Everybody knows it: Trail dogs are cooler. Man’s best friends love the Trail as much as we do – in fact, many a loyal canine running partner has his or her name immortalized in the commemorative bricks at Lou Neff Point.

During the dog days of summer, it’s important to help your pet avoid overheating, dehydration and sunburn. Heat exhaustion is often caused by over-exercising a dog during hot weather. Both heatstroke and heat exhaustion can result in brain damage, heart failure or even death in a short time. Here are precautions you can take to help keep your 4-legged Trail enthusiast healthy:

• Run in the cooler early morning or late evening, and avoid the times after your dog has eaten. And you can let them take a dip in the lake!
• Always offer your dog water when walking, running or hiking. If your dog gets overheated, cool her off by offering plenty of water; you can also wet the dog’s body and paws and then fan.