Hello friends, welcome our blog! With summer giving us its best life I thought it wise to reach out to the queen of the desert to get some tips for keeping everyone safe and cool in this sweltering heat. K9Kula, or Auntie Robin as I lovingly call her, was kind enough to share some great information that could benefit us all. Please read on. And share the wealth.
The pack and I are just about to enter our fifth summer here in Vegas. I know the Mojave desert is an extreme scenario but I’ve learned the heat does not mess around and if you do, by being unprepared, the consequences can be severe and even deadly.
You are in a different humidity level environment but because dogs pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, if the humidity is too high they are unable to cool themselves and the same risk of overheating exists.
I thought I would share with you a few of the signs I watch for while exercising our pack such as: Heavy Panting, Increased drooling, Rapid deep breathing and Flat ‘spactulated’ tongues, dry or pale gums (cool trick if you know you can put your finger inside a dogs mouth: push on their gums with one finger for a second and once you remove your finger the gum coloring should return within 1-2 seconds if the dog is adequately hydrated)
We prevent overheating by never overexerting ourselves, always having adequate amounts of water, resting in the shade and walking on grass whenever possible.
There are also a few breeds that have a higher risk of overheating like pugs, shihtzus, and bulldogs so unfortunately these dogs are unable to walk with us outside of the winter months
The pavement here is also tricky and can reach temperatures over 160 degrees. Luckily, there are a couple quick tricks I keep in mind. On average the pavement is about 30 degrees warmer than the air temperature outside, and if I’m ever not sure I can check if its paw safe by placing the back of my hand on the ground, if I can’t hold it there for 7 seconds its too hot for paws.
I know it sounds miserable but with the help of some great products like cooling jackets, bandanas, pawbooties, DIY Pupsicles (I included two different recipes for you to try) discovering my love for paddleboarding while exploring alternative activities we have actually started to enjoy the dog days of summer.
PB Pupsicles:
2-4 TBP Crunchy Peanut Butter
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
Add water and blend until think milky consistency
Fill fun ice cube trays & put in freezer
Wait 2 hours and Enjoy!
Watermelon Pupsicles:
1-2 Cups Chopped Watermelon
1 box of Coconut Water
Blend together
Fill fun ice cube trays& put in freezer
Wait 2 hours & Enjoy!
Robin began her career with dogs in daycare / boarding facilities in 2006, she has always been fascinated by how dogs communicate and pack mentality. She earned certifications in pet grooming, dog training, animal massage, and attended The School of Dog Psychology. She has two dogs, her right hand Yawkey and Nova. She love being outdoors, preserving nature, traveling and helping people understand our canine companions better. Currently she operates K9Kula in Las Vegas, NV where she creates canine socialites through structured pack adventures & training.
www.k9kula.com
@K9Kula