Trainer Tips--The Shade Dog Walk

Hazel & Lucky demonstrating our stop in the shade in hot Lahaina.

Although summer may be coming to a close in many places, not all of us cool off as quickly.  With record summer temperatures all around the world, I want to discuss a quick tip for walking your dog in the heat and sun.

I have a regular dog walking client that lives in Lahaina (pictured above).  For those of you who are not familiar, Lahaina is one of the hottest places in Maui.  It's name means, "land of the merciless sun."  It is usually very hot in Lahaina, any time of the year, and it does not rain often.  Regularly walking in such a hot environment has reminded me of a few things over the last few months.

This is what I call...

The Shade Walk:

Basically this is a very simple way to help you and your dog stay cool when walking in hot temperatures.  It is best to walk your dog during times of the day when it is cooler, however that is not always possible.

The way this works is simple.  Whenever I am walking in the heat and/or sun with the dog(s), we are quickly moving.  There is no stopping to potty or sniff in direct sun.  Once we reach a shady area, we either slow our pace or stop in the shady area to potty and/ or sniff.  I basically power walk from shade area to shade area, then pause or greatly slow down once the shade is reached.


Another quick tip:  Try using an umbrella.
Living on a sub-tropical island I actually use my umbrellas for shade more than for rain.  Although this technique is not especially helpful for you dog, it can help the human immensely.  I am a very fair-skinned person and I do not enjoy lathering myself with sunblock only to sweat it all off.  Using an umbrella is a quick, simple solution to that problem, plus it helps keep you cool.