Keeping Things Paws-itive in the Summer Heat!

With rising temperatures in the summer, we often hear and see reports about remembering our furry friends in the excessive heat. It is important to protect your outdoor pets by providing a constant supply of cool water and being sure there is a shady space where they can escape the sun.

A few tips for protecting your loved animals are:

• Add frozen water bottles to a large water bowl. This will keep water cooler for a longer time. You can refreeze the bottles and rotate with fresh ones.

• In extreme hot weather, look for a cooler place for your dog such as a carport, garage, basement, or inside your home.

• Pavement, concrete, and asphalt absorb heat. Avoid these and choose areas that are grassy for walking and exercising your dog.

• Plan walks when the temperature is cooler such as early morning and late evening.

• Dogs can sunburn just like people. Apply pet-safe sunscreen on exposed areas like ears and nose.

• Keep your pet’s coat thin by brushing regularly.

• Use frozen toys and water play to entertain and cool your animal.

• NEVER leave your pets in a vehicle.

The above deals with the safety of your pet. I want to introduce you to a fun aspect of pet care that your entire family can prepare and enjoy. A favorite learning activity from this year’s Lincoln 4-H Summer Camp was the preparation and sharing of 176 homemade dog treats for the Caruthersville Humane Society. This activity was a part of Agriculture and Animals Week for the 2022 summer enrichment program. All summer camp participants assisted in preparing the dog treats, a multi-objective and skills-learning project. Fourth and fifth grade youth delivered the treats to and volunteered at the shelter by assisting with animal care.

This was a fun and easy project that can be replicated at home. There are lots of homemade dog treat recipes available online. Below is the recipe used at camp. This peanut butter and banana treat pays homage to Elvis, in light of the recently released movie. These treats were a hit with the shelter pups and youth alike, as the youth licked their fingers and prep bowls clean!

Homemade “Nothin’ But

a Hound Dog” Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats

• 1 medium ripe banana

• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Add oats to a food processor and grind into a fine oat flour.

3. Add the oat flour, banana, and peanut butter to a medium bowl and mix. You can use a silicone spoon or your hands!

4. Press the dough into molds or roll out and cut into desired shapes. This recipe should make approximately 20 treats.

5. Place treats on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

6. Cool completely and store in an airtight container up to 1 week. You may freeze the prepared treats up to 3 months.

When you make these treats, talk with youth about measuring skills, cleanliness in preparation, and the vitamins and nutrients found in the ingredients. This activity also offers an opening for discussions surrounding health and welfare of dogs. Adults can help with the baking if very young children are making these treats.

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program is committed to providing quality educational resources and opportunities for youth in the state of Missouri. Lincoln University is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Like and subscribe to our social media accounts to stay up-to-date on what is happening with LUCE and 4-H in the Bootheel by visiting us on Facebook at Pemiscot County 4-H and on YouTube at Bootheel 4-H.