It hasn’t rained in seven days, and while normally I consider that a good thing it is causing some issues with temperature not normally seen in late August, when we’re supposed to be washing away.
No big deal for me and Ghost, but LB is starting to suffer.
Obviously he stays out of the summer sun as much as is convenient for him, but lately he can’t get any relief anywhere. He has actually – and this shocked me into worry at first – stopped eating.
Little Bear, the stomach that waddles like a fat dog, barely even wants treats. He still finds cattle exciting, though.
He’s outside right this minute, right where I took the picture. As soon as the sun went below the horizon the outdoor temperature seemed to drop 15 degrees and he’s lying in the drainage ditch, still wet from where I cleaned out the chicken waterers.
I made things worse indoors because I couldn’t put off baking any longer. I’ve got a paying gig tomorrow that’ll probably take up most of the day, and needed some bread. So I’m not going to insist that LB come in until bedtime. Hopefully it’ll cool off indoors by then.
I wonder if a deep dugout would help LB. I don’t think Newfie’s are into digging, but the Ridgebacks I’ve had would literally dig a burrow over a couple of weeks, to get down into the cool soil.
Yeah, LB spends most of the day under the cabin. I wired off that corner so he can go under there without wrapping his cable around any of the piers. LB’s not a digger but Ghost digs constantly, and they’ve got quite a cavity under there.
Give him a poodle cut?
Pity the part-Newfie is right. With the coat on him and the temps be careful about his over heating. One thing that can be done to draw the heat out is to pot a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the pads of the dog’s paws. Dogs release heat from the pads of their feet, so putting rubbing alcohol on the pads can help draw some of the heat out. Just be sure that the feet are uncovered and exposed to cool air.
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/pet-safety/protecting-pets-from-heat