Wow! Summer started out with some major heat here this year. All last week, temperatures were in the low to mid 90s! This week, Monday was awesome — temperature was in the mid 80s and there was a blustery breeze all day! Nice relief from last week. But then yesterday and today, we’re back in the 90s. We’re supposed to get rain and/or thunder showers today, which is supposed to put us back into the 80s.

No, this entire post isn’t going to be about the weather, but it is about how the weather affects my life. So, how do those hot days affect my life? Well, I only get two walks a day on those days. Mom takes me out in the morning before the sun is too high in the sky and heating things up, and then again in the evening when the sun has gone below our house roofs and tree lines and the pavements, roads, and driveways have cooled down enough so that they don’t burn my paws.

So, how do I do my potty the rest of the day? Well, Mom goes out and scans the entire backyard, shovel in hand, to clean up any dirt the stray cats leave in our yard. Thankfully, she usually only finds one pile. Then she pours bleach on that area and puts the lid to our fire pit over it so that I know not to get near it. Then she takes me out in the backyard. She takes me out in there once or twice while it’s really hot, and once again in the early evening, when most of our yard is in shade.

Mom hates this heat, and I don’t really like it either. I’m usually panting in no time, so even though I enjoy the freedom of running around the backyard without a leash, I like to get back into the air-conditioned house in a short amount of time. When we get inside, I go straight to my water bowl for a drink. But did you know if a dog is hot and panting and drinks too much water too quickly, it can cause them to vomit? Yeah, so Mom always makes sure she has ice cubes in the freezer during the summer months, and she’ll get one out and give it to me. I hold it in my mouth a few moments, then bite it into smaller pieces to eat. It’s a nice refreshing summertime treat!