Adventures with Angel Astrid...and a Shopping Cart

I was going through old photos of my sweet angel pup Astrid, and I was reminded of how she and I more than once met none other than a shopping cart during our walks.

We live about a mile away from this store, and during this particular summer it became evident that someone in our neighborhood was transporting their groceries home indeed with one of the store's carts.

Astrid and I came upon one of these carts on at least three separate walks. Each time, Astrid would investigate the scene and give the cart a good sniff. Unfortunately, there was never anything tasty left behind in the cart and so the pup would continue on her way. 

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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Flashback Doodle of the Day

Today's flashback doodle is one I scribbled up a couple years ago as concept art for the book I'm currently writing. There's a corgi in this weird and wacky story, and so I experimented drawing one of these pups.

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Tip of the Day

We spent the last two days addressing how to keep your furbaby cool and safe should they be spending time outdoors in the heat. Of course, staying cool indoors in the summer is far more ideal. That being said, though, extra care may still have to be used to keep some cats and dogs comfortable even when inside the home during the summer months. This is especially the case for those furbabies who have certain traits that might make it more difficult for them to stay cool even indoors. For example, on hot days, it is especially important to monitor the condition of cat or dogs with long or thick coats, those who are overweight, those with flat faces (such as Persian cats and Bulldogs), and those who are geriatric, sick, or for another reason may have difficulty regulating their body temperature.

So, how can you ensure that your furbaby remains cool and comfortable inside the home, even when it's sweltering outdoors? First, of course, you can run the air conditioning. Ensure that the unit's filter is regularly replaced. Also make sure that the vents throughout the house are open and unblocked, so that cool air can easily make its way throughout the home. In addition to the air conditioning, you can set up fans to help keep air moving and to keep your kitty or pup comfortable.

Some furbabies may even opt for lying on smooth, cool surfaces in order to stay cool. For example, hardwood or tile floors stay far more cool than carpet, and so you might find a kitty or pup sprawled out on the hard floor during the summer months. In this same line of thought, there are also cooling mats specifically designed for pets. These mats offer a cool surface on which to relax, and they can be placed on the floor, on furniture, or potentially even outdoors in order to keep that furbaby of yours cool.

Even if your furbaby is spending hot summer days inside, it is still important to monitor them and to ensure that they are staying cool. Then again, especially for those with short or no fur, it is also important to make sure that the air conditioning or fans are not too cool for them. As you all certainly know, keep an eye on those furbabies, and then make adjustments as needed to keep them happy and healthy.