Summer fun for the dogs

Posted by Joy Butler May 29, 2006

Dogs can enjoy summer too. They like to hike, swim, play frisbee, run agility and other things. You can tell they're having fun by the sparkle in their eyes and the pink tongue lolling. But dogs are like kids; they don't always know when to come in out of the sun and rest. We have to take the responsibility for them and make sure they don't overdo. Dogs do not have as effective a system for cooling their bodies as humans do, consequently, they are more susceptible to heatstroke. One of my dogs is an outdoor lover and runs up and down the fence in the sun barking at whatever happens by. She thinks she's two years old but she's really eleven! Even though she's in peak health, I know that at her age, she is considered at-risk for heatstroke. Now that summer is bearing down with a vengeance in Texas, I make sure she comes back inside often and cools down. Ice cubes make good crunchy treats too!