Dog Days of Summer

HOT HOT HOT. Melissa has not had any endurance running in over a week. This past week has been brutal with temps reaching mid-80s by 6 in the morning and nearly a 100 by mid day. Add in high humidity and it is no wonder that Melissa spent a good part of her days in her pool with only a few short runs thru our woods very early and very late in the day .

But finally we had a little break in the weather. Off for a hike with friends and their dogs early this morning.




The dogs ran in fields and meadows.










They fetched on land.









They fetched in the water.

















They shared bumpers. Melissa puts her head totally under the water. Here she is emerging from under the water, after she retrieved the end of Dylan's bumper.






They played tug after cooling off in the water.



Running full out in a large meadow is the best for exercise, but with the high temps we had this past week that was not possible. Swimming is the way to go on hot summer days. At 10 weeks of age Melissa made her first little swim....following other dogs into chilly October water. Then winter was upon us, no swimming in the northeast until ice was out. This Spring she picked up where she left off last fall. I let her follow the other dogs and each time she went in deeper and deeper.
Now at 10 months of age sometimes she is the first in the water, beckoning her friends to join her.



Puppy Tate has not yet gone in over his head. His owner Sue is also letting him go at his own pace.










Each time he has been at the creek or pond it has been a fun time for him. No need to frighten him by using force to get him in the water. Each time he sees water he is going in further.

Today he went in past his elbows, and put his face in the water!




By 10:30 the sun was beginning to make an appearance and with it the temps started to increase. This week it will be another hot one with 90 and high humidity nearly every day.

Our adult dogs will make a few loops around the yard then they are content to lie around indoors in the AC. Even 13 year old Catera enjoys a good frolic every day. But puppy Melissa needs more then a few laps around the yard. Lots of interactive toys, lots of large butcher bones and more indoor training sessions are good mind games. But she is still developing, I want to keep her well muscled. So I juggle my schedule to take her swimming whenever possible in the hot weather. These hot summer days will pass, I am making the best of them with my Borzoi puppy and friends.