How safe is it in Venice/Sarasota for my dogs? (Naples: how much, utilities)

[gettinoutofjersey]

dogs have been around forever without human intervention. how do wolves, cayotes and dingos live. if you have an outside dog and you provide it with a source for water it will be fine. if you know anything about or have ever observed a dog it will find a place with shade and dig a hole under it. the coolness of the ground will be more than adequate. i put my dog in the house when we go out. she does not want to go in and needs to be called and coaxed a good bit. when we come home she is standing by the door wanting to go out. she has her own lounger with a pad on it and will lay in the sun for hours even with the option of shade or coming in.

as for a human being able to go in and cool off, tell that to a roofer of a guy working on construction. there are way to many people that have to spend all their time with no air conditioning because of the economy and no jobs and you are worried about a dog.

[Frida7]

Originally Posted by gettinoutofjersey

dogs have been around forever without human intervention. how do wolves, cayotes and dingos live. if you have an outside dog and you provide it with a source for water it will be fine. if you know anything about or have ever observed a dog it will find a place with shade and dig a hole under it. the coolness of the ground will be more than adequate. i put my dog in the house when we go out. she does not want to go in and needs to be called and coaxed a good bit. when we come home she is standing by the door wanting to go out. she has her own lounger with a pad on it and will lay in the sun for hours even with the option of shade or coming in.

as for a human being able to go in and cool off, tell that to a roofer of a guy working on construction. there are way to many people that have to spend all their time with no air conditioning because of the economy and no jobs and you are worried about a dog.

That roofer has chosen to do that work. He can come down if need be, there is no comparison. Yes, OP is worried about a dog, that's the point of this thread. I challenge you to show any link from a veterinarian, or reputable animal agency stating any advantage to keeping dogs outdoors in Florida.
Wolves, wild dogs, & other wild animals, are not only a far cry from the OP's Chihuahuas, they are not confined to a yard. They can run if a predator comes, THINK.

[Frida7]

Dogs Can Quickly Succumb To Heat Exhaustion

Pet Owners Urged To Limit Time Outdoors During Peak Daylight Hours

Author: Kathleen Corso

Published On: Oct 12 2011 04:15:56 PM EDT Updated On: Jul 25 2011 12:13:52 PM EDT

As the summer sun reaches its peak intensity, veterinarians urge dog owners to beware of heat stroke.

"Heat stroke can happen in as little as 30 minutes, or even 10 minutes, if they're running around and playing," said Dr. Marika Laszlo. "Dogs will not stop like we will. If they're chasing their ball, they'll just keep going."

Watch:

Warning signs of canine heat stroke include excessive panting that becomes almost frantic, dark red gums, thick saliva, dizziness or disorientation, lying down and being unwilling or unable to get up and possibly loss of consciousness.

"If you notice any of these symptoms, get your dog in the shade or indoors, hose them down with cool water and get them to the vet," said Laszlo. "Dogs that are brought to the vet within 90 minutes typically have a better prognosis."

Once a dogs temperature reaches 106 degrees, Laszlo said, internal organs begin to fail.

"It's almost like putting your dog on a grill, you're cooking their internal organs," she said. "If you catch them early enough you hope you can reverse liver failure, reverse kidney failure, but most of them will end up with some permanent damage to the kidneys and to the heart."

When Vincent Moavero and his dogs got lost on a recent walk in the woods, the animals collapsed in the heat.

"It was scary. It was the scariest experience I've ever had," he said.

His boxer-mix is still suffering the lingering effects of the experience that taught Moavero a valuable lesson.

"It's great to have fun with your dogs and run around and play but you have to remember the sun is not always their friend," he said.

Along with heat stroke, Laszlo said light-colored dogs with short hair can also suffer sunburns.

"For so many reasons, dogs should not be left outside in the summer heat without proper shelter and plenty of water, and even then their time outdoors should be minimized" she said.

Copyright 2011 by Post-Newsweek Stations. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[Frida7]

Be a Responsible Dog Owner! - Fox29 WFLX TV, West Palm Beach, Florida-

Be a Responsible Dog Owner!

Recommend You recommend this.

Add t By The Humane Society of the United States

Take another look at the headline above. It could just have easily said, "Be good to your dog." Or, "Be good to your neighbors." After all, that's what being a responsible dog owner really means!

Keep Your Dog Healthy

Let's start with the basics: food and water, shelter, exercise, training, and veterinary care. The food and water part is a cinch; all you have to remember is that, like you, dogs need a good diet to stay healthy. Just ask your veterinarian for advice on feeding your pet a regular, nutritionally balanced diet.

Giving your pet proper shelter is easy, too. Dogs aren't called housepets for nothing; inside the house is where they belong. A fenced yard with a doghouse is always nice to have, especially for large and active dogs, but dogs should never be left outside alone for long periods of time. Dogs crave and require companionship, and they should stay inside with the family whenever possible.

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Absolutely you cannot leave your animals outside all day. Not only is it horrific for them, I can promise you someone will call the authorities.

Outdoor cats have a much shorter life span than indoor cats.

Why do you have pets if you put them outside all day?

Errrrr-pets are ANIMALS. You know, like the critters that live outside. Like wild cats. Chihauhau's came from where? Hot Mexico!

Make sure they have plenty of water and good shade and they will be fine, although I agree fire ants need to be watched for.

[OIF VET]

as long as theres no medical research laboratories near by, you should be fine

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by gettinoutofjersey

dogs have been around forever without human intervention. how do wolves, cayotes and dingos live. if you have an outside dog and you provide it with a source for water it will be fine. if you know anything about or have ever observed a dog it will find a place with shade and dig a hole under it. the coolness of the ground will be more than adequate. i put my dog in the house when we go out. she does not want to go in and needs to be called and coaxed a good bit. when we come home she is standing by the door wanting to go out. she has her own lounger with a pad on it and will lay in the sun for hours even with the option of shade or coming in.

as for a human being able to go in and cool off, tell that to a roofer of a guy working on construction. there are way to many people that have to spend all their time with no air conditioning because of the economy and no jobs and you are worried about a dog.

Yeah, we have one of those lounge-sittin' dogs. Thinks she owns the place. Will lie in the sun for hours on the lanai until her belly gets pink. I'm thinking of telling her to get a job, because I envy her life.

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by gettinoutofjersey

yup, they look up with the expression that kind of says "please take me to the dog shelter and let a normal person adopt me or at least they will put me out of my misery"

And why isn't that dog abuse? What's a dog's dignity worth?

[Frida7]

Originally Posted by kiggy

And why isn't that dog abuse? What's a dog's dignity worth?

Dogs don't have dignity, they eat crap & drink from the toilet.

[gettinoutofjersey]

Originally Posted by Frida7

Dogs don't have dignity, they eat crap & drink from the toilet.

and cats make a target for .22 practice and something to hit driving down the road