Caring for pets during dog days

The dog days don’t have anything to do with real live tail-wagging canines.

Instead, the dog days are a period of time in July and August when Sirius, a.k.a. the Dog Star, rises and sets with the sun.

The normal weather pattern from the middle of July through most of August is what I  call 90-90-0 (90-degree temperature, 90-percent humidity and 0-mph wind.)

From a pragmatic point of view, the dog days are a time when wise dogs stay under the porch and wise masters stay close to the air conditioner.

I’ve discussed the precautions humans should take during hot weather  and no doubt will again, but today’s topic deals with dogs.

Conventional wisdom says that dogs can’t sweat and so must keep their body temperature under control by panting.

Warsaw veterinarian Dr. Don Anstaett set me straight on that subject when he told me, “Dogs will sweat if you get them hot enough. The problem is that, by that time, they’re already in serious, if not irreversible trouble.”

Grace, my ever-faithful beagle, is convinced that she should spend the dog days stretched out in front of my desk.

In fairness, Grace believes that the front of my desk is the place to be in fall, winter and spring — unless some legitimate outdoor adventure is in the offing.

Having my dog close is a big part of what makes owning a dog worthwhile, so Grace and I are on the same page.

Many people either can’t or don’t want to allow their dogs inside their homes. From a canine health standpoint, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Outdoor dogs must not only have 24-hour-per-day access to fresh water but  have access to shade outside of their dog houses from an hour or two after sunrise to sunset.

Keeping Fido comfortably out of the sun often requires some effort.

For example, my kennel, which has a concrete floor, sits on the southwest corner of my lot. It gets plenty of natural shade in the winter but virtually none during the summer.

On a sunny afternoon, the air temperature at dog height above concrete can be as much as 30 degrees higher than what’s being reported on the radio. On a still, 100-degree afternoon, the air just above sun-baked concrete can exceed 150 degrees.

I’ve attempted to solve the problem by stretching the 12-foot dimension of a 10-by-12 tarp across the top of the westernmost 7 feet of the 10-by-10 enclosure.

The remaining 3 feet of the tarp’s 10-foot dimension are stretched down the top half of the kennel’s west side, which is 6 feet tall.

It’s not a perfect solution because it provides only a minimal amount of shade until after mid-morning. However, it allows completely free air movement on three sides and only partially obstructed flow on the fourth.

Some dog owners solve the summer heat problem by securing their pets to long chains staked to the ground in a shady part of the yard.

Some dogs adapt to this method of confinement and appear to be quite contented.

However, most dogs do not do well on chains. If there’s a way to wrap the chain around anything within reach, they’ll find it.

Unsecured water dishes are quickly upset, and secured ones become just one more object to wrap a chain around.

Hunting-dog owners face yet another dog days Catch- 22: Exertion increases the effects of heat, but dogs and hunters who don’t start getting in shape now won’t be prepared for fall.

When it’s too hot for you and your dog to run, walk rather than stay home. Both of you should pick up the pace anytime the weather allows.

Try to pick a location for summertime conditioning where there’s plenty of water for the dog to drink and immerse itself in should it overheat.

If this isn’t possible, keep at least two gallons of cold water and several terry-cloth towels as close as possible.

Soak the towels in the cold water and use them to cool down either the dog, yourself or both if you even think a heat-related problem is imminent.