There are posted signs along the banks of the Potomac River stating “No Swimming”, but I ignore them when I am really hot, which often happens during July. After all, the sign clearly says people can’t swim in the river, but it doesn’t say that’s not allowed for dogs. Just to be sure, I updated this post with a pic of the sign I snapped recently.
It’s important for dogs to stay cool and not overheat. Unfortunately, small dogs tend to get hot easily, especially if they’re outdoors in the sun and exercising in the warm summer months. From what I’ve learned, heat tolerance in dogs is often tied to their coats and ability to pant effectively to expel body heat.
The double coats of Norfolk Terriers help keep them warm in the winter but are less helpful when the weather turns warm. It’s nice to have a cool body of water close at hand when walking in hot weather.
It seemed unusually hot today. After a healthy run, I found a quick solution to overheating: relax in a cool river. The only problem is I might never want to leave.
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