Ah, summer! The perfect time for vacations, outdoor concerts and long walks around town. But, along with these fun activities also comes sweltering temperatures and sky-high humidity – a combination that can be brutal on us fur kids.
It was on one of those blistering days when mom headed outside, failing to grab my leash. “You forgetting something?” I sneered.
“It’s too hot out, Spaz Man,” she replied. “Go back inside where it’s cool.”
“Uggh!” I whined, “Why do I have to be so hot?!”
With a roll of her eyes, she said, “You mean, ‘Why does it have to be so hot?’”
“Yeah, yeah,” I snapped. “Whatevs.”
But, of course, she was right. After all, last year we saw two dogs collapse on the trail from heat exhaustion. That was scary! So, when temps start climbing, we stay safe by following a few simple rules.
Never leave pets in a parked car.
Don’t do it — not even for a minute — even with the car running, windows down and the air conditioner on (air conditioners can quit, it happened to someone I know, while their pup was inside). On an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes, even with the windows open. In 30 minutes, it can rise to a scorching 120. So, please, leave your pets home. And, if you see a pet left unattended in a car, call 911 immediately.
Avoid midday walks.
Exercise dogs in the early morning or late evening when temps are cooler.
Keep pets inside, especially on hot days with high humidity.
A 90-degree day with just 75% humidity will feel like 109, meaning a dog’s body temperature will skyrocket to dangerous levels very quickly, so keeping pets inside is best. If pets have to be outside, provide shade and well-ventilated areas, along with plenty of water.
Drink up and cool down.
Always carry bottles of water and offer it to your dog often.
Look for bowls of water in downtown Woodstock from businesses such as Copper Coin, Tiny Bubbles Tea Bar and Spirited Boutique.
And, of course, my Spaz Man Dog Bar always has water and treats — you can even cool your dog off with a spritz from our hose. It’s located on the Greenprints Trail between Reformation Brewery and Paden Street.
Together, we can help all fur babies stay cool this summer! Even super hot ones like me. Wink, wink.
– Teddy the Spaz Man, a social media dog and not-so-humble Hallmark star living in downtown Woodstock.
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