Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Heat Wave


Dante LOVES our daily runs/walks. He knows when it's about time, and if he thinks I've forgotten, he'll bump his leash latch against the wall were it hangs on the hook. It's pretty charming. We've been going in the mornings since early this month due to the heat, but I had an appointment with Dr. E. early today, so we didn't make it. It obviously broke Dante's heart that I was going to work out on the treadmill inside, so I figured what the heck, let's just go around our block.

Well.... the block is residential and windy and actually about a mile. I've driven around it and watched the odometer turn. I got into it and decided it wouldn't be so bad in the shade up around the neighborhood pond, so we added that half a mile before we headed back on our shorter route.

On the way back down the hill, Dante started walking more slowly and actually blocking me. Because he always comes to me, I only put him on leash if I see another walker in our route. At the base of the hill after circling the pond, he WALKED (usually he's trotting, gamboling, cantering, you get the picture) under the shade of a tree and looked at me. The poor dog actually lost balance - leaned to the left, leaned to the right, stumbled, almost fell, closed his eyes, regained balance, and sat down.

Is that what a heat stroke looks like?!?

So I picked him up and carried him straight back to the house. And he had no problem with that. You think it's hot walking in 98 degrees in the noonday sun? Try carrying a 25-pound panting black shedding dog in your arms!

At the top of the hill on the way home, I put him down, and he resumed the trotting, pausing only when he found a patch of shade. He raced back to the house and waited for me in the shade of a bush next to the driveway. We've both had some water and cooled down, and he's sleeping soundly next to me on the couch.

Moral of the story? IT IS DANGEROUSLY HOT OUTSIDE! Don't be stupid like your friend Fran. Keep outdoorsy stuff confined to early morning and late afternoon/evening. And drink plenty of water.

Photo courtesy of WeHeartIt.

3 comments:

Nina said...

this is the most delicious HOT DOG I've ever seen!

Creative Classroom Core said...

That is one of the cutest things I have ever seen! Adorable!

Anonymous said...

Hilarious pic! Sounds like you are a huge dog lover like me!

 

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