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SURVIVAL GUIDE ESTATES LOCAL • JULY/AUGUST 2017 CORNER for DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Summer in Southwest Florida is hot – not just hot, but hot and humid. Dog owners should be extra cautious when the Naples temperatures rise and the humidity zooms. Here are some tips to keep in mind: WATER, WATER, WATER. The first and best thing to remember for your dog is to provide plenty of fresh water. Change the water in your dog’s bowl at least twice a day, probably more. If your dog is outside provide fresh water but be very careful where you put it as wild animals and rodents may be attracted to it and can spread disease. KEEPING COOL INSIDE AND OUT. Inside your home, make a nice cool, relaxing space for your dog to lay. Tile floors are cool, but can wear calluses on hips and elbows. Try an elevated pet cot that can be used indoors and outdoors so that air can flow underneath. Outside, a child’s wading pool is terrific fun for dogs. PLAN YOUR WALKS. Taking walks in hot weather requires some planning. Early morning and late evenings are your best choices so you’re not out in the blazing sun. Walk on grass or make sure that any hard surface, like a sidewalk or road, is cool enough for your dog to walk on. An easy way to do this is to bend down and place your bare hands on the cement. If you can’t hold them there for at least two minutes without them being hot, then it is too hot to walk your dog on. Always take a spray bottle of water with you when you walk your dog. I like to fill one about a quarter full of water and then put it in the freezer. When you take it out, add cold water and you have a container that will stay cool for a while. You can spray your dog (or yourself!) and you can easily teach your dog to drink from it. STAY HEALTHY. Be sure your dog is on a heartworm preventative as mosquitoes are active throughout Southwest Florida both day and night! By Marcia Deugan (Marcia Deugan has bred, trained and run training classes and professionally shown dogs for over 50 years.)


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