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.


Related articles:
Signs, Symptoms And Treatment Of Heat Stroke In Dogs
Heat Stroke: What Happens In The Dog's Body?
Heat Stroke Is No Light Matter! 
Heat Stroke - See It Coming: Canyon's Story 

From The End Of A Lead Line To Casa Jasmine: Meet Cookie, Our New Adoptee
Creative Solutions And An Incidental Product Review
Taming Of The Wild Beast: Cookie's Transition To Civilization  
Staying On Top Of The Ears: Cookie Is Not Impressed  
Who's Training Whom? Stick And Treat 
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Look Where You Want To Go: Finding My Reactive Dog Training Zen Zone? 
Dog Training And Emotions 
Dog Training And Emotions: Postscript
Dogs Love Sentences In Question Form?
Not All Dog Trainers Were Created Equal Either 
A Thought On Separation Anxiety
Happy One-Year Adoptoversary, Cookie!
About Freedom, Trust And Responsibility: A "Pilot Study"
So, We Have A Bear 
About Happiness: What Makes Your Dog Happy? 
Our Example Of The Use Of "Look At That" (LAT) 
Why Do Dogs Dig?
Who Is In The Wrong?
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Early Winter Safety: Exploring New Territories
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Give Your Dog What They Need, Get What You Want
Cookie, The First Of The Great Hunting Rottweilers  
Distance Is a Relative Concept  
Dog Communication: Be Good to Cookie or She'll Tell on You
The Benefit of the Doubt  
Putting The Guilty Dog Look To Rest?
The Stench of Fear: Is There Good and Bad Timing for Vet Visits? 
I am a Helicopter Dog Mom
Routines: Easy Come, Hard to Go
Mosquito Apocalypse 
Things Always Change: Cookie's Hunting Adventures 
The Advantage of Your Dog Not Barking All the Time: Cookie Saves Horses' Asses
"Look at That" (LAT) Game and Barking at Traffic  
The Role of Thresholds in Dog Training and Behavior 

Comments

  1. Glad Cookie is sticking close. Love the photos especially the big smile. Post some with the sprinkler- I bet they will love it (although Kilo does not- he is adapting to his little paddle tub). I will have to try goat's milk and more smoothies. Yum.

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    1. Yeah, I'm very thankful too. She'd doing very well; we'll see whether it'll last through fall.

      Will definitely post the sprinkler once we have it set up.

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  2. Bugs are still CRAZY here!!! UGH! If there is one thing I hate about summer its the bugs!!!! Definitely been a hot one, and I have had to really watch my huskies with the heat as well.

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    1. I agree; bugs suck. And apparently they are all time worst here this year.

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  3. One thing I like about living in Michigan is that we only have to put up with bugs a few months out of the year. They don't have a chance to get really big or build up in the same way as they do in warmer places. The chilled goat's milk is a great idea! Even my kitties might like that.

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    1. Here is only a few months too, but very LONG months :-)

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  4. Mr. N is obvious about his heat hatred. He will go hide under a car or just flop down into the grass to be picked up and act as my muff. Because that's exactly what I need in 90 degree weather!

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    1. LOL Well, back in my old country, in the old days, sheep herders used to wear long sheep skin coats; they wore them in the Winter and in the Summer - theoretically, insulation works both ways :-)

      Our guys definitely prefer Winter too.

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  5. I'm certainly not loving the bugs this year, but then again I think that's what I get for buying a home with a swamp that's surrounded by forest. I really started to notice this year how much the humidity is affecting Laika as well; even with water & shade we're staying indoors during those super humid hours. Panting just isn't that efficient when it comes to really high temps. And as far as the sprinkler/hose goes I'm with you on that. I bought Laika a kiddie pool, she peed in it & then continued to bug me for the hose... So yeah not all dogs are in love with just chilling in the pool. Mine just wants to be sprayed :)

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    1. Forest with a swamp certainly doesn't help. But around here, this year, even folks who live in town with no forest and no swamp have their houses totally surrounded by mosquitoes.

      I hope our guys like the sprinkler as much as I saw that some dogs do.

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  6. I'm so glad you are keeping such a close eye on Cookie, and it sounds like you're doing a great job of making sure your babies don't get overheated. I think a sprinkler would be awesome for them, and I hope your hubby agrees! :)

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    1. Hubby agrees even though he has to build one. Looks like we might even get one THIS summer ;-)

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  7. Sounds like Cookie is having a great summer! I like the sprinkler idea better than a kiddie pool because then you don't have to worry about emptying it or contributing to the mosquito population.

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    1. She has fun, in spite of the heat and the bugs. The "sprinkler" is now working, she loves it.

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  8. Cookie is so beautiful!! I love that last photo what a great smile! I know what you mean about the dogs not always knowing when to stop playing or running until it's too late and the heat is starting to get to them.
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

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    1. Thank you, Cathy. She is a very beautiful girly. She loves her "sprinkler" which is functioning now.

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  9. I'm trying to learn to take more breaks when I go for walks with my girls. It seems that Jada gets overheated really easy..just wish it wasn't so hot out!

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    1. Yeah, it's not good when it's so hot. It's very hot here too.

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  10. Is Cookie a stray? Just wondering why the focus on her 'staying around'?

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    1. She spent the first year and a half of her life alone, tied up outside. The only time she had any adventure was when she chewed through her line and took off on her own. She loves her new family but is a wild free spirit and has a strong prey drive. She does come back but still has the adventurous streak which has been hard to break.

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