Pet Tales: How to help your dog survive an Arizona summer

Every dog has an occasional break from reality. In the Valley, it typically occurs afternoons between May and late September when you say to your canine, "Go for a walk?"

Your dog will go into some sort of happy dance, wanting nothing more than the feel of a harness slipped over his head, and the front door opened to her own personal Land of Oz filled with light and scents, where every square inch is a potential bathroom.

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This is where responsible owners must provide sanity. Summers are as unkind to four-legged domestic creatures.

Yes, its our annual heat-related nag to keep your pets safe in triple-digit heat, now in a convenient "Do this, not that" format:

Do this: Walk your dog before or shortly after sunrise, or long after sunset.

Not that: Walk your dog when you get home from work at 5 p.m. because it's convenient.

Do this: Before walking, test the pavement with your hand. Uncomfortably hot? It will be for your dog as well.

Not that: Believe that your dog, being a dog, is impervious to hot surfaces.

Do this: Keep your dog inside during the heat of the day.

Not that: Keep him outside all the time because he just loves the back yard.

Do this: If your dog must be outside, provide plenty of water and shade. A half-full wading pool would be nice to play in.

Not that: Assume there is plenty of shade under that one bush, and that the metal bowl in the sun holds more than enough water.

Do this: Leave your dog home when running errands.

Not that: Take your dog along on errands, because she loves taking rides and she'll be fine in the car while you run into the convenience store for a minute or two. Seriously, don't leave a dog or a child or any living, breathing thing in a car because you'll just be a minute or two. Don't ... do ... that.