paddler, check out RuffWear's float coats for dogs!
- When the weather is just unbearable for even the shortest walk, give your dog an outlet for his pent-up energy by doing some mental exercises indoors. Take some time to teach your dog a new trick, or play 'hide and seek' with treats or their favorite toy.
Fun stuff: RuffWear Swamp Cooler, RuffWear Float Coats, Natures Variety Sweet Spots, Frozen Kongs