Beating the heat

Sparky's platform became a boardwalk.

The best I can do for the outdoor fosters in this heat is to provide shade, water, and moving air.  Mostly everyone sleeps during the heat of the day and they are up playing in the middle of the night.  I went outside about 2:00 a.m. last night to pass out pacifiers (rawhide rolls) to Hank, Lana, and Dixie.

Friday morning I knew I had to do some work in the kennel where Sparky and Gypsy Jr. live.  Jumping up from the elevated platform, Gypsy Jr. had managed to tear out the center portion of the canopy, which greatly reduced the shade in that kennel.  The fans I had in there weren't functioning either because she had destroyed the cords. 

Gypsy Jr. is a destructive little devil. 
Mostly she's just young and needs something to do.

It was time for some repair, improvements, and remodeling.  I hated removing the elevated platform because Sparky loved it, but I had to get things out of her reach, so it came down to ground level as a boardwalk.  The a-frames that had supported the platform were rotated, leaving room between them for a smaller elevated platform that wouldn't give her access to the lower edges of the canopy.  I hung two fans and ran a power cord that is out of her reach, I hope.  And I replaced the canopy cover, although the replacement has a few holes in it, courtesy of Hank and/or Lana, who had chewed on it when it was stored in the other shed. 

Sparky after the remodeling

It was a big improvement, and fresh cold well water in the tank made both dogs pretty happy. 

Dixie and Lana

In the other kennel, I opened the divider and let Dixie in with Lana and Hank.  I had been concerned about the Lana/Dixie combo, but they had been adjacent to each other for several days and must have gotten well acquainted.  Or maybe it was just too hot to fight, I don't know, but there were no problems and Lana didn't try to hump Dixie like she does most new dogs that she meets.  Come to think of it, I've only seen her hump male dogs, maybe there is respect among the sisterhood and she just feels the need to put the boys in their place. 

Hank and the new fan

Being all together makes for better accomdations for all three of them.  I set up the new big fan in Nero's old kennel.  It's still not in use because I haven't really sanitized it yet, but its covered so the fan is pretty well rain protected but it blows directly into the kennel with the three dogs, providing a pretty powerful breeze. 

Trooper and Gigi sharing a big bed

Daphne went home yesterday and Cooper goes back to his family tomorrow, so we will be down to six dogs indoors.  They get some outdoor time in the mornings, and pee breaks as needed, but they are pretty content to stay inside where it's cool and comfortable.  So am I.