I hope you are having a wonderful summer with your family
and your dog. I would be remiss if I
didn’t remind you of a few things that are particularly relevant in the summer.
1)
With all this heat and humidity don’t forget
that your dog needs access to lots of fresh water, just like you do, to stay
hydrated and healthy.
2)
If you have access to clean water streams, lakes
or sea shore, swimming is a great alternative exercise for your dog but beware!
a.
Algal blooms! Both fresh and salt water can be
affected by potentially deadly algal blooms.
For more information on these dangers http://www.gracelinks.org/blog/7425/algal-doom-the-many-colors-of-algae-and-their-potential-haz
b.
No matter where your dog’s swims don’t forget to
thoroughly rinse your dog with fresh clean water and dry them off! Hot
spots can develop if moisture is trapped in your dog’s fur for too long. http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/what-hot-spots-dogs#1
3)
While it probably goes without saying, never
leave your dog in a car (even with the windows down) on a hot day (even 70
degrees can get unbearable hot for dogs).
Cars act like greenhouses and heat up quickly! Dog’s systems cannot
tolerate heat like ours can, and even a short amount of time in high heat can
be deadly! https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/cats-and-dogs-in-cars-debunking-five-dangerous-misconceptions
4)
While many people shave their dog in the summers
to help their pet stay cool, it can actually do just the opposite. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/05/12/pet-coat-shaving.aspx
5)
Finally, sometimes it is more kind to leave your
dog home on a hot day. Are you planning
a hiking trip, day at the beach or long drive? Please consider the WHOLE day, the
beach can be pretty hot if you don’t like to go in the water, hiking can be
especially taxing on a hot day and long drives are great if you don’t stop, but
what happens when you need to eat and the dog can’t come with you!
Now on to future news!
As much as I love summer, I am now looking toward my fall class
offerings. There are classes for every
level, some will be offered as rolling admission (Graduate Puppy, Master Puppy)
and some will be offered as 6 week classes (Adventure Class, Rally, Wag it
Games). Here is the schedule starting in
September. If there is a class you’ve
been waiting for and don’t see, or an idea for a class you’d like to see,
please let me know! As you can see there
is a TBD class in there just waiting for people to let me know what you REALLY
want to do!
Have a fun, safe rest of your summer, hope to see you all in
the fall!
Check out our schedule for the fall - some of the classes are already full, so don't forget to reserve your spot early!
Fall 2017 Schedule
