By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com, Cover Photo of Igor the Bulldog by the pool by Carol Price (Igor’s mom!)

In the summer it is super important to keep our cats and dogs cool and comfy.  Dogs can easily overheat if they are playing too much in the heat of the day, have gone for a long walk or just sitting in the hot sun too long.

Lucky for us pet owners there are a lot of cool pet products that do just that, help keep your pets cool!  Whether you are traveling with your pup, just going to the beach, on the boat or hanging by the pool in the backyard, here are some pet products to consider:

Frostybowlz – this stainless steel bowl has a core inside that you can freeze, put back under the top of the bowl and it helps keep your pet’s water cold for up to 10 hours.

MyKoolDog – invented by a native Nassau County pet lover who now lives on the North Fork of LI.  This made in the USA bowl has a unique concept – with two compartments and lids.  In the bottom

compartment you put water in and freeze it, or fill with ice cubes.  In the other compartment you put fresh water and head out for the day with your pup.

Perfect for a day at the beach with your dog, a long walk or the dog park.  When your dog finishes the water in the top compartment, you flip the bowl over and the melted ice, which is now water, fills into the top compartment through interior channels so your pet once again has fresh and cold water. How cool is that?

It is so important to keep our pets hydrated and out of the heat as a pet can over heat easily in warm and humid temperatures.  Speaking with Dr. Michel A. Selmer of Advanced Animal Care Center in Huntington Station, I asked him for warning signs if your pet is overheating:

“Sweating and panting are two mechanisms for regulating body temperature. When sweat evaporates it cools the skin and panting releases heat through the mouth. Since dogs and cats only have sweat glands in their paws and paws have too little surface area to do much cooling your pet needs alternative ways to stay cool and therefore the primary means of cooling themselves off is by panting,” stated Dr. Selmer. He gave me this information on signs pet owners should look for when a pet is beginning to over heat:

• Restless behavior as your pet tries to find a cool spot
• Panting, sweaty feet, drooling, excessive grooming in an effort to cool off
• Rectal temperature is usually normal to slightly elevated

Then, as your pet’s body temperature begins to rise, signs of heat exhaustion become evident, including:

• Rapid pulse and breathing
• Redness of the tongue and mouth
• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Stumbling, staggering gait
• Rectal temperature is over 105° F

Eventually the body temperature will be high enough to cause the pet to collapse and have seizures or slip into a coma.  Dr. Selmer said if you see any signs that your pet is overheating bring your pet immediately to your veterinarian.

Be sure to have cool, clean water for your pet at all times, the products mentioned earlier can help with that! For an additional treat your dogs can enjoy Frosty Paws found in most pet supply stores (or even grocery stores) in the frozen food section.   Also, Honest Kitchen has a great product called Ice Pups™ that I just made for my dog Max, and he loves it! It is a packet of make-at-home grain free treats for dogs and cats. You mix the packet with water, and pour into a ice cube tray, freeze and when frozen give one cube to your pup.  But of course monitor you dog while chomping on that ice cube!  Or you can make your own frozen doggie yogurt – using the best low fat and sugar free human grade yogurt possible.  Many recipes for this are available on the internet, but make sure this is something your pup can eat and doesn’t have any allergies too the ingredients.

And of course never, ever leave your pet in the car in the warm spring, summer and fall months.  It is illegal and could kill your pet very quickly.  If you see a dog left in the car during a warm day, call your police department immediately!  You could be saving his life.

Here’s a good tip, program your smart phone with your local animal control office number or animal shelter number so you have it immediately if you need to call an AC officer along with the police for a pet locked in a hot car.

Most of all, have fun with your pet this summer, but always be aware of his limits during the heat!

Dobby loving the cool water in the stream!

Max loving the beach!

Igor by the pool! Photo by Carol Price (Igor’s mom!)

By Nancy E. Hassel

On Sunday, June 30, 2013 Bide-a-wee in Westhampton Beach hosted an adoption event along with a car show by NY AutoFest. So aside from the adorable dogs there for adoption, pet vendors and entertainment, there were cool cars and many car enthusiats too.  With about 30 dogs available for adoption at the shelter, and this is a beautiful facility, spotless as a matter of fact.  The dogs there are well socialized, happy and they have many different breeds to choose from.  Bide-a-wee also has many beautiful cats too and many programs availble for pet owners, check out their website here, and see many pictures below and even MORE on our Facebook page!

Love the color on this car!

Look at this face! So cute, and available for adoption at Bide-a-wee.

This cutie pie, was just that a wiggling, waggling bundle of joy! Go visit her and maybe you may just fall in love!

This handsome fella Riley, was there was with his mom. Riley is a Bide-a-wee alum.

Tricked out Jeep!

See MORE Photo’s by clicking here! (LOTS OF CAR PICS & DOGGIES TOO!)

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

This past Sunday, the friends of Sagamore Hill hosted their first ‘Dog Day’ as part of the celebration of National Park Week – it was hosted at the beautiful grounds of the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. From 11am until 4pm dog owners romped the grounds, posed for pictures. watched the performances of Jilli Dog, learned about LI Dog and participated inthe ‘dog fur’ contest.  There was also a comfort station for the pups and even yummy dog treats being made on site.

Beautiful grounds to walk with your dog

Sagamore Hill Historic Site was former home of President Teddy Roosevelt and his family willed it to the National Park Service with the condition of always having it be accessible to dog owners too. The Roosevelt’s had many dogs and other animals on the historic site in the sixty years there. It is a treasure, in beautiful Oyster Bay. You may have read that the historic home is under renovation – but the rest of the grounds are open to walk your dog. Also, the museum is open, visitor center as well. If you are looking for somewhere to go with your dog that is different, and a step out of history – head to Sagamore Hill you and your dog will absolutely love it! Scroll down for link to tons of pictures – maybe your dog is in them!

Dogs big and small loving dog days, hanging out in the barn.

Sagamore Hill is located at:
12 Sagamore Hill Road
Oyster Bay, NY 11771

For MORE Pictures click here!

Would love to know your favorite place to walk your dog, leave a comment below!

Gus posing in the flowers at Sagamore Hill!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Now that the snow is melted, the flowers are starting to bloom and the temps are above freezing, it is officially tick season.  If you walk your dog in the woods, along a grassy area, at a park or even if you let Buddy in your yard – chances are your dog can now pick up a few ticks.

It’s time to thoroughly check your dog for ticks each time it comes in the house or before you get back into you car.  Lyme Disease is always a concern for dogs contracting this from ticks, but there are other tick borne illnesses that your dog could get.  In most cases the tick must feed on your dog for 24 hours to infect the dog, so that is why it is good practice and training for your dog to make it a routine to check him.

Be diligent about checking your dogs ears, paws (and I in between the toes), front and back of the neck.  Ticks go anywhere, but those areas seem to be prime real estate for them. The also like moist places, so make sure you look in your dogs ears. And check yourself as well, they can crawl pretty quickly.  You can use a flea comb too to find them and if you are so inclined there are topical monthly treatments to prevent ticks from staying on your dog.  I am not a fan of most of these treatments and prefer holistic alternatives, and and a thorough daily screening of my dog.  This also helps for spotting any abnormalities on your dog that you may have not noticed by just putting monthly drops of a preventative on your dog.

Ticks are everywhere on LI, don’t fool yourself to thinking your well manicured and landscaped property won’t have any.  And check yourself as well, they can crawl pretty quickly.  Ticks are nasty little creatures, but they are a part of life when owning a dog on our infested Island. For more information on ticks click here.   And to see a video to preventing ticks and other saftey tips while out in the park with your dog, click here.

Happy tick hunting? Yes, make it a rountine for your dog and reward him or her afterwards – my old Dobie used to immediately lay down and roll on her side when we got back to the car because she knew it was tick check time.  What a good girl!

What is your best tick prevention or removal method?  Put them in the comments below!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Earlier today, I had the honor of going to the Northeast Region of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) graduation ceremony.  I arrived a little late, so they were already in the ballroom of the Marriott in Islandia, and when I opened the door to the back of the room I was not expecting to see a packed ballroom of people and many amazing dogs!  I thought the graduation was just for the LI Chapter – but there were puppy raisers and dogs there from all over the northeast.

Canine Companions for Independence graduation ceremonies honor people with disabilities placed with specially trained assistance dogs nationwide.

This celebration marks the end of an assistance dog’s professional training and the beginning of a partnership between a human in need and a canine that will provide endless service and companionship.

Now I know it is hard to resist one of these puppy faces –  but as cute and sweet as the dogs are, they serve such an amazing purpose to help someone with a disability live their everyday lives with assistance and love from these dogs.  They do tasks that makes my Max saying, “I wuv you” sound silly.

The dogs are trained in over 40 commands and are capable of opening doors, flipping light switches, picking up dropped items, alerting their partner of important sounds and many more helpful services.  These commands enable a person with a disability to function without relying on the help of another person, enhancing their independence.

As the puppy raises were going up to stage with the dogs they have just raised for the past 1.5 years – some had just started and had their first dog, and a few others were recognized as they have raised over 20 puppies for CCI.  It is not just about puppy raising there are many facets that go into making the dogs a success at CCI.  We are lucky to have the Northeast Region Miller Family Campus right here on Long Island, in Medford.  I will be going for a tour soon of the campus and can’t wait to see everything they do.

For more information on CCI or how you can become involved go to: Canine Companions for Independence.

CCI Board Members

Tom the 3rd a puppy being raised by CCI on the North Fork of LI!