PETS

IS IT

TO WALK YOUR DOG?

By Anita DeLelles S ummer is around the corner and it can warm up quickly here in the southwest. The temperatures now are ideal for outdoor activity. It’s a comfortable range throughout the day, but all that can change in a few short weeks. So how do we know when the summer heat becomes too much for a walk or hike with your dog? How do we know when the heat becomes dangerous?

First, there are a few things to know about dogs. We can’t assume what’s comfortable for us is comfortable for them. A dog’s normal body temperature is between 101 and 102.5. That’s three to four degrees warmer than us. Their fur provides them with insulation, not only from the cold but also from heat. A lot of people don’t understand this, as it seems counterintuitive. Fur allows air to circulate over their skin and regulate their body temperature to avoid overheating. When we shave our pets to keep them cool in southwest temperatures, we are not only damaging their coat but possibly putting them in extreme danger of heatstroke.

A dog’s paw pads are tough but still susceptible to being burned on hot pavements, sand, rocky surfaces or even grass. The darker the surface, the hotter, as heat is absorbed more than reflected. So with these things in mind, it’s up to us to be responsible for their safety in the sun and heat. Your dog may be ready to go on a hike in any weather condition; but, they can’t make a safe decision, that is up to you as a responsible pet owner. We need to know when the temperature and sun exposure is too much for a dog walk. It’s also vital that we’re properly prepared if we do take a walk on a summer day to choose the best time of day.

Here are some important points to consider. What surface will your dog be walking on? Place your hand on the surface — can you hold it there comfortably for 7 seconds or more? If yes then you are good to go. But during that walk, be sure your dog has access to the coolest surface — walk them on the shady side of the street. A sidewalk will be cooler than black asphalt. In fact, asphalt temperature can be dramatically hotter than the ambient temperature. If you’ve ever tried walking across a sunbaked pavement in bare feet, you know how excruciating that can be! And a shady surface can be a tremendous relief. There are some varying factors such as humidity, cloud cover, etc., but consider the following as an example:

77F - 125F surface temperature, paw/skin damage may occur in 1 minute. 86F - 135F surface temperature will fry an egg in 5 minutes.

1. WATER Take a portable water dish and plenty of fresh water, add some ice cubes to keep it cool longer. Allow your dog to drink a little at a time and no ice. If they over-drink too quickly, they may throw up, and ice may cause an abrupt temperature change that could lead to adverse reactions.

2. DOGGIE BOOTS & COOLING VEST Sound silly or too fancy? Dogs have tough paw pads but it’s not just the heat we need to protect their pads from. There are many hazards, plant debris, litter, broken glass, and rough terrain. Cooling vests are a must if you have shaved your dog’s coat. But even if your dog still has his natural coat, a vest can keep his body regulated if there’s a spike in ambient temperature, or if your dog over-exerts himself. Choosing the right size boots and cooling vest for your dog and getting accustomed to them can take time. Be patient and ask for assistance from a dog professional. It can be a lifesaver.

3. LEASH A must for walking anywhere in a populated area, including neighborhoods and parks, even if your dog is very obedient. An unexpected distraction is all it takes for an accident or a lost pet. Most trails require that dogs be leashed. A good, wellfitting front-clip harness with a 6’ lead is the safest for your dog and you. Back clip harnesses create more pulling and make for a very unpleasant walk with a dog that is always pulling at the end of his leash. Flexi-leads are an accident waiting to happen. They provide ZERO control in an emergency and can lead to bodily harm for both the dog and anyone around them when they get entangled around objects or even your legs.

4. FIRST AID KIT Even if you are just going around the block, take some essentials with you, it can be as important as your poop bags. Basic First Aid kits are readily available.

With these simple precautions, you are now prepared to head out and enjoy the outdoors with your dog. Why not join a group of dogs and like-minded friends for that outing? At WOOF! Center, a monthly, trainer-guided hike is offered on some great local trails. Jess Sides, Director of Training at WOOF! Training Academy, will offer some helpful tips along the way and provide expert guidance. Here are 5 of our favorite local trails suitable for dogs: Paradise Canyon - Scout Cave Trail, 2.4- mile loop located off Snow Canyon Parkway; Turtle Wall Trail, 3.8-mile loop located off HWY 18 north of Snow Canyon Park; Chuckwalla Trail, 1.7-miles located off HWY 18 north of Snow Canyon Parkway; Santa Clara Petroglyphs via Anasazi Trail, 2.9-miles located off Santa Clara Dr.; Snow Canyon, 3.5-mile loop in Snow Canyon State Park.

Interested in the WOOF! trainer-guided hikes? We request that dogs have completed a Basic Manners class or Loose Leash Walking class to participate in the hike. Our trainer can set up a free assessment if you are not sure about your dog’s ability to join the hikes. V

For current information on guided hikes and more, please contact WOOF! Wellness Center, 3199 Santa Clara Drive in the Santa Clara Historic District, open M-Sat. (435)-275-4536 or visit www.woofcenter.com

By Mary Beth Timm E ighty-five years ago, when the Lost City Museum was built, Moapa Valley was in the middle of the largest archaeological projects ever conducted in southern Nevada. Most of what we know about the region came out of this investigation. The main site, Pueblo Grande de Nevada, or the Lost City, was inhabited during the Puebloan Period, which was from 800 AD to 1350 AD. Archaeologists investigated prehistoric sites where Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) lived. They grew squash, beans, and corn with water from the Virgin and Muddy Rivers. Other local plants such as amaranth, Indian rice, and mesquite rounded out their diets. They hunted bighorn sheep, tortoise, rabbits, and deer. This isn’t the earliest evidence of people living in the area, though. There are other places that are much older. Rock writings (petroglyphs) are messages left during the Late Archaic Period (2600 BC to AD 400). These can be found at Gold Butte and Valley of Fire. Other places date to the Ice Age, such as Gypsum Cave and Tule Springs (11,000 BC). What makes this region so important to our knowledge of the past? It’s not the oldest place people have lived. It’s not as big as Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde. What it does have is evidence of long-distance trade networks that spread along the north rim of the Grand Canyon. A small, new exhibit at the Lost City Museum talks about prehistoric networking, the exchange of ideas and ceramics. Margaret Lyneis discovered that pots and bowls were made with an olivine temper. These small, green stones were added to clay before firing so that the bowls heated evenly and did not break in the kiln. These stones come from the Grand Canyon. When people in (what is now) Arizona connected with people in (what is now) Nevada, they didn’t just exchange objects, they shared ideas. Just like our cities and towns are connected to faraway places, people in the past built exchange networks to increase what they had on hand. That’s how in the 1920s, the excavation project got started: ideas were exchanged. Fay and John Perkins, of Overton, knew they lived near an archaeological treasure. This Lost City was at risk of being lost forever. The Hoover Dam and its creation of Lake Mead would soon flood the area. The Perkins brothers reached out to Governor Scrugham to rescue the information. The Governor hired Mark Harrington, archaeologist, to lead the project in 1924. Later, Governor Scrugham created Nevada’s Commission of State Parks and utilized the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to complete the project, which continued until 1941 (17 years). The CCC picked a high place that wouldn’t be flooded for a museum. The CCC figured out how ancient dwellings were built- using adobe bricks. They revived the ancient architecture in the museum building itself. The CCC formed adobe out of local red clay and plants. The bricks dried in the hot, desert sun. Displays were set up and the public invited to learn about the past. That building still stands - the Lost City Museum. It is the oldest building to be 85 Year Old Local Treasure: THE LOST CITY MUSEUM

Two excavated archaeological sites are located on the property. One is easy to miss - the pit house, which is a large earthen mound in front of the museum. This house was entered through the roof. It was warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Visitors can stand on top of the dome and look in through its front door.

A second foundation is protected inside the building. Its exhibit is divided into two parts. One side looks like an archaeological excavation with tools laid out. The other side looks like the ancient people are still there. The plaster lined floor has a hearth, food storage room, and a woman grinding corn.

Outside is another CCC legacy: The pueblo replica. Behind the museum, small pit houses were built with wooden cross beams, wattle and daub, and adobe plaster. A garden holds pioneer ranching equipment and local pollinator plants.

Learn about archaeology, Moapa Valley, these ancient dwellings, and ranching history in the museum’s exhibits or during a program. This August, the Fine Art Show returns to showcase the “Beauty of southern Nevada.” Every fall, Native American Day brings native values, beliefs, and traditions to museum audiences. In December, the Holiday Open House is a free admission day. V

Lost City Museum is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It’s just a five-dollar ($5) admission and it includes three galleries and two twenty-minute films. Kids and members are always free. Find more information at www.LostCityMuseum.org, Facebook, and Instagram.