How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Desert

Even desert dwellers love to keep dogs as pets. But, with summer temperatures reaching higher than 100 degrees on a constant basis, dogs tend to need a bit of special care. Caring for a dog in the desert takes a little extra time and a little extra water.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ventilated Dog House
• Misting System
• Kiddie Pool
• Weighted Water Bowls

1. Shading a spot. Outside dogs will need a very shady spot to rest during the hot summer days in the desert. The perfect spot, for our furry friends, is a ventilated dog house. These houses provide exceptional protection from the desert heat and sun.

2. Keeping cool. While the ventilated dog house will surely keep the sun's rays off of our pets, it will not keep them cool. Misting systems, left on during the day, are the perfect shower of cool for our dogs.
   
   If no misting system is available, try adding a kiddie pool to a shaded part of the yard. Fill the pool with a few inches of water and your dog will take a cool dip every time he (or she) feels hot.

3. A long cool drink. It is absolutely important to keep our desert dogs watered throughout the day. As our frisky friends play, the water bowls may be over turned. Keeping several weighted water bowls scattered around ensures a constant supply of water for our pets.

Tips & Warnings

• Shading can also be provided by covered patios.
• Never keep your dog attached by a rope or cord, they may become entangled and become unable to reach the water or shade.

[favefive]

on 11/29/2007 We are visitng some friends who live in the AZ desert next summer. We might bring my maltese with us since we never anywhere without him. I'll keep these tips in mind, thanks!