Berkshire Pet Owners Should Avoid This Dangerous Activity: Here’s Why

As we are trying to cope with these hot and humid 90 plus degree temperatures this summer in The Berkshires and all across the tri-state region, keep in mind these conditions can also be unbearable for our four legged friends. Dog owners take note: When you have to take Fido for a walk, certain precautions need to be taken to ensure your canine's safety. How would you feel if you had all that fur and the sun is beating down on a powerful note. Plus, walking on the hot pavement could cause problems to their paws and here are some simple solutions to alleviate this problem which can cause health related issues.

First of all, take dogs for their usual ritual early in the morning or around sundown when weather conditions subside as the sun is at it's strongest during midday and afternoon hours. News 10 Chief Meteorologist and animal activist, Steve Caporizzo stresses that you should walk your dog on the grass as temperatures are more tolerable.

In a recent newscast, Cap also emphasized that walking on blacktop could result in various infections towards the pads on their paws as the average temperature on cement could exceed 100 plus degrees. After all, you would not walk barefoot on a sidewalk during this hot weather spell. Think about how uncomfortable that must feel for your furry friend and vet bills could add up to a unnecessary expense. 2 words to remember: "Common Sense" as further problems can be avoided in the long run.

Make sure your dog ALWAYS has an ample supply of fresh water as animals can dehydrate in these uncomfortable dog days of summer (no pun intended there) and try not to overfeed them as their digestive system can have a terrible after effect. A teaspoon of ice cream sounds refreshing, but make sure it is "plain vanilla" as chocolate or other exotic flavors could lead to major health setbacks.

Keep your pets indoors as much as possible during days when hot weather and humidity become rampant. They also enjoy the comfort of air conditioning while chewing on their favorite bone as you will have to spoil them just a bit as this is peace of mind for both the owner and "Man's BEST Friend". The key is they don't need further overexertion as they feel the same setbacks as humans who sometimes feel they are invincible during these conditions, but when Mother Nature throws us a curveball, it affects everyone with two and four legs. Again, common sense needs to be implemented.

BOTTOM LINE: Take it easy, pace yourself and execute outdoor activities when the sun is not playing havoc. Remember, fall is just around the corner (about 2 months away) and we can all breath a little easier once the oppressive humidity exits our vicinity and I am personally counting the days.