It is no secret that dogs love being outside, but in the Shenandoah Valley, that can be an incredibly dangerous situation even if you don’t realize it.

Dogs do not sweat like humans to help cool down, so heat to them is much more detrimental than we may realize.

High heat and humidity can cause dehydration, sunburn, and overheating, and the Valley has a surplus of both of those. Plus, time in the sun and high levels of exercise can also cause problems. All the temperature needs to hit is 80 degrees and it’s already dangerous for dogs.

It can take just 10 minutes for the inside of your car to reach dangerous temperatures for your dog.

If you have an active dog, it is perfectly fine to allow them to play outside. Just monitor how long they’re out there. For every 15-30 minutes of play, 10-15 minutes of rest in a cool area is recommended.

It’s also recommended that your dog has multiple water bowls throughout the home for easy access, and they need to be kept full.

Ice cubes are also a cool treat for dogs, but you need to make sure they’re a safe size so the dog doesn’t choke.