Hot Dog

Today I am going to take a break from our usual letters and remind everyone about something of grave importance during the hot summer months. Do not leave your dog in your car alone!

Temperatures in a parked car can rise quickly. In fact in 70 degree weather the temperature can spike to 100 degrees in 20 minutes! And don’t forget about the surfaces of the car - the dashboard and those leather seats. They can get even hotter! And “cracking the windows” doesn’t make a difference at all.

Let’s face it, you will tell us you will only be gone for a few minutes, but that rarely happens. And we are just trapped in that car with the temperatures rising. We can’t do anything about it like open the window or turn on the air conditioning. We get scared, very, very scared.

Dogs don’t sweat like you do. In fact the way we cool off is by panting. That makes us even more sensitive to the heat than you are. My friends with short noses or flat faces such as Boston Terriers, Pugs or Boxers struggle even more And just like our humans, as we get older or a little chubbier, the heat will bother us even more.

So here is my advice to you. If you plan on running errands in your car on a summer’s day - leave us at home in the air conditioning. Don’t let our big Boo Boo eyes make you feel sorry for us and take us along. We want to be with you all the time but you have to be the responsible parent and look out for us. We are trusting you with our lives - don’t disappoint us.

Mr. Smart T. Pants