Hey! Is that…. Wait…. I think I’m dreaming… it can’t be… but it looks like…
THE SUN!!!
Ahhh, warmth, dry puppies, the pool, butterflies to chase and no… stinkin’...mud!!
We think it’s for real this time because as of the time of this writing, Google’s 10 day forecast calls for one day of rain somewhere in there.
The weather has been tame so far this season, but recent patterns predict that we will likely be smashed with high temperatures soon enough.
And with that, we here at “Shoen’s Pet Adventures” have been preparing. We want to go over a few things with everyone so that you all know what measures we take to make sure no one overheats or becomes just generally fatigued or irritated with the sudden shift in degrees.
Let’s start off with the news you might not want to hear, but we'll tell you anyway; If temperatures are slated to be above 85 degrees, we do not walk for the day. The reason why? Imagine taking your shoes and socks off and walking in the direct sunlight on pavement for 4-7 miles. Sounds miserable doesn’t it? Try a simple test for us; put the back of your hand on the pavement in the direct sunlight and count to 7. If you can’t do it, we won't subject any dog to it either.
Dogs' paw pads typically are not callused enough to endure such an intense endeavor either. Heat like this could leave pads melted, bloody and sore for a long time. No thank you!
Now also imagine walking 7-10 dogs of varying sizes and coat types and trying to carry around enough water to adequately hydrate all of them in the same distance. The general rule of thumb is to account for 1 ounce of water per 1 pound of body weight per day, and than increase that with activity.
So let’s do some quick math… If we have 7 dogs (the minimum) at an average of 45 pounds, that’s 315 oz of water per day. Obviously they don’t need all of that in one walk, so we’ll just take ⅓ of it. That is 105 oz of water, almost a gallon. Lugging along a gallon of water on a hot day with 7 dogs is not the easiest to do, and god forbid we run out due to spillage or a water obsessed lab who would rather swim than drink.
We’ve seen heat stroke in dogs and know the signs to look for, it’s not fun, and we would loathe to be on the other end of the line of that phone call.
So here’s what to expect from us when the weather hits above 85 on a day your pup is scheduled for a walk.
You are allowed to cancel at no charge. We understand and we wouldn’t want to be charged either!
Dogs will come over to our house and get socialization time in a temperature controlled environment.
We will play in the yards, on the grass and off the pavement.
We will have endless access to fresh water.
We will have access to puppy pools if desired.
We will take breaks out of the direct sunlight and in air conditioned living areas to cool ourselves.
Dogs will still be tired, trust us!
One last note; if it’s supposed to be a hot day, and one that we will walk in (80 degrees or less), we will always attempt to get the walks done but it may need to be earlier in the day.
We will communicate with you and let you know what time to expect us for your pups’ pick up!
We love the summer. The dogs and us are always so happy and vibrant.
We will always, always, ALWAYS prioritize safety over anything when it comes to our four legged family.
Thank you for understanding. Feel free to reach out at any time.
Email : info@shoenspetadventures.com
Phone : 425-577-1369 (call or text)
Social Media : Facebook/Instagram