If You Take a Dog to a Party...

They should be a well-behaved guest! Being able to take your dogs with you when you are out and about is a privilege, not a right, for those of us with pet/companion dogs; only service dogs are afforded rights to be in public spaces with their handlers, unrestricted.  For the rest of us, we really need to take an honest look at our dogs, how they behave (or don't!), what they enjoy doing (and don't!), and what our plan is if we are out in public and our dog has a meltdown.  As any parent of a toddler will tell you, you have to have a plan for those untimely meltdowns!

I do try to take my dogs with me whenever I can; I think it's good for them to get out and see new places and meet new people, and have novel experiences. It's mentally stimulating for them and good practice for me to see where they are with their distractions training, for example.  Ozzie has gotten to be an old pro at this, having stepped into Desi's rather large pet assisted therapy dog shoes.  Ozzie does one pet therapy visit each month, and I also try to take him to coffee or lunch with me once a month as well, just so we can have one-on-one time and he can get a break from Henley.  Henley isn't ready for pet therapy visits yet as he still can be a little bouncy with new people.  I take him out, however, as I like to walk him around populated malls and busy stores as I want him to continue to improve.  For his recent stage presentations, he had to walk through a parking garage, board an elevator, go through automated doors, greet new people, greet new dogs, pose for pictures AND perform alongside me onstage.  He did great, but he was still bouncy in a few of his greetings, so we'll keep working on that.  You might be thinking, "Well why didn't you take Ozzie for those presentations?" Well, the answer is that I didn't take Ozzie because he'd have hated doing that!  Ozzie knows a lot of tricks, can do elevators, etc., but having screaming kids running at and around him isn't his cup of tea. In fact, screaming kids make him anxious, so I avoid taking him places where that's likely to occur.  Now, he's certainly heard/seen screaming kids when we've been in restaurants, and while he'll alert to the sounds, he doesn't get anxious as he's pretty sure those screaming kids are going to stay at their table and not encroach on his space. Henley, on the other hand, loves kids, screaming or not.  He figures screaming kids need a collie to hug and that's his approach.

So, why am I telling you this?  Every single one of us needs to know our own dog and be mindful of the situations we put them into.  While there are certainly steps you can take with your training to prepare your dog for being in public spaces more often, you do need to keep their personality/temperatment in mind always.  If your dog is a total introvert for whom loud noises, screaming kids, and random approaches from strangers might trigger anxiety, don't force them to do it.  Instead, choose hikes or park excursions for that dog, at off peak times, so that they can experience working with you away from home, but not be forced to deal with situations and people who create anxiety.  Yes, you can certainly still take your introvert with you to busy malls, events, etc., just remember that doing so is stressful for them.  Weigh your options: Is taking them with you in their best interest, or is it that you just want to do so? And if your dog doesn't like being approached or petted by strangers, please don't take them with you as it puts you and your dog at risk.  People are going to approach you and many will try to pet your dog without asking. I know, I know. They should ask, but frankly they often don't and you don't want to put someone, or your dog, at risk.

Training your dog in public access skills is a worthwhile endeavor and a good way to mentally stimulate any dog.  Start with simple outings such as walking to the post office or bank, sitting quietly next to you while you drop mail in the box or use the ATM machine.  Work up to taking your dog into dog-friendly stores and walking them around the displays.  Have your dog sit each time you stop walking.  Do not allow extensive sniffing, rubbing on displays, etc. Brief sniffs are fine. Find stores with stairs and elevators so that you can practice both.  Stairs come in all forms, some you can see between the stairs, others are solid, some are made of wood, and others are slippery or covered in carpeting that can retain odors.  Practice all of those different kinds of stairs, encouraging your dog to go slowly, stopping at the top and sitting before descending. Do not allow your dog to linger or sniff excessively on the stairs. On the elevator, you can start with having your dog stand next to you, but work up to having them sit next to you or between your legs so that they don't take up too much space or block someone else's access to that elevator.

When you are working on taking your dog to eating establishments, do take it slow. If your dog is still surfing counters at home, you'll want to have that issue addressed before you try to walk through a restaurant where people have food on their tables as you pass by!  Start simple with a coffee shop, yogurt shop, or smoothie place.  Sit at a table with your dog and offer them treats for sitting calmly at your side or laying at your feet. Don't bribe them to behave, instead reward them when they do. If they can't focus or are fidgety, just pick up your coffee/yogurt/smoothie and move on; you can try again another day.  Once your dog is good at those coffee shops, you can move on to a casual restaurant, just remember that a busy restaurant on a weekend may be more than your dog can handle that first time out in public.  Maybe try that restaurant on a weekday and work up to a busy weekend. Dog friendly restaurants are terrific, but they get busy and if there are a lot of dogs there, that may be too much your first few trips out together.  Don't push it.  You want your dog to enjoy going out to restaurants with you, not dread them.  And take some advice from those toddler parents and walk your dogs outside the restaurant if they become fidgety, bored, or start acting up.  Don't allow your dog (or your kids!) to impinge upon the dining experiences of others.  Nothing gives kids or dogs a worse rep than when they are ill-behaved in public and their parents/owners do nothing about it.  Consequences are important! We need to be fair to the other diners around us and keep our dogs away from their tables.  And by the same token, those parents need to keep their kids at their own table as well.  And remember not to allow your dog to block the path for the servers just trying to do their jobs. If you have a big dog, ask for a table in a corner where you can keep your dog closer to the wall and not block pathways.

Just as those toddler parents have baby bags filled with what they need to survive out in public, so should dog owners!  Carry your own water, water bowl, treats, a mat/towel for your dog to lay on, and of course poop bags.  You can even bring a bone or other busy toy for your dog to chew on, just make sure the toy you've brought isn't messy or noisy. When Henley was a young puppy, I used to always bring a bone and a bullystick with me, allowing him to chew on one for a bit, and then switching it up.  It took most of his first year practicing for him to get to the point where he can now go to a busy restaurant and hang out with me for an hour.  He's not ready yet for much longer than that, but he'll get there.  For now, I don't push him and we keep practicing! He's been the most challenging collie I've ever owned from the standpoint of teaching calm behaviors. Henley is super-smart, loves to problem solve, is bold and fearless, and is only now understanding the pleasure that comes from sitting still and observing the world.  Calm was not in Henley's vocabulary for much of his first year.  Now, at almost 18 months, he's beginning to see how fun it is to be out in public, calmly accepting attention from new people, and being able to further explore the world as he becomes more proficient at handling what busy public spaces have to offer. Slow and steady wins the race, and if he had never really gotten it, that would have been fine too. It just would have meant less time out in public and more time working at home. He'd still be a great dog, but now that he's gotten a little older, he can go more places and I trust him to make better choices when we're there.  And if he's having an off day, I don't push him. Just as I've cut pet therapy visits short for Ozzie because I could see he was done, I don't push Henley to remain out in public longer than he's able.  If he gets fussy or fidgety, we're out of there.

I hope that gives you a training path to pursue more time out in public spaces with your dogs.  If you still have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here's Henley just calmly watching the people go by at our Golden State Warriors event in San Francisco.  He's in a sit/stay, dropped leash just loose on the ground.  Six months ago, I wouldn't have dropped his leash like that and walked away for a photo; he'd have wanted to get to the other dogs and people going by. Now, he's able to do this, no problem.  Henley is maturing, clearly loving his time out in public and teaching people all about smooth collies!

How Often Should You Take Classes With Your Dog?

After I posted last week's blog about my upcoming therapy pets training class, I had several clients reach out and ask how often they should be taking classes with their dogs and what kind of classes they should be taking.  I love that each and every one of them who asked me this had their dog's best interests in mind when they asked!  Obviously, they were concerned that they might not be doing enough, or doing the right things, to ensure their dogs are living mentally and physically stimulating lives. So, here are my thoughts:

There is no set number or timing of classes for your dogs, though I will say that doing at least one round of puppy classes between the ages of 3 months and 9 months of age is a must, in my opinion.  Ideally, puppy owners will start with a basics/socialization class and then move on to an adolescent manners class of some kind.  Whether those puppies go on to do more obedience classes, or specialized classes, is really up to their guardians and what those individual dogs might need.  

You see, some humans enjoy taking classes because the classes are structured, are a set number of hours of instruction, and occur in a controlled environment.  By the same token, some humans don't like classes BECAUSE they are structured and limited to the time frame set by the instructor.  Those humans might prefer to schedule private lessons, so to speak, for their dogs.  And then there are a lot of humans who prefer to do their dog's training on their own, when it suits them.  There is nothing wrong with any of these approaches to dog training, as long as, you are committing yourself to doing the work one way or the other.

You don't need to take classes every day, every week, or even every month, though I certainly know dog owners who do all of those things.  What I usually suggest is committing to 5-10 minutes of training every single day; maybe you get more than that because you take your dog to an hour class, or you get less than than because your work schedule keeps you busy.  It's an average: If every day you focus on your dog's behavior for 5-10 minutes, you will have a reasonably well behaved companion dog. You can spread out the 10 minutes, focusing on things like sitting and waiting to go through doorways every time you do so, for example, or maybe you are working on stay in place on a dog bed.  Don't spend an hour doing either, just incorporate a few minutes here and there throughout the day, when the situations arise naturally. Just remember to have those treats in your pocket to pay the appropriate behaviors when they happen!

I think most dogs enjoy learning tricks and most humans enjoy teaching them, so I like to incorporate tricks training into almost every treatment plan I devise for my clients' dogs.  For dogs who need more action than that, I like to send them to learn agility, parkour, or even herding. For dogs who have some good basic obedience skills, I think a rally class is a great idea.  But, again, you can teach your dog agility, parkour, and rally on your own, in your own yard, at your own pace, you just need the equipment to do so.

So, I guess my answer to the original question is take classes as often as you want to, if your dog enjoys them, but don't force yourself to continually enroll in classes if you find they aren't working for you or they are causing additional anxiety for your dog.  If that's the case, opt instead to do the training on your own, or one-on-one with a trainer, at a pace that works for you and for your dog.  Less anxiety all around.

And as always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Classes can be a great way to socialize for humans as well as for the dogs!

Does Your Dog Have What It Takes To Be A Therapy Dog?

As most of you already know, I've been involved in pet assisted therapy work since the late 1990's, though I did some research on the subject and piloted a program on the UC Davis campus back in the late 1980's as well. I've seen the obvious benefits of pet therapy for patients many times (reduced heart rate, slowed breathing, increased sociability, etc.) as well as some of the less obvious ones which include the benefits to the volunteers and their pets participating themselves in pet assisted therapy programs.

As I have in previous years, I will be teaching a three session series on pet assisted therapy for Molly's AdobeDogs Dog Training in Los Altos. The course begins on Saturday, August 17, at 11 a.m. The first class will cover what is involved in pet therapy work, the logistics of preparing yourself and your pet to participate, and an overview of the types of visits that you can do. The second class will cover other, more advanced forms of pet therapy including reading visits with children, off leash visits with at-risk or incarcerated youth, and animal assisted services, a specialized form of pet therapy where animals serve a direct role in the rehabilitation process, or within a clinical setting, for the patients they serve. The final class will cover the different pet therapy organizations you can join, including national groups, as well as local groups here in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the final class I will also do mock evaluations of the pets attending this class to give their owners a better idea of their pets' readiness to participate as pet assisted therapy animals.

In the past, this course has been limited, obviously, to pet owners local enough to Los Altos to be able to attend class three Saturday mornings in a row. This time around, I am hoping to open this class up to anyone interested in it by creating a virtual classroom on Zoom so that others across the country, and maybe even around the world, can attend. For those of you who are local and want to attend, here is the link to sign up: https://adobedogs.dogbizpro.com/public/registration/index.aspx?schedule=1266

For those of you out of the area who would like more information on attending the classes via Zoom, please email me or send me a message through Facebook, Instagram, Threads, etc. and I will get that information to you. You would still need to be able to view the class when it is “live,” so 11 a.m. PST on August 17. I will have someone monitor the Zoom classroom space for questions from those participants who are not present in the actual classroom, so everyone's questions can be heard and addressed in real time.

I'm very much looking forward to teaching this class as I've not taught it in over a year and I've not had the opportunity to offer any classes via Zoom as yet, so this trial run will allow me to determine the feasibility of other Zoom classes with me in the future.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

My daughter and I on a pet therapy visit with Desi many years ago.

Senior Humans Make Awesome Pet Owners!

I've had a lot of older clients over the years, especially since I moved back to the east bay area where we have several large, vibrant, retirement communities populated by conscientious pet owners.  That's one of the attributes I love most about senior pet owners, they are conscientious to a fault. They take notes during our appointments, they always schedule their follow up before I leave that first appointment, and they ask great questions, actually listening to my answers.  It's not that younger pet owners don't listen, it's just that many of them are in such a hurry to get to "the punchline," that they miss all of the steps needed to help their pet actually get there safely.

Here's something I find really frustrating though.  Many of my senior clients had a terrible time acquiring their new pets.  Why, you might ask?  Well, because many rescue groups and shelters actually discriminate against older pet owners!  I understand that rescues and shelters don't want to place an animal that they see as too rambunctious, too powerful, etc. with a senior pet owner, but many seniors don't need those well-meaning rescue folks and shelter staff to tell them what they can and cannot handle. They've lived fulfilling lives and know their limits, trust me on that.  And if the hesitation with placing pets with seniors comes from a place of concern about their longevity, keep in mind that research supports that seniors live longer, happier, healthier lives when they have a support network, which can (and should) include pets.

I'd much rather see these rescue groups and shelters think more about what makes a good companion for a senior pet owner, looking at that specific senior in front of them applying for a pet, not what their own bias tells them a senior pet owner needs.  Better questionnaires about what specific behaviors/personalities senior pet owners are looking for, plus their experience, the home environment they'll be providing, etc. should all be a bigger part of matching a senior with a pet than just "Oh, this is an older pet owner.  They have to be paired with a senior animal."  I agree that senior pet owners often make lovely home environments for senior pets, but I know a lot of senior humans who want a pet who is more active and engaging than that feline or canine who is nearer the end of its life than the beginning or middle, particularly if they are seeking out a new pet after having just lost their most recent companion animal to old age. 

As a behaviorist, you know I'm way more interested in the behavior of animals than what they look like or how old they are per se. I like to help my senior clients find the right pet for their circumstances.  If they live in an apartment in a senior community, for example, then a German Shepherd won't be a good match, even if the senior human has had German Shepherds before.  But you know what, if what they liked about their German Shepherds was their brains, activity level, and watchdog abilities, why not go for a Havanese instead? They are smaller so better suited to apartment life; they are smart and agile, so they'll get you out for walks and trips to the park; they'll bark when people knock on your dog, so you'll feel safe; and best of all? They are incredibly social, increasing your sociability among your peers. Again, I'm just using these two breeds as an example to make my point.  Matching seniors with pets should be about more than their age.  Prior experience and current goals for that pet are huge factors to be considered more seriously!

Another pet peeve I have is the hesitancy to even place cats with seniors.  Again, why?  They are stable home environments where people are around a lot, having ample time to spend enriching those cats' lives. In fact, go ahead and place two cats with a senior so the cats have each other for company as well.  

It's interesting.  I find that breeders are often less reluctant to place a dog with a senior human than the rescues and shelters. Now, before you jump in and say well that's because breeders are in it for the money, let me just stop you right there.  First off, shelters and rescues charge a fee for their placed pets too.  Nothing is free.  Second, breeders have invested a lot of time and money in the dogs they produce so they actually do a lot to research prospective buyers, older, younger, families, whatever, and try to make a match (if they have one!) based on that. I know breeders who won't necessarily place an 8 week old puppy with a senior, but to be fair, they also don't want to place that same 8 week old puppy in a home with toddlers either!  And there are a lot of breeders who are looking to place young adult or middle aged dogs they have that they are no longer breeding or showing.  Wonderful dogs for almost any home environment, but none more so than a senior human experienced with that particular breed.

I feel like I'm going round and round here, so I'll leave you with this final thought. If you are someone working in a shelter or with a rescue group, don't discount those senior pet owners as potential adopters.  A lot of them have the time, money, and experience for a pet.  And I can tell you first hand, they invest in their pets' mental health and well-being too. 

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Older pet owners have a lot to offer the pets in their care, including an investment in quality time.

In Defense of Dogs as Child Substitutes

I was at the tail end of a discussion with a client, a woman my own age, who has an adult son living with his girlfriend. My client was being a bit dismissive about the dog her son and his girlfriend were fostering and hoping to adopt.  Basically, she made a comment about this dog being nothing more than "a child substitute" for her son, an "experiment to see if they can parent together." The part I found most fascinating about this conversation was the fact that this client herself has a little dog she absolutely dotes on.  This dog wears clothing, rides in a stroller, and goes everywhere with her. I wanted to ask her if she could see the irony in her statements about her son and his new dog? You see, from my point of view, her little dog could be viewed as a grandchild substitute!  But really, is any of that wrong anyway? Not at all.

Dogs and humans have been coevolving for over 30,000 years.  Dogs have served many roles during that time, everything from guardian to caretaker to assistant.  And, yes, child substitute.  We care for dogs, just as we care for other family members.  Their health, happiness, and success depends on us.  Most parents of young children would tell you the same applies to their little kids. Whether a person decides to have children or not is a personal decision, just as pet ownership is.  And whether a person gets a dog to serve the purpose or fill the role that a child/grandchild would in that person's life is again a personal choice.  It is not up to us to judge them, make fun of them, or deride them for their choices.

I've known many young couples who adopt a dog together and then go on to have children together too. I've also known couples who just keep adding dogs, never opting for two-legged progeny.  It's none of my business why those couples chose either route.  It's simply my job to help them with those dogs, guiding them to see the most scientifically proven, effective ways to ensure that their dogs lead healthy, happy, productive dog lives.  If your dog is your baby, that's great!  If your dog is your companion, that's great too.  How ever the relationship works for you and your dog is completely legitimate, no judgment from me. 

Now, I know there are people out there rolling their eyes when they see dogs in strollers, wearing sweaters on Fall days, or raincoats when it's raining.  I get that for some people, these dog owner behaviors seem foreign or frivolous.  But here's the thing.  Some dogs get cold on cold days and/or don't like to get wet.  Sure, they are dogs, but they are dogs far removed from those ancestors living in human camps and dealing with the elements as they arose.  You know what?  We are ourselves far removed from that as well.  

So, please don't be quick to judge that dog in a stroller (he has legs, why isn't he walking like a normal dog?!) or that dog in a coat as being an over-indulged, pampered, child substitute.  While it very well may be, it can also simply be a senior dog who can't walk long distances any more and who doesn't thermoregulate as well as he used to. His owner is compassionate and caring and trying to make sure he is comfortable while still making sure he gets out and mentally stimulated in public settings.  And please don't assume that every couple with a dog and no kids is "using" that dog as a starter "kid," waiting to see if they can hack parenthood.  That's just ridiculous.  As any parent will tell you, parenthood is hard whether you had a dog first or not!

Dogs are many things to many people.  I like to think of mine as treasured family members.  Their lives are short and I intend to make sure that they enjoy themselves. 

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here are Desi and Ozzie wearing their raincoats on a rainy day. Now, you could argue that rough collies have coats that are heavy enough to keep them comfortable in the rain, and while that's true, I'm the one that had to dry them off when they got home and I didn't want to dry off any more dog than I had to.  Wearing those raincoats meant I had less to dry off, plain and simple.  And did the dogs care about the coats? Absolutely not.  They wore their raincoats, went for their walks, and everyone was content. Were my dogs child substitutes? No, I don't think so, but if you do, I'm okay with that!

You Are Not Alone

I met with a new client last week who gave me a big hug at the end of our appointment as she told me, "Thank you for helping us.  I feel so much better knowing we aren't the only family having these problems with our dog." Her comment really struck me as she truly felt like they must be the only ones. When she looked at the other dogs in her neighborhood, all she saw were "perfect" dogs and "happy" owners, she didn't feel like she should be taking her dog outside of her house and subject herself (and her dog) to their scrutiny. The funniest/not really funny part of all of this is the fact that she got my contact information from one of her neighbors.  She didn't think to ask why that neighbor had met with me! If she had, she'd have found out that it took a lot of work to get that neighbor's dog to the point where she could walk with him in public spaces without him barking, twirling, and grabbing her arm when he panicks!  I've actually worked with three dog owners in that same neighborhood, so I know that while those other dogs appear "perfect" and the owners appear "happy," there was a great deal of work that went into getting there. I couldn't, of course, tell my new client these things, but, what I could tell her is this:

You are definitely not alone.  Research published back in late 2023 found that 1/3 of the dogs in the study had behavior problems, as reported by the owners, and this was not at all representative of what was found in the veterinary records for those same dogs.  The bottom line:  there were a lot of dogs with behavior problems (the most common being noise sensitivities and fear and not listening to the owners) and those problems were not being shared with the pets' veterinarians.  Yes, pet owners should report behavior problems to their veterinarians as that's your first step in getting the right help for your pet.  But even more importantly, does your veterinarian show an interest in your pet's behavior, outside of what they see during your veterinary visits?  Do they ask you questions about your pet's behavior?  If they don't, they really should, as there needs to be less stigma associated with reporting behavior problems AND veterinarians need to provide a safe space to discuss those issues in behavior that effect that pet's quality of life and that of their owners.  There IS a strong connection between physical and mental health that needs to be recognized across the board.

A pet's behavior problems, regardless of their severity, should never deter an owner from seeking help and guidance.  For many of my clients, there is (unwarranted) guilt about the problems they are experiencing, leading them to seek answers in less reputable, but nonetheless anonymous, places on the internet.  While the world wide web can be amazingly helpful in many cases, treating behavior problems in pets using the internet is a black hole of misinformation.  There are great places to find reliable information on animal behavior, but those sites seem to be underutilized, with dog owners, in particular, gravitating toward the loudest voices claiming quick fixes and guaranteed results.  This mindset leads to disappointment at best, and to detrimental methodologies being foisted on dogs at worst. I realize it's human nature to seek out a "quick solution," otherwise why would there be all those ads on social media for losing weight, making money from home, and getting in shape without working out?  But quick solutions aren't always the best ones, that is the ones that result in real changes in your pet's behavior and their mindset, without damaging their relationship with you.

Here's the way I look at it:  It doesn't matter if your dog "just jumps on people," "just barks at the window," "just pulls on leash," OR "doesn't come when called," "won't drop things when asked," etc.  Those are all issues in behavior that a qualified professional can help you with!  Start with your veterinarian as they can help guide you to the right professional for the job.  A qualified dog trainer may be recommended, or someone like me, a true, certified animal behaviorist.  Either way, your vet is in the loop on the issues that you are having, and they are guiding you directly, no need to do an internet search and get lost in that black hole of dog behavior.  One of the main reasons I started writing this weekly blog was so pet owners would have a reputable online resource they could use when trying to figure out what to do for their pets.  And if they needed more help beyond the blog, they'd know who to ask.  There are even pet owners following my blog who don't have current issues with their pets and credit ideas they picked up from my blog for helping their pets stay mentally happy and healthy, and I love that!

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

This is my dog friend, Millie. We've worked together since she was a pup, and we are all grateful for those lessons as she is now just under 130 lbs and many issues commonly faced by dog owners (pulling on leash, jumping up, etc.) would be just that much more risky when you are talking about a large breed dog like Miss Mille.  And, yes, she's a Newfoundland!

Too Hot to Handle!

Across the country, soaring temperatures and high humidity are making this a summer to remember, and not in a good way.  These dangerously high temperatures aren't good for anyone, least of all for our pets.  I just wanted to review some things you can do to make sure your pets are comfortable as those thermometers ascend into the triple digits.

Walk your dogs early in the morning and/or late in the evening.  I know this sounds obvious, but the number of people I see out walking their dogs when temperatures are already in the 80's and beyond amazes me. Sidewalk and asphalt temperatures can reach 125 to 140 degrees when the air temperature is 75-85 degrees.  Even grass gets hot!  If the air temperature is 95 degrees, for example, the grass is 10-15 degrees warmer than that!  For those of you walking your reactive dogs at off peak hours and off peak places to avoid running into others, you will definitely be encountering a lot more dog owners out walking at those times too.  Keep that in mind as you decide on what route to take for your training walks. 

Remember, though, that you don't "have to" walk your dog. There are lots of other ways to get your dog exercise.  Everything from tossing a ball down a hallway, to setting up an indoor agility course around your furniture will do. It's also the case that providing your dogs with interactive toys and puzzles will stimulate and exercise their brains enough that they don't need a walk on a really hot day. 

Even dogs who don't like to swim can enjoy a kid's plastic wading pool. Put a couple of inches of cool water in the pool, add in some ice cubes to chase or floating toys, and sit back with a cool drink in the shade to keep an eye on them.  I like to make fun ice cubes and ice licks for my dogs using metal mixing bowls and ice cube trays.  I float cut fruit or veggies (berries, zucchini, carrots, apples) in either the mixing bowl or the ice cube trays and then freeze them. The ice cubes will pop right out into your wading pool, but you may need to run water over your metal mixing bowl sized ice lick to get it to come out! These colorful ice floats make getting into the wading pool that much more fun.

Plus, the quickest way to cool a dog (or yourself) is by getting your feet wet! Soaking your feet cools you off quickly, as does water on your head. For your dogs, wet a cloth and stroke their heads, or pour a small amount of cool (not cold) water on their heads. Some dogs like to lay down in water to cool off, but there are exceptions to the "just let them lay in the cool water" rule.

If your dog has overheated, don't pour cold water on them or immerse them in cold water. Doing so causes blood vessels to constrict which just keeps the warmth inside them. Opt for cool water on their heads, armpits and groin with a cloth, and on their feet if they can't stand up in a pool of cool water. Give them cool or tepid water to drink from a squirt bottle, or in very small amounts in a bowl. Don't let them gulp water and don't give them water that's too cold. You can also feed them frozen treats like pupsicles and doggie ice cream to cool them down. 

Create cooler spaces for your dogs. Use fans, cooling pads, cooling vests, and air-conditioning where available to keep everyone comfortable on hot days.  Close those blinds and limit your exercise and that of your dog to help everyone stay cool. Be mindful that puppies and senior dogs can overheat (and get cold!) faster than younger dogs.  Watch for signs of heat stress.

Panting on a hot day is normal. But if the tongue is lolling all the way out, looks larger and redder than normal and is accompanied by heavy panting and/or labored breathing/inability to catch their breath, your dog is experiencing heat stress. Get them indoors where it is cooler and cool them off slowly as outlined above. If you notice them drooling excessively, having pale gums, stumbling around/ataxic, having seizures, etc., though, take them to the vet immediately.

Move those outdoor water bowls, crates, dog houses, and raised beds to shadier locations through out the day. Any water bowl can get hot, but metal water bowls outside can burn a dog on a hot day.  Water left outside should be located in a shady area, along with those beds, dog houses, etc. If you don't have a shady area to place your dog's things AND they need to be left outside during the heat of the day, invest in an awning to put their necessary  things underneath, or, better yet, leave them indoors in their crates and hire a dog walker to come let them out to relieve themselves, and bring them back indoors to play before going back into their crates until you return home.

I realize a lot of this may seem like common sense to you, but if me saying it again saves one dog's life, then it was well worth repeating.

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

Here are Ozzie and Desi, 4th of July, 2016.  Desi didn't care for the wading pool, Ozzie, on the other hand, thought the ice cubes were delicious right before he laid down in the cool inch of water.