A summertime warning & home needed

Today was one of the hotter days we have had. Of course it was also one of the first dry days we have had in awhile which meant it was time to mow the lawn. I usually wait until later in the day so the sun moves to the back of the house and leaves a shady area for the dogs to lay in while they are outside with me. (they like to watch me work) I keep a good eye on them because even though there is shade, dogs do not always chose to lay in it when hot. I learned this the hard way with my first akita, Kuma. (He is the brindle below on the right. My female Shimo is on the left. They were both so beautiful and I still miss them.)

While putting in some new flooring during a summer day I put him out in the yard with plenty of shade and water. Unfortunatly he did not chose to utilize the shade. When I went out to check on him (about 20 minutes later) I realized he was not acting right and staggering. Recognising it was a heat issue I immediately got the hose on him and cooled him down. (the quickest cooling is done under the belly and leg areas) He was fine after the incident but it taught be a very valuable lesson, dogs do not always make the logical choice for their own safety. PLEASE keep an eye on your dogs when outside on a sunny day. Heat problems can crop up fast and can be fatal.

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I also heard a story today about two dogs jumping out of their owners car through the open windows. Fortunatly they were close to the store with the open door the owners were in and went straight to them. Luckily they were not parked across the really busy street from the store. Just because your dog has never jumped out of your car before doesn't mean they never will. (Dogs make doggy decisions after all.) I also had an incident at the grocery store parking lot recently where when I went back to my vehicle there was a truck with a lab and a pug and open windows. The pug was so friendly he (or maybe she) almost fell out of the window trying to get to me to say hello. It was a very large tall truck too. I left quickly without engaging the dog so he wouldn't fall. It made me fear for the dogs safety AND from a would be dog thief. (I had an appointment and now feel guilty I left. Next time I will stay and wait for the owner to keep an eye on the dog.) Please leave your dog at home on a hot day and keep those dogs safely tethered or crated in your vehicle to keep your loved ones safe. It only takes seconds for things to go horribly wrong.

This handsome boy is Noah. He is a 3 year old black lab looking for a new home here in Maine. If you are interested please e-mail me directly at CanineHelp@aol.com and I will put you in touch with the party placing him. His owner is having health issues preventing him from keeping him. I am told he is a fabulous boy with a great temperment. Currently being fostered with 3 other dogs so he is very social.

This beautiful trio is a photo an akita person sent of her crew. I just thought it was to adorable not to share.