Dogs Appreciate Air Conditioning!

Mom has a book she reads a lot.  Something about what she calls "quirky holidays."  She is ALWAYS looking stuff up in it. 

Today she said she was looking for inspiration for her blog.  She said her brain was mush and she was out of ideas.  I don't know if she found anything to help her, but I learned something new.  It's Air Conditioning Appreciation Days!

Now I don't know about you, but I love our air conditioning.  We live in Arkansas and it gets HOT here in the summer!  Sometimes it gets over 100 degrees!  I wouldn't want to be outside in that.  OUCH!  Thankfully, I don't have to be.  Mom let's us stay in the house - with the air conditioner!  It keeps me cool and comfy no matter how hot it is outside.  Mom said they also make air conditioners for dog houses.  And I said "They make houses for dogs? Awesome!"

Not all dogs can live in air conditioned dog houses.  But there are some things you can do to help your dog cope with the summer heat.

1.  Your dog needs a place to get out of the heat and sun in the summer time.  Mom has a doggie door in the garage so we can get in and out on our own when she is not home.  If your dogs don't have a way to get in the house, then provide a dog house or other source of shade.

2. Don't leave your dog in the car. You know I go almost everywhere Mom goes. But not now. It's just too hot. Mom said that on 100 degree days, her car can reach 120 degrees or more inside. That's like an oven! Even if you are only planning to leave your dog for a few minutes, don't. Leave them at home.

3. Don't let your dog sunbathe. Our dog Beauty was a sunbather. She loved nothing more than laying out in the warm summer sun. But dogs can sunburn just like people. Mom did not know this when we first moved here. And so Beauty was left to enjoy her sunshine. Only Jack Russell's don't have thick fur and she got a nasty sunburn. I have seen Mom wince when she had one so I can imagine it was just as painful for poor Beauty. Beauty is gone now, but Mom learned the lesson. If we are going to be outside for a long time, she puts sunscreen on our most vulnerable areas, just like she does Carter, Morgan, and Reid. In fact, we use the same sunscreen. I guess if it's good enough for the dogs, it's okay for the grandkids. Mom puts it on our ears and on the bridge of our noses and around our eyes. Sometimes she even puts it on our tummies, but that usually means we are going to be outside for a LONG time.

4. Provide plenty of fresh, cool water. Mom has several big jugs she fills with water and then turns them upside down in our water bowls. Automatic waterers, I think she calls them. These hold enough water for me, Austin and Oscar, and the cats for the whole day. Nothing tastes better than cool water on a hot day!

5. If you must take your dog outside for exercise, avoid the hottest part of the day. Mom and I go for walks or out in the garden either early in the morning or later in the evening after she has fed Dad. Stay out of the midday sun.

6. Consider giving your dog a haircut. I am a short haired boy so I don't have a problem. But Austin is a Yorkshire Terrier and has lots of long hair. In the summer, to help keep him cool, he gets what Mom calls his "puppy cut". (That means she cuts his hair short like mine. He looks a little funny but he sure seems happier - and cooler).

7. Watch where we walk. You wear shoes. We don't. Have you ever burned the bottom of your feet? It hurts! Don't make us walk on hot sidewalks, driveways, or sand.

Summer is here. That means lots of BBQs and trips to the beach and days out in the boat. We want to share it with you. Just follow these simple tips and we can enjoy the "dog days" so summer too!

Oh, and Mom said the book she looks at all the time is called the Quirky Marketing Calendar and you can get one here!