HOT!

This week in Central Iowa there is one significant item of news: it is HOT!

Now we shouldn't complain, we have had a wonderful, pleasant summer. Hardly any days of oppressive heat. Until this past weekend, and this week: highs in the 90s, terrible humidity and the state fair is already passed.

This is enough for even Paul Berge to turn on the air conditioning. My husband, Paul, is widely known among my friends as hating AC. Most people in Iowa turn the air on in May or June. Paul waits for temperatures above 90, or for his wife to refuse to come home as she can't sleep in a house with no AC. Granted, we do live in a lovely shaded house in the country, but we also own BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGs. This is a Swiss breed meant for Alpine climates; needless to say they have a lot of hair. Paul just says he hates the confinement and lack of fresh air that AC brings.

Finally, last week, Paul relented & turned the air on. Garbo and I are now happy.

So what can we do to help our pets beat the heat? Bring large breed or hairy dogs indoors. Short nosed breeds (brachycephalics like boxers and bulldogs) can't tolerate heat either. Only take the dogs walking early in the morning or late at night. No runs with the dogs unless the temp is below 70 degrees. Garbo and I did manage to get a mile of running in early yesterday morning, but she would have loved to go our usual 3-5 miles. For those crazy retreivers,  limit ball chasing and outdoor play sessions.

Luckily, cats can tolerate high temperatures better than dogs & know better than to exercise crazily outdoors during the heat.

Since we can't be running, walking or spending hours at the dog park, maybe we should start some indoor training sessions to keep the pups happy. Teach a few indoor tricks: sit, down, stand, roll over. Use treats and toys for motivation. See if you can get an indoor session lined up at Doggy Daycare or take dogs that enjoy swimming to the lake. The end of the year also brings some "dog swim" events to our local pools. Watch for these---great opportunities to play and socialize your dog for a nominal fee.

If you think Duke or Fido is getting too hot---pour cool water on his groin, stop activity & get him indoors. Call your veterinarian & discuss whether he needs to be seen. Unfortunately, dogs can die of heat stroke, a problem we want to avoid at all costs.

And remember the flip side; it's Iowa and soon we will be complaining about snow.