Summer Lovin' Sibes Havin' Some Fun...

Wow…the heatwave has been brutal in the Northeast, with temps hitting scorching triple digits. Definitely not Siberian Husky weather, that’s for sure!  During the brutally humid days, our FiveSibes stay inside in the fan-blowing, A/C roaring, cool house where they rule the kitchen as their own personal domain as they bask, play, and tear up sections of the flooring to keep busy. Occasionally, when big brother Gibson gets tired of the three pups, he will take himself downstairs to the Sibe bedroom, and make himself comfy on the cool waterbed inside his kennel (we keep the door open so he can go to-and-from). Yes, there is A/C in their bedroom too! Naturally, when nature calls, they need to go outside, even when it’s 103F! To make it more fun for them, we fill up the kiddie pool, toss in some water toys, and hook up the hose to one of the deck beams and make a sprinkler just for their cooling pleasure! Pictured here big brother Gibson dives in first, followed by little bro Wolf. Fun was had by all!

While the heatwave continues to ripple across the countrysides and cityscapes, let’s all keep in mind ways to ease the heat for our pets and keep them safe, happy, and healthy during the hot season:

1. Keeping plenty of cool, fresh water available at all times.  
2. Giving ice chips, which make a great hot-weather (no-calorie) treat.
3. Letting them chew on cloth bones you wet and freeze.  
4. Letting them splash around in water-filled plastic kiddie pools.
5. Turning on the sprinklers to allow cool water to cascade down on them. (Be sure to keep their ears dry – or dry them after they are done).
6. Brushing their coats to rid of excess fur and aid them in blowing out that thick undercoat, such as the ones Siberian Huskies have! (Not to product endorse, but the FURminator is my personal favorite tool. It totally ROCKS on my Sibes' undercoat.)
7. Exercise them in the early AM or late PM when there is no or low humidity. Skip the days when the humidity is high.
8. Keep them off the blacktop on roads/streets. Walk them along the grassy or dirt edge. The roads get too hot for their paw pads.
9. Feed them in the AM/PM before it gets too hot. If you feed outdoors, please remove the dishes when they are done if there are any remnants of food. Please don’t leave it out in the heat – it will spoil leftover food causing the dogs to get sick if they decide to go back later on and munch some more, or, it will become bug infested – and they certainly do not need to ingest those nasty critters! Yuck.
10. If you let your beloved pets cool off in the garage – please be sure there are no toxic items around (i.e. antifreeze) that they can sniff out and ingest.
11. While plants and trees look pretty, they could be deadly for your pet. Check your pet’s surroundings for poisonous plants, shrubs, berry bushes, and trees, and keep your pets away from them! (For a list of toxic and non-toxic plants, check out the ASPCA’s website at: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/).
12. Keep the ASPCA Poison Control telephone number handy for emergencies. -(888) 426-4435 – put it into your phone contacts, write it on your message board, stick it to your fridge, memorize it.
13. Keep Benadryl on hand in case of allergic emergencies, itchy rashes, bee stings, etc. (Contact your vet for proper dosage).
14. Keep up on vet check-ups.
15. Create a first-aid kit for your pet that contains important contact information (i.e. vet, emergency clinic, Poison Control, etc.), any medical info, medicines, wipes, Benadryl, anti-anxiety or calming aids (such as Rescue Remedy, Comfort Zone), bandages, portable water dish and food dish, etc.) that you can take with you on trips, etc.
16. When indoors, be careful there are no A/C or fan wires hanging about they can chew on or trip over (and thereby pulling down a moving fan onto them).
17. Keep up on their heartworm, other worms, flea, and tick preventatives.
18. If you take your pet for a ride, please use a pet safety belt or a secured crate. And please don’t let them travel in the back of a pick up!
19. Never, EVER leave them in a parked car – it doesn’t matter if the windows are down and the car is parked in the shade. Cars heat up quickly and so do dogs. Even if you think you’ll only be in the store for five minutes, don’t bring your dog along. Leave them home until the cooler weather arrives. Please. Please. Please.

The horrendous heat (I know we’re not supposed to complain, it is July, BUT…)has hit many sections of the country (and around the globe). What kinds of things do you do for your canine companions to help them keep cool?

Until next time, stay cool, stay safe, and have lots of warm weather fun with your pets!