Dog days

Usually August is when the heat really comes down, but this year it's just been a boiler of a summer.  Today the temps were over 100 degrees, with the heat index at 110.  Our a/c is having difficulty keeping up.  All the dogs mostly wanted to sleep, and I thought that was a great idea.  It's been a fairly quiet day.  Reilly has been taken outside when he woke up, and mostly peed outside all day, including not going in the house when I had to go to work for a bit.  I was gone nearly five hours, and not one inside accident.  When I got home, he sauntered out and peed.  Then he went back inside and pooped, but with these temps, I can deal with a slower potty training much better than an overheated puppy.  All day, after peeing outside, he simply lies down and pants.  So do the big dogs.  So we'll cut Reilly some slack today; he needs it.

I pulled out a dummy tug today, to see if he'd take it.  The grip is made of tennis-ball-like material, and neither of the the adult dogs like that feel in their mouths.  Reilly took right to it, though.  That'll be helpful later on, when we're working on opening doors and cabinets.  He won't get to keep this as a toy, but we'll use it to work on "take it"  and "pull" as commands.  Eventually, I'll be able to keep one of those with me, with a hook on it.  I can thread it through a heavy door pull handle, and hook it on itself, then have him pull the door open.  Places with very heavy, non-electronic doors, like....the silly KFC across the street from my office.  I'd rather get chicken and veggies than a burger and fries if I grab lunch out, but I can't open their heavy door anymore.  Thhat means I must either have a companion, or drive across the street and go through the drive-through window.  To be fair, I need a companion to walk across the street to them too, as there's a curb coming back and stepping up when carrying food back is difficult.  Reilly will be able to help with that down the road as well, depending on what my capabilities are when he's mature enough.  And yes, there's a ramp, but it's down at the end of the street, and it's just that much more walking.  While walking is good for me, the time it takes me is not good for my usually limited lunch time.

So, lots of sleeping today, minimal time out in the heat, and something new to entertain the puppy mind.  Another good day.  We'll get up and go for a walk again in the cool of the morning at 5:30, but likely we'll be hiding from the heat again tomorrow.  Maybe I'll join the dogs in napping for a bit of it.

Meg and Reilly