Lifestyle : Our Pets
Snacks Time :
Snacks Sanchez
Snacks is a seven-pound silkie Yorkshire terrier with the attitude of a 100- pound pit bull . Formerly known as Mia , she is a recovering rescue dog who found her new and loving home in 2013 when she was unexpectedly dropped off at her new mom ’ s place of work . Her new dad — a seasoned empty nester , was not a fan initially . A sixyear battle of wills ensued , which Snacks eventually won . In the process both Snacks and Dad gained a clear understanding of who the real Alfa in the pack was — Mom .
Me and my humans on a hike- Mesquite Canyon Trail , Arizona
W elcome to my second installment
of “ Snacks Time .” I hope you and your humans are enjoying my column thus far — I know I am enjoying writing in human ! Once again , I ’ m talking ticks , as it ’ s important to share what we ’ re doing to win the battle . I ’ ll also be talking about what we ’ re doing to beat the heat this summer during our hikes and neighborhood walks .
Tick Talk : It ’ s still tick season . I know this because they are clinging to me like nails to a magnet . ( I suppose that makes me a “ tick magnet ”). After every hike , Mom goes through my hair like she ’ s looking for coins in a couch , as my local dog-friend Snoopy watches ... awkward ! Snoopy , by the way , is a Bearded Collie , not a Sheepdog , as I mistakenly described him last issue . In my defense I ’ m a Yorkie , and I ’ m not that concerned .
Ticks love me because I am so cute — or perhaps because I am so low to the ground . This week Mom took me to our local veterinarian for a complete check-up . The results were “ fabulous ”— no surprise there . Then the vet gave mom a massive ball of something called a “ flea and tick treatment in pill form .” Mom knows I hate taking pills , so I ’ m sure she took it just to be polite . Then , to my surprise , I got peanut butter when we got home ! I ’ ll admit it tasted different — but at least I didn ’ t have to eat a pill .
This year to date I ’ ve had 12 ticks climb aboard , while Snoopy has had just one . So , of course , I win ! Mom seems to really love pulling them off me . She ’ s a farmgirl and has no fear of gross stuff . Dad just gets creeped out .
Beating the Heat : In hotter weather we start our hikes very early in the morning . Snoopy and I are now sporting these cool boots Auntie Annette found called Walkee Paws . These boots not only help
Tick Talk and Beating the Heat
Me and Snoopy ready to roll - Mt Madonna County Park
keep dust , twigs and a lot of other things off Snoopy ’ s fur and my hair , they also provide a little buffer against ticks climbing aboard . Most importantly , they protect our paws from hot trails and hot pavement on our neighborhood walks or window shopping downtown .
Our Walkee Paws came in handy during a recent road trip to Arizona to visit and hike with my long-distance dog-friend Murphy . On one hike it was 70 degrees at 6:30am and in the 90 ’ s by the time we were done . Hot trails hold the same perils for dogs as humans . Use the “ Seven Second Rule ” on a hot day — if your human can hold the back of their hand on the ground for seven seconds , the surface temp is safe . If not , the surface is too hot and they should consider walking you on grass , covering your paws or waiting for cooler temps . Snoopy , Murphy and I love our Walkee Paws . We know that you and your humans will love them too ! To learn more see the latest deals , visit :
gmhTODAY / SnacksTime / WalkeePaws
Don ’ t forget about water , too . Hydration on hot , or mild but humid days , is important for animals and will prevent heat stroke . When outdoors all day we need to have fresh water in a cool or shaded area , or a tiny pool to dip our feet into . On walks or hikes , it ’ s even more important to keep hydrated . Add a collapsible water bowl to your human ’ s basic hiking gear to provide instant water breaks along the way . Humans can learn more about preventing heat stroke in animals at my veterinarian ’ s online pet library :
gilroyvet . com / heatstroke As always , if you have pet-related questions , tips , or would like to share your story , please email me at : snacks @ gmhtoday . com I ’ ll be happy to answer , share your story and tips , or give you a shout-out in an upcoming article . Until then , stay cool !
-Snacks
Images provided by Team Sanchez for gmhTODAY magazine : snacks @ gmhtoday . com
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