I am in NE Tucson. I keep my Yorkies inside most of the time during the summer. I have an enclosed/screened in back patio, so if they want to go outside they have a covered area. Because my place backs up to a wash, I would never use a doggie door. Too many owls and hawks in the area. A small kiddie pool is a great little treat. I only out about two inches of water in the pool, but that is more than enough for lots of splashing and fun. I put some ice cubes in the water and they had a blast trying to get the ice. Ended up they would grab and ice cube and take it out of the pool and then get back in. Ended up with melted ice all over the back patio. Course, with the heat, it dries right up!
I work long hours also and use Nunn-Better Pet sitters during the week. They come by daily (I work 10-12 hours days) for a mid-day visit with the pups. Because of the heat in the summer, they stay inside and play. When it gets cooler, I will have her take them for a mid-day walk. She puts down fresh water for them before she leaves, picks up my mail, and brings in my trash bins (on trash days).
I really like Nunn-Better, but I also have a friend who use Happy Tails and speaks highly of them.
Hope the rest of your summer goes well. |