Dog days of summer are risky for pooches

Taking your dogs to the Deschutes River is just one of many ways to keep them cool as we reach the mid-summer here in Central Oregon when temperatures soar to the 90s or beyond.

“No, the dog’s not the last thing on our brain — it’s definitely an important thing to think about. Obviously, you don’t want to take them around in the car too much,” Karina Procknow said.

Procknow, her family and their 1 1/2-year-old chocolate lab Remmie visited the Old Mill dog park on Wednesday. She understands how the summer heat can affect her canine friend.

“You got to think about where they’re going to be when you’re off doing fireworks and stuff like that,” she said. “He’s definitely a priority, both our dogs are. So we make sure they’re good before we leave the house.”

Temperatures in the 90s and cloudless skies are especially hard on dogs. Lauren Stayer, veterinarian at the Bend Veterinary Clinic, says dogs are often forgotten about in the summer heat.

“Make sure they have plenty of water,” Strayer said, making recommendations for dogs staying outside on these hot days. “If they are going to be outside, leave them a large bucket of water they can’t tip over or isn’t going to get knocked over. And make sure they have some way of having shade.”

Stayer also warns to limit your dog’s activity when they’re playing outside.

“They can definitely overdo it really easily without them knowing (when) to stop,” said Stayer.

Watching your dog for fatigue is necessary, but it can be difficult to tell when they are getting tired.

“It’s pretty hard, because they’re probably going to be panting no matter what, so I would probably set some type of a time limit,” she said. “And if you’re going to be out in the heat of the day, honestly, it’s probably not much more than 10 minutes.”