Article & Images Submitted by Shannon MacBeth, Owner & Trainer, Shakespeare's Legacy Labradors
“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.” ~ M.K. Clinton
One of the biggest, yet most rewarding responsibilities to have is carinag for a dog. No, you don’t have to be an adult to do so. I know some really amazing kids who take this responsibility very seriously. What you do need to be is caring and consistent in supplying their every need, or they will find less than ideal ways of doing it themselves. If a dog is not given proper nutrition, they begin to eat things they shouldn’t. If they aren’t given adequate attention and exercise, they will become either depressed or destructive. If they aren’t given proper vet care, they will become sick. If they aren’t given safe housing they can find themselves in some rather unsanitary situations and if their surroundings are not made safe, their lives could even be at risk. As we dive into the dog days of summer, let’s look at a few things that are necessary to keep your dogs safe, happy and healthy.
One of the most senseless things I’ve ever seen is leaving a dog in a car on a hot day. According to PETA, in the past three years, 416 dogs died after being left in a hot car and more than 365 dogs were rescued in 2025 alone. No, parking in the shade with the windows cracked is not enough. Here are some surprising facts about how quickly a car can reach deadly temperatures.
On a 21°C day, a vehicle's interior can climb to roughly 37°C within 20 minutes.
On a 32°C day, the interior can exceed 43°C in about 10 minutes.
“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.” ~ M.K. Clinton
One of the biggest, yet most rewarding responsibilities to have is carinag for a dog. No, you don’t have to be an adult to do so. I know some really amazing kids who take this responsibility very seriously. What you do need to be is caring and consistent in supplying their every need, or they will find less than ideal ways of doing it themselves. If a dog is not given proper nutrition, they begin to eat things they shouldn’t. If they aren’t given adequate attention and exercise, they will become either depressed or destructive. If they aren’t given proper vet care, they will become sick. If they aren’t given safe housing they can find themselves in some rather unsanitary situations and if their surroundings are not made safe, their lives could even be at risk. As we dive into the dog days of summer, let’s look at a few things that are necessary to keep your dogs safe, happy and healthy.
One of the most senseless things I’ve ever seen is leaving a dog in a car on a hot day. According to PETA, in the past three years, 416 dogs died after being left in a hot car and more than 365 dogs were rescued in 2025 alone. No, parking in the shade with the windows cracked is not enough. Here are some surprising facts about how quickly a car can reach deadly temperatures.
On a 21°C day, a vehicle's interior can climb to roughly 37°C within 20 minutes.
On a 32°C day, the interior can exceed 43°C in about 10 minutes.
In a nutshell, if you wouldn’t dress in a fur coat and sit in your car in these temperatures, please don’t expect your dog to. Plan ahead to ensure your dog can participate in whatever errand or adventure you’re planning and if they can’t, leave them safely at home.
If you’re in a situation where your dog has become overheated, getting them cooled down quickly and safely is imperative. Dogs can only release heat by panting as they are unable to sweat. DO NOT give your dog something cold to drink. I know this likely goes against what most people believe, but this will actually harm your dog more. It’s actually sending signals to our dog's brain that they are cold and causes their body to retain the heat. Instead apply cold clothes to their head, abdomen and paw pads. This will bring their temperature down quickly, but safely. If you can get them into a cool body of water, even better.
Your property is another place where safety for your dog is solely your responsibility. As we plant gardens of vegetables and flowers, we need to keep in mind that some of the things we are planting are toxic to our dogs. In our vegetable garden we need to be careful with potatoes, onions and garlic. Ingestion of any of these can cause extreme gastrointestinal upset and likely a vet visit.
The flower garden can be a bit trickier, especially when most of the East Coast standard garden flowers are toxic to dogs. I know I had to overhaul mine a few years ago. If you have a dog that loves to eat grass and plants you may want to check you gardens for the following: Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Foxglove, Lily of the Valley, Yew Hedges, Hydrangeas, Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus, Ivy, Hosta, Boxwood, Wisteria, Oleander, Larkspur. The results of ingesting these plans range from neurological and cardiac issues to organ damage to vomiting and weakness to sudden death.
Common toxic houseplants are Sago Palm, Peace Lily, Pothos, Snake Plant, Philodendron, ZZ Plant, Aloe Vera and Ivy. These plants have similar toxic elements and health concerns if ingested by your dog.
Here’s some good news, there are many dog friendly plants that are just as beautiful in your garden. When perusing your local greenhouse, you may want to look for the following: Sunflower, Snapdragon, Zinnia, Marigold, Rose, Basil, Spider Plant and Boston Fern. Planting an assortment of these will not only allow you to enjoy a stunning landscape but also keep your beloved dog safe.
On hot days, we Maritimers like to head to the water, most commonly a lake, a river or the beach. Keeping our pets safe on the water is imperative. Heading to our local beaches are often high on our summer bucket lists and taking our dogs along is an added bonus. Being in the Maritimes our beaches are all saltwater and saltwater toxicity can happen fast. Fetching a water soaked toy, chasing and chomping at the waves and simply lapping up water, rather than from a bowl of bottled water, can be enough to cause issues as it only takes a few mouthfuls to result in salt water toxicity. The high levels of salt intake causes the body to pull water into the intestines and increase blood sodium levels. The kidneys can only excrete a certain amount of salt at a time causing dehydration and neurological decline. Early signs of saltwater toxicity are excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, lethargy and loss of appetite, with severe signs being staggering or loss of coordination, muscle tremors, confusion, seizures, collapse and sudden death. If you are using freshwater sources such as lakes and rivers, watch for algae blooms and check for blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria location by checking the New Brunswick Alliance of Lake Associations website. The ingestion of water with blue-green algae is unfortunately lethal.
During the hottest days of summer, the concrete sidewalks and paved roads can burn the paw pads of our furry friends. Schedule your walks in the early morning and after supper when the temperature has dropped and the roadways aren’t as hot, or head to the woods for a naturally floored trail and shade overhead for a more enjoyable walk for everyone. Burnt paw pads are difficult and time consuming to heal and are very painful for the dog. A rule of thumb is to place the back of your hand onto the payment and hold it there for three minutes. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your dogs’ paws.
Does all of this boil down to me advising you to never leave your house with your dog over the summer months? Absolutely not. There are a lot of safe and enjoyable activities to do with your dog over the summer, we just need to look at them from our dogs’ points of view, understand the risks and how to avoid them, and make plans with the safety of our dogs in mind. If you can’t safely include your dog in your activity, leave them in the comforts of your home. They will enjoy the air conditioning and be waiting for your return.
If you’re in a situation where your dog has become overheated, getting them cooled down quickly and safely is imperative. Dogs can only release heat by panting as they are unable to sweat. DO NOT give your dog something cold to drink. I know this likely goes against what most people believe, but this will actually harm your dog more. It’s actually sending signals to our dog's brain that they are cold and causes their body to retain the heat. Instead apply cold clothes to their head, abdomen and paw pads. This will bring their temperature down quickly, but safely. If you can get them into a cool body of water, even better.
Your property is another place where safety for your dog is solely your responsibility. As we plant gardens of vegetables and flowers, we need to keep in mind that some of the things we are planting are toxic to our dogs. In our vegetable garden we need to be careful with potatoes, onions and garlic. Ingestion of any of these can cause extreme gastrointestinal upset and likely a vet visit.
The flower garden can be a bit trickier, especially when most of the East Coast standard garden flowers are toxic to dogs. I know I had to overhaul mine a few years ago. If you have a dog that loves to eat grass and plants you may want to check you gardens for the following: Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Foxglove, Lily of the Valley, Yew Hedges, Hydrangeas, Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus, Ivy, Hosta, Boxwood, Wisteria, Oleander, Larkspur. The results of ingesting these plans range from neurological and cardiac issues to organ damage to vomiting and weakness to sudden death.
Common toxic houseplants are Sago Palm, Peace Lily, Pothos, Snake Plant, Philodendron, ZZ Plant, Aloe Vera and Ivy. These plants have similar toxic elements and health concerns if ingested by your dog.
Here’s some good news, there are many dog friendly plants that are just as beautiful in your garden. When perusing your local greenhouse, you may want to look for the following: Sunflower, Snapdragon, Zinnia, Marigold, Rose, Basil, Spider Plant and Boston Fern. Planting an assortment of these will not only allow you to enjoy a stunning landscape but also keep your beloved dog safe.
On hot days, we Maritimers like to head to the water, most commonly a lake, a river or the beach. Keeping our pets safe on the water is imperative. Heading to our local beaches are often high on our summer bucket lists and taking our dogs along is an added bonus. Being in the Maritimes our beaches are all saltwater and saltwater toxicity can happen fast. Fetching a water soaked toy, chasing and chomping at the waves and simply lapping up water, rather than from a bowl of bottled water, can be enough to cause issues as it only takes a few mouthfuls to result in salt water toxicity. The high levels of salt intake causes the body to pull water into the intestines and increase blood sodium levels. The kidneys can only excrete a certain amount of salt at a time causing dehydration and neurological decline. Early signs of saltwater toxicity are excessive thirst, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, lethargy and loss of appetite, with severe signs being staggering or loss of coordination, muscle tremors, confusion, seizures, collapse and sudden death. If you are using freshwater sources such as lakes and rivers, watch for algae blooms and check for blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria location by checking the New Brunswick Alliance of Lake Associations website. The ingestion of water with blue-green algae is unfortunately lethal.
During the hottest days of summer, the concrete sidewalks and paved roads can burn the paw pads of our furry friends. Schedule your walks in the early morning and after supper when the temperature has dropped and the roadways aren’t as hot, or head to the woods for a naturally floored trail and shade overhead for a more enjoyable walk for everyone. Burnt paw pads are difficult and time consuming to heal and are very painful for the dog. A rule of thumb is to place the back of your hand onto the payment and hold it there for three minutes. If it’s too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your dogs’ paws.
Does all of this boil down to me advising you to never leave your house with your dog over the summer months? Absolutely not. There are a lot of safe and enjoyable activities to do with your dog over the summer, we just need to look at them from our dogs’ points of view, understand the risks and how to avoid them, and make plans with the safety of our dogs in mind. If you can’t safely include your dog in your activity, leave them in the comforts of your home. They will enjoy the air conditioning and be waiting for your return.
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