Dog Days of Summer

Dog days of summer are the muggiest days of the summer and generally are
considered to occur from July 2 to Aug 11.

Wonder where that term came from? Ancient Egyptians. Before smog, lights
and construction obscured the night sky, people used to watch the stars
and imagine the constellations formed pictures of common items.

Among those common items were dogs. Two of those constellations became known
as Canis Major and Canis Minor. The brightest star in the night sky and one
which was part of Canis Major was called Sirius, the dog star.

During July/August, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun at times. Our ancient
forefathers believed the star’s heat added to the sun’s which created 20-days
of hot and muggy weather. This period became known as “dog days” after the
dog star.

Whatever the scientific background of the term, there’s no denying July and
August can be beastly hot – for us and our dogs.

You must know the prime rules of summer – never leave a dog in a parked car!
and see he has plenty of water to drink but here are three tips that are not
so obvious.

1. Prevent sunburn

This is a major problem for hairless dogs such as Chinese Crested, for
dogs with bare skins such as Maltese with their parted hair exposing bare
skin and for any dog’s exposed ears and nose. Be advised that an overdose of
sun may be associated with cancers of the nose and ears.

Don’t let your dog out in the sun, especially on a beach, for long periods
of time and use a safe-for-dogs sun block on him.

Remember your dog will want to lick any suntan lotion off so you must be sure
it is non-toxic to him. Your vet can recommend a brand or use a product made
for babies. Doggles, the company that makes sunglasses for dogs, has come out
with a sunscreen safe for dogs called Doggles Pet Screen. It’s
available at http://www.entirelypets.com/petsunscreen.html $8.99
for a 2-oz spray.

I prefer to use stick sunscreen as it’s harder for a dog to lick off.
If you use a sun block for babies make sure it doesn’t contain any
lanolin or baby oil.

2. Protect his paws

Hot pavement and unclean grass can be hard on a dog’s paws. I like to use
all-weather Muttluks on my dog while other people try something like Vaseline
on their paws.

If it’s too hot or you don’t like paw protectors, there are two products to
consider:

1. Shaws Paw Wax which is very popular at dog shows to prevent dogs from
slipping on the floors. The Paw Wax will help protect your dog’s paws from
the heat as well as gravel, asphalt and all hard surfaces. Shaw’s Paw Wax
is $5.95 for a can.

2. Musher’s Secret is a popular product that protects paws from hot concrete
as well as icy pavement. Apply a thin coat on pads and between the toes.
You only use this product once a week unless your dog is out in extreme
conditions. It’s $9.95 for a jar.

Both products are safe for dogs and available through the Internet.

3. Beware your own backyard

Along with all the dangerous plants and diseases hiding in the grass,
don’t forget about your garden hose. It is NOT advisable to let your dog
drink from a hose.

Standard vinyl garden hose has substances in it to keep the hose flexible.
These chemicals, which get into the water as it goes through the hose,
are not safe for humans or pets and there’s also no way to tell what’s
inside the hose.

The outside thread opening at the end of the hose could be contaminated,
covered with chemicals or germs or bacteria from a previous use, dirt,
insects, or rodents.

A more current problem is West Nile virus which dogs can get from mosquitoes
just as we can. Officials say pet owners should avoid walking dogs especially
older dogs in areas with a lot of mosquitoes and should keep them indoors
in the evening.

Never use insect spray on dogs because the dog can lick it off and ingest it.
As a general preventive, take a few minutes daily to run your hands, or a comb,
through your dog’s coat to look for ticks and other insects.

Most of all, enjoy the summer sun and vacation time with your canine companion.
Just make sure it’s a safe summer for both of you.

Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and
creator of the popular website on small dogs,
http://www.ToyBreeds.com