Summer is a great time to get out doors, when the temperature is not too hot that is.

But no matter how hot it is outside, dogs love to run around a grassy yard, especially with other dogs.

That fact is not lost on the caring staff at the local animal shelter.

Not only does this exercise time give the dogs still waiting for forever homes a chance to get out of their pens and exercise, shelter staff also use that time to get a feel for how social each dog is. That information allows them to accurately inform a  potential owner of the dog’s personality traits.

And while every dog enjoys running around in the fresh air, they are doing so while wearing a fur coat.

That makes them more susceptible to heat exhaustion than people.

As such, it’s a great idea to let them run and play in a yard with plenty of shade, and ideally a source of clean water as well.

That’s why we commend the Rotary Club of Picayune for putting forth the effort to plant a couple of trees in one of the exercise yards at the shelter devoid of shade. While these trees are not fully grown yet, they are still large enough to provide some shade to the pups.

At home, when you are playing with your own canines, be sure to look for signs of heat exhaustion.

Dogs suffering from heat exhaustion will pant excessively, have difficulty breathing, suffer from nose bleeds, vomit, have a seizure or possibly collapse.

If you suspect your dog is dealing with heat exhaustion, place the animal on a wet towel and wet the paws and fur. A fan placed in front of the animal can help reduce it’s temperature further. Most of all, take your pet to its veterinarian as soon as possible so proper treatment can be administered.