Old Trainer: Caring for your dog in the extreme heat

Dear Old Trainer: We moved from Colorado to Texas and it’s so hot Callie, our 5-year old Akita mix, hated to go outside the first few weeks. Her coat was so thick we had her groomed and she goes outside more now, but we aren’t used to extreme heat. Do dogs feel the heat as much as humans?

Mariam, Midland, Texas

A. Larry McMurtry had the perfect description of Texas heat in his novel Lonesome Dove:

“…summer had the town trapped deep in dust, far out in the chaparral flats, a heaven for snakes and horned toads, roadrunners and stinging lizards, but hell for pigs and Texans.”

Summer is more deadly for dogs than humans, but they can handle heat — even Texas heat — if their humans do a few things to help:

The most important is plenty of cool water inside and out. Use a large container, keep it fresh, add ice to ensure it’s cool. Replace the water and rinse the container every third day.

Make sure your dog has shade when outside and place a child’s wading pool so they can cool off. If you have no trees, use a tarp or sheet to block the sun. No shade? Keep the dog inside until evening.

Never chain a dog outside in hot weather. If the chain gets tangled they cannot reach shade or water and will die.

Add new games for summer. Play with the spray from a hose. Throw a ball in the water instead of on the lawn.

A hot street or sidewalk will burn a dog’s feet in minutes so stay on the grass. Walk during the cool of day. Skip the walk if it’s not mostly in the shade.

Give your dog a summer cut, but do not shave her. Get rid of the thick undercoat so many breeds have.

Never take a dog along in the car unless you will be in the car at all times. Never leave a dog alone in a car with the air conditioner going. If the car dies, the dog dies.

Keep your dog inside night and day during extreme heat. If you can’t, hose her down every few hours and make a bed of ice like the University of Georgia does for Uga, their Bulldog mascot.

Keep dogs with black coats out of direct sun. Dogs are closer to the ground — and the heat — than you are and take longer to recover, so watch your dog at all times.

Excess panting, drooling, vomiting, and bright red tongue and gums are all signs of heat distress. It means your dog is in danger and you must act immediately to save her life:

1. Hose her down with cool water and place her in front of a fan. An old myth holds that fur acts as insulation against heat, but if a dog becomes overheated the fur traps the heat, making it harder to cool down. A fan helps dissipate heat through her fur.

2. Provide cold water and give her ice cubes. Keep her in an air-conditioned environment, preferably on a tile floor or other cool surface.

No column I write all year is more important than this one. Use the same common sense you do with a child in hot weather. Err on the side of caution and your dog will survive the summer with no problems.