By Cammie Fulk
I have heard folks say, “Oh, I love summer weather!” When I hear that I think, “You gotta be kiddin’ me!” When I dig a little deeper into their statement, they often qualify by saying something like…It can’t get too hot for me! That’s when I say, “Give me spring and fall anytime!”
Growing up we didn’t have air conditioning at home or at school and on days when the temperature was in the 80’s and the humidity was also up there, I was miserable. Just imagine what it feels like on days when the temperatures are pushing the high 90’s and the humidity is pushing 60% AND you’re wearing a fur coat and only sweat through your paws, nose and your tongue. Panting also helps but it’s tough in high temperatures or heat advisories like we’ve had already in June.
I’ve already warned about leaving your buddy in the car during summer, even with the windows rolled down.
If your dogs are like my labs, they love playing in water and swimming. Whenever I can, I take them to the river and play fetch with them. I learned with my first lab to be careful what I throw into the water. I had taken Misty to the river for a swim and while she was just swimming around, I picked up a small rock and threw it in, not near her but she turned and saw me just as I threw it in. She stuck that otter tail of hers straight down, did a pivot that would make Steph Curry proud and swam right to where the rock it the water. Here’s where the problem began. She started swimming in circles, searching for the “stick” I had thrown. I called to her but she was determined to find that “stick”. I quickly realized that she wasn’t going to stop, so I picked up a real stick and tossed in near her. She took the bait and brought the stick to me.
When she came to me on the bank, I tried something. I picked up a small rock and made a mark on it to identify it. I then dropped it into about a foot of water just to see what she would do. I was shocked when she stuck her head down in the water and bubbles began to come from her nose. She moved her head around a bit and then up she came with the rock I had marked. We spent that summer finding rocks deeper and deeper until she would go about 6-7 feet deep and bring up the marked rock. I loved to watch her do then since when she dived, she would spin. She was my wedding gift and was indeed a treasure. She was an amazing best friend and got me hooked on Labs for Life!
I still take my boys to the river, but I also have a kiddie pool for them, one of those had blue plastic ones. I’ve tried others but they don’t withstand the “lab water dig”. My boys will climb in the pool and try to dig a hole in the water (actually the bottom of the pool). I had purchased a pool that said “thickened pvc stand up to dogs” …NOT MY DOGS. It didn’t even make it through the first day.
Now I have a few words of advice for pool users. If you are lucky enough to have an inground pool or one of the large above ground pools, make sure your dogs know how to get out of the pool. Also, don’t let them have access to it when you aren’t there. I’ve watched several amazing videos in which one of the family dogs falls in the pool and can’t get out. Luckily, there was a second member of the pack who helped the drowning pup out. They are intended to be heart warming videos and they are in the end, but I find that I get extremely tense watching them. Just type in “dog saves other dog from drowning” in your search engine.
My little blue pool is not so deep that my boys can’t get out of it, but it still has its dangers. One such danger in both our pool and any lake or river is blue-green algae poisoning. Blue-green algae are toxic and deadly when consumed in high concentrations even for humans but especially for dogs. This “algae” is not actually algae but a bacteria known as cyanobacteria. These bacteria aren’t visible to the naked eye but can appear as algae when they clump together. That being said, our little blue pool gets cleaned at least once a week and scrubbed with bleach to make sure the babies don’t get sick from it. This bacteria is found in non-flowing fresh water during hot seasons with little rainfall. These algae/bacteria blooms can be blue, vibrant green, brown or red.
One other place that can be a danger to your friend may be your decorative pond, lily pond or just your “peace” pond. Not only can these bacteria form, but your pup may fall in and not be able to get out. Most of these ponds are designed for looks and their peace creating properties, not for climbing in and out. Another aspect is that the pond itself may be too small for your pet to turn around and maneuver in to have a chance of getting out. Now that might not apply to your dog, but it did to mine when she went head first into the neighbor’s koi fish pond when she was trying to catch that bright shiny toy (koi) under the water. Luckily my neighbor was there and was able to pull her out. (thank you Shirley).
There are all sorts of tips for keeping your best friend cool when temperatures and humidity soar. My boys love the pool and the air conditioner. Our girl Bentley loves to lay in front of the fan. Some outside dogs will dig a hole to get down to the cooler earth on their tummy and of course, the best dirt to dig is that which you’ve already dug in your flower bed or garden. So, don’t be mad, just realize that your buddy is just trying to stay cool.
Keep it cool and as always
Enjoy your best friend!
Stay Paws-itive
Happy tails to you
