Summer is officially here! And while we all love a little summer outdoor time, there are some important things to remember when it comes to caring for your dogs. Please share!

Keep walks to a minimum during the hottest parts of the day, and stick to the shady parts of the street. It’s best to limit exercise to early morning or evening hours when the weather forecast calls for excessive heat.

Remember that dogs with white-colored ears are more susceptible to skin cancer. And smush-face dogs like pugs, boxers and some pitbull-mixes have more difficulty breathing in the heat. Take care if you have dogs with these features. It may be best to leave them at home in air-conditioned comfort.

If you do get out during the hottest parts of the day, be careful on hot asphalt, concrete or brick walkways. We all know they can heat up fast. You wouldn’t want to linger barefooted on those hot surfaces, so don’t subject your dogs to it. Guide them to grassy and/or shady spots. Paw pads can burn–causing dark spots and redness, blisters, and in the worst cases–open sores.   If your dog shows signs of pain or discomfort–pick him or her up and/or quickly get to a cool spot.

Finally, we all know the dangers of leaving anyone–human or animal–in a car. Temperatures can very quickly skyrocket and anyone can die in minutes from heat exhaustion. Even if it’s a pleasant 75 degrees outside, inside a car it can hit 100 degrees in less than 15 minutes. Please leave your pets at home if they cannot go with you into air-conditioned spaces.   If you see a dog–or any living being–locked in a hot car, please call 911.

Please share. Take care and enjoy the summer!