Adventures with Astrid...and Her Gammy and Pawpaw

As we've mentioned recently, 12-year-old pup Astrid and her old legs don't take as many long walks as in the past. On weekdays, before and after work, she usually just leads me around our block or another nearby block. On weekends, though, Astrid's beloved Gammy and Pawpaw (my mom and dad) often join us for our walks, and on those occasions, excited pup Astrid leads us all on much longer adventures. I treasure those long walks that Astrid happily chooses on those days, and I take as many photos on them as possible. Such as these floppy-eared and smiling photos from one of our recent long weekend adventures when Astrid's Gammy and Pawpaw were in tow...

Astrid has never enjoyed warm weather, and her heat tolerance has always been subpar at best. She much prefers winter over summer, and this has only become more of a fact the older she's gotten. Poor Astrid isn't even spending much time in her beloved back yard these days. She'll go out there, realize it's hot, and then come right back inside.

I'm sure as it gets even hotter this summer, Astrid's long weekend walks will become shorter. We'll try to walk her early in the morning, before the day hits us with the brunt of its heat, but I'll only ever take Astrid as far as she requests, and only as far as is safe for her. If she wants short walks in the summer, even in the cooler mornings, then she'll get short walks. The old gal is in charge.

Astrid hopes you're all enjoying much cooler weather than we are!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

We have yet another weird and wacky flashback doodle for today. This is yet another one inspired by my newest favorite book series, which are chaotic fantasy tales with all sorts of fun nonsense, including a giant two-headed puppy that shows up in one of the books. And so, I of course drew my old girl Astrid as this puppy.

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Tip of the Day

 

Given the sweltering weather we've been having theses days, we're doing a series of tips all about summer safety for our furbabies. Yesterday, we discussed how to recognize the signs of overheating in cats and dogs. Today, we're here to remind you that, to avoid potentially fatal heat stroke in your furbaby, never leave them alone in a car. In the heat of summer, the inside of a car can reach temperatures well above 100°F within a matter of minutes. Even with the windows open, the inside of a car can still become not only stifling, but also incredibly dangerous.

Also keep in mind that the car is not the only location that can pose the risk of overheating. Garages, sheds, and of course even the great outdoors can be dangerous places on hot summer days. In short, as you all certainly know, never leave your furbaby in a car or anywhere that can easily overheat on summer days. Just like us, kitties and pups can indeed suffer from heat stroke if left in overheated conditions, and this can be fatal.