1. Always provide fresh water and, if outdoors, good shade. Water, important all year around, is especially important in warm and hot weather. A shady place for protection from the sun’s heat is also vital for a pet’s health and safety.

2. Never leave a pet unattended in a vehicle. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a car in the shade is 90 degrees. In the sun, the temperature can reach 160 degrees in minutes. On a much milder day, even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside the vehicle can quickly shoot up over 100 degrees.

3. Cookouts are fun for everyone, and the smell of food cooking is enticing to dogs. Keep pieces of foil, plastic, foam containers, bones, and hot foods out of your pet’s reach. These can cause injuries to his or her mouth and internal lacerations or blockages if swallowed. Chicken bones and others that splinter are especially dangerous. Keep a close eye on the grill-snatching a bite of food may be too tempting, and serious burns as well as overturned grills can result.

4. Lawnmowers and outdoor tools pose serious dangers for pets. Lawnmower blades can not only cause irreparable damage to body parts, but can throw rocks or debris which can cause serious injuries. Other power tools and even simple garden tools can also cause injury if licked or stepped on in the wrong way. Keep pets indoors or safe in another area when these tools are being used.

5. Life jackets are a must if your dog goes boating with you. Even the strongest swimmer can become fatigued and drown. Be sure that the life jackets are Coast Guard approved and fit your dog properly. Always put them on your dog before you even leave the shore.

6. Bug bites are a common problem in warmer weather. Watch for allergic reactions if your dog is bitten. These can cause breathing difficulty, which is a veterinary emergency.

7. Walk and play in early morning or early evening in hotter weather to prevent heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Take water and a bowl with you on long walks, so your dog (and you) can stay hydrated.

Dogs enjoy being outdoors with us, and they often don’t know when it’s time to rest. Be alert for any signs of heat stroke in your pet. These include excessive panting, weakness, collapse, and unusual actions or reactions.

If your pet does suffer heat stroke, immediately move him or her to a cool location. Using a fan to circulate the air, giving the dog fresh water to drink, and letting the dog rest under close observation may be all that is required for mild cases. For more severe heat stroke, begin to bring down the external temperature by placing the dog in tepid or slightly cool water, making sure to keep his head out of the water, and call your veterinarian. Never ever give your dog ice or ice water. This causes the internal organs to cool down too fast and cause serious or life-threatening conditions. Anything more than mild heatstroke requires immediate veterinary attention.

Our dogs love to be with us, and they can provide great pleasure and companionship. With attention to a few things that will help to keep them safe, we can all enjoy outdoor activities together any time of year.

Tully has had a rough start to his life. After being adopted once, through no fault of his own, had to be returned to 4 luv of dog rescue and put back into foster care. Thankfully we were blessed to find out about the unfortunate event and got to have Tully as our foster dog AGAIN! Not wanting to let such a wonderful dog get away from us again, we made the decision to adopt Tully. Tully is such a perfect addition to our family. He typically spends his days snoozing on the couch, cuddling, playing outside with our other great dog Scout or giving kisses to his new baby brother, Orin. We could not be happier with our choice!

Parvo is on the rise in our area. Parvo can be a deadly disease and is very costly to treat.  4 luv of Dog Rescue has treated 12 dogs this year with Parvo.  Sweet Chelsey lost her fight with Parvo about 2 weeks ago and in her memory we are starting a fund to help treat critically ill dogs. Please donate to Chelsey’s Fund to help save other critically dogs who need our help. Go to our How to Help page to learn how to donate.  If you choose to donate Via Paypal, please put a note/comment that it is for Chelsey’s Fund. http://www.4luvofdog.org/wp/how-to-help-provide-financial-assistance

Vote for us to win the shelter challenge from The Animal Rescue Site by going to www.theanimalrescuesite.com or by clicking the icon to the left.  You can vote every day!  Thank you!!!

PetArmor flea and tick protection has just launched the PetArmor Protection Promise to help the ASPCA and shelters nationwide protect their shelter pets. Go to Facebook.com/PetArmor for details on how you can get PetArmor to donate flea and tick treatment to our rescue.

Now we will fast forward a couple of years.  I had been wanting to foster for 4 Luv for a while.  I was waiting for the right dog.  Well when I saw Bert was back at the kennel and no longer had a foster I knew he was coming to our house.  So I put in that I wanted to foster Bert and a few days later I was meeting Sam to pick him up.  Ruby came with to break the Ice.  But there were no issues and I was walking them together almost immediately.  After a week or so he started to come out of his shell.  And come out he did.  He is a completely different dog.  Happy, bouncy, cuddly and a big giant lap dog.    A real gentle giant.  My 2 year old niece will attest to that.  Well I fostered him for a few months and never had anyone show any interest in him at all.  I was made a job offer in another state and couldn’t refuse it.  And I knew that I couldn’t let Bert go back into the kennel.  Especially knowing how depressed he actually was when I first got him.  So I adopted him. 

So now Ruby and he are in Oklahoma with Bruno, my self and the two newest additions to the family. Wesley a Lab pup that we rescued down here and The Blue Baron a blue and white pit pup.  Everyone gets along great and play even better.  

Bert absolutely loves the pups and his allergies are almost none existent any more.  We are just one big happy family!!  Trying to show the world that pits are gentle giants that are just misunderstood.

Thank you to 4 Luv of Dog Rescue and all the people and volunteers that are trying so hard rescue every animal out there.  And I promise to do the same everywhere that I go.  And you guys know that if you ever need help and I am able,  I will be the first to volunteer.

Shane Tommerdahl

My boyfriend and I met Wyatt for the first time at a meet and greet at Petsmart in February.  We immediately fell in love, we had him over for a home visit/play date with our year old Olde English Bulldog Mix. They played the entire time and Wyatt seemed reluctant to leave his new found best friend! Wyatt had no problem adjusting to his new home and very easily became another part of the family.  

Wyatt is a lover, he will kiss our faces until they are full of slobber! There is never a dull moment in our home now that we have two dogs.  Wyatt is really smart and catches on really quickly. Wyatt has not met a person or dog that he hasn’t liked yet.  He is a ball of energy and a great addition to our family.  Wyatt is very tolerant to his new brother pestering him.  They are usually found snuggled up on the couch together or wrestling on the floor.  We could not have found a better match! 

Thanks for the great care 4 luv of dogs gave him while he patiently waited to find the perfect family.  We are so grateful we were able to adopt Wyatt! 

Erin, Eric, Tank & Wyatt