Summer here is humid, and humidity is the part that catches dogs out. A dog cools itself mainly by panting, and panting works by evaporation, which is exactly what humid air makes harder. An 85 degree day at high humidity is harder on a dog than a dry 90.
Heat
Check the pavement with the back of your hand. Hold it there for five seconds. If you cannot, your dog should not be walking on it. Asphalt holds heat long after the air has cooled, so seven in the evening can still be too hot.
Walk early or late. Before eight and after seven is the rule of thumb in July and August.
Know the early signs of overheating, because the obvious ones are late ones. Heavy panting that does not settle when the dog stops moving. Thick, ropey drool. Bright red gums. A dog who lies down and does not want to get up. Any of those means stop, shade, water, and cool the dog with wet towels on the belly and paws rather than ice.
Flat-faced dogs, older dogs and heavy-coated dogs have much less margin. If you have a bulldog, a pug or a senior, be conservative in a way that feels excessive. They do not get a warning shot.
Never leave a dog in a parked car. Not with the windows cracked, not for five minutes, not in the shade.
Ticks
The Lehigh Valley has them, and they are not just a summer problem any more. Mild winters mean tick season now runs most of the year.
Use a preventive and use it year-round. Talk to your vet about which one, since the right choice depends on the dog.
Check after every walk in long grass or woods. Ears, armpits, groin, between toes, under the collar. Run your fingers against the coat rather than looking.
Remove one properly. Fine-point tweezers, grip as close to the skin as you can, pull straight out with steady pressure. No twisting, no burning, no petroleum jelly. Clean the spot afterwards and keep an eye on it.
If your dog gets lethargic, lame in shifting legs, or goes off food in the weeks after a bite, mention the tick to your vet.
Water
Not every dog can swim, and some breeds are genuinely bad at it. Deep chests, short legs and flat faces all work against a dog in water. Do not assume.
Moving water is different from a pool. The Delaware and the Lehigh look calm in places and are not. Current, cold pockets and steep banks are all real.
Watch for water intoxication, which is rare and serious. A dog repeatedly retrieving from water can swallow a lot of it. Staggering, bloating, vomiting and glazed eyes after a long session in the water is an emergency.
Rinse after swimming, particularly in still water, and dry the ears properly.
What a hot day looks like in our yard
Paddling pools go out. The yard has mature trees and the slope catches whatever breeze there is, which is one of the genuine advantages of being up on College Hill rather than down by the river.
Water bowls are refilled through the day rather than topped up. On the hottest afternoons the dogs come inside for a stretch, because a shaded yard on a humid day is still a humid day.
Groups get smaller when it is hot. Dogs play harder than is good for them when there are more of them, and the simplest way to stop that is fewer dogs.
If it is genuinely dangerous out, the day moves indoors and we will tell you rather than pretending otherwise.
Questions
If you are not sure whether your dog copes with heat, tell us at the tour. It is the kind of thing worth knowing before the first 90 degree day, not during it.
(484) 714-6624 or the contact page.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. If you think your dog is overheating or has been bitten, call your vet.