Written by Mara Brown, Master Dog Behaviorist
As June brings us the start of summer, many people ask me, “How do I know when it is too hot to walk my dog?” Here in the desert, it gets VERY hot. The pavement can get so hot that it can burn the pads on your dog’s paws. A quick and easy way to know if the ground is too hot for your dog is to put your palm on the ground. If it is too hot for your palm, it is too hot for your dog to walk on that surface.
So how do you make sure your dog gets exercise when it is too hot to walk? If you are lucky enough to have a pool, you can teach your dog to swim. Be sure to teach your dog how to get out of the pool on his/her own.
You can buy dog booties (but be careful because the rubber ones can melt), or walk your dog in the mall or in a large box store such as Home Depot or PetSmart. Just be sure your dog is well-behaved and you are prepared to clean up any mess your dog may make.
Be sure to watch my brand new segment on Eye On The Desert called “Eye On Pets” that I will do every Wednesday, followed by my television show, “The Life Coach for Dogs (and their Humans) on FOX at 1:00 every Wednesday!
For life coaching for you and your dog contact Mara at LifeCoachingForDogs.com or call 310-467-2334.
