Dog Days of Summer: Keeping an Eye on Cookie

This year we were quite lucky. The really hot days didn't start until the beginning of July. Though the terrible bug invasion more than made up for it. Everybody is talking about how they've never seen mosquitoes and deer flies this bad. Not long ago it was impossible to go outside unless the sun was out. The slightest overcast made the bugs go crazy.

Taking a break; chilling under the trailer.

The bugs are slowing down now, at least during the day.

Probably because they can't take the heat either.

It's hot enough to even slow down Cookie and she doesn't slow down for anything. Our main job now is to make sure the dogs don't suffer from over-heating. Heatstroke is very dangerous and can be deadly.

We go for the main walk in the morning.

Even then is already pretty hot and it's important to make sure that the dogs take breaks to cool down.

Because the ground has finally dried up enough, we could return to cleaning up the property. The dogs love to go to work with us.

Cookie has been staying around very well.

She's busy with her mouse hunt which keeps her close enough. I've been watching how she uses her unsupervised freedom. Most of the time she stays within a hundred feet and hasn't ventured further than seventy yards from us. She always comes back happily.

She's been very good. The mice certainly help. (Who would have thought that I'd be grateful for presence of small rodents?) And I wonder whether there are less distractions too. Perhaps the animals move around differently in the summer. Or perhaps their smells and sounds don't travel as well through the thick bush foliage.

Whatever the reason for Cookie sticking around is, I'm happy for that.

Chilling under the deck

In this weather I not only have to keep an eye on her whereabouts but also monitor how hot she's getting.

She's happy to hide under the trailer or deck to cool down, as long as everybody else is there too. While we're out and about working, she likes to be out there with us. And while there, she gets busy hunting.

The ground, particularly well-shaded, actually does an amazing job in keeping them cool.

When she's focused, she won't stop on her own.

We have to make sure we take her to have a drink and a little cool-down in the shade.

We are trying to talk hubby into getting a sprinkler going. It's not as easy because we don't have running water on the ranch yet, but we do have large barrels and with a pump we should be able to get the sprinkler going.

I'm hoping the guys will love it and play with it enough to get wet and cool down.

We decided to try the sprinkler instead of a kiddy pool. It's just about as much trouble and I think the sprinkler will be more effective and more fun.

I do always make sure we have enough water not just for drinking but also to be able to water the dogs down if needed.

When we come home, they get a smoothie or chilled goat milk. And, of course, there is always plenty of fresh water available for them to drink.

Ideal exercise for summer is swimming. But for now, we have nowhere to do that.

Dogs love having fun and aren't likely stop playing just because it's too hot until it's too late.

It's important to be diligent on their behalf.


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