We have these marathon runners that jog all over the Medical Center, regardless of the heat, the cold, the rain, etc...CRAZY!!! but they think this is soooo good for them...but one day I am driving home at 3pm, dead of last summer (T - 96*) and there is some dude, with his little speedo on, and his glistening, dark tanned body, complete with bulging deltoids and an amazing washboard set of abs, jogging around the hospital on the sidewalk, little headband catching any droplets of sweat,....clulessly dragging a little, looked to be 5# Yorkie, down the sidewalk behind him on a 8 foot leash...totally oblivious to the poor little animals distress....I pulled into a driveway 1/2 block ahead of him and stopped, waiting for him to get to me, and I asked him if he had even looked over his shoulder to see the half dead dog he was dragging down the sidewalk behind him...he was stunned and amazed that the dog was experiencing heat exhaustion and was about to collapse. I loaded him and his half dead dog in my car and drove him to his apartment about 1/2 mile away, while he took cold water from my lunch kit, soaked a towel I had in the back seat, and held it on the dogs stomach, on pulse points under her arms and groin area, with the a/c blowing on her...he saved her, to run again, but he did wave me down about a month later, and told me thanks, it had NEVER occured to him the dog could not out run him....out perform him....he had gone to the vet immediately and they treated her and she does NOT run with him anymore!

I know this does not give them their exercise, but when its too hot too walk for them I take them on a stroller ride or put them in the bike basket and go bike ride. I can't take in the morning so I only have evening option.

Great post, thanks.

Yorkieusa - Karen thank you for your advice and kind words...and also for the doggie boot link. I live in Canada and Sophie will need to deal with some slush and snow this winter!

Yorkiemom1 - great post, thanks for sharing...I always look forward to your responses in threads I read

Hopesmom - I would like to congratulate you on your new baby Hope! I almost didn't ask the question but am so glad I did! I have learned so much here on YorkieTalk. I am personally finding that unless someone has a Yorkie or another other small breed dog, the advice I can get is sometimes wrong even though they are dog owners. They can also look at you funny when you talk about hyperglycemia, sensitive paws, etc. (thinking your just babying a small dog). Everyone here on YorkieTalk has great advice...we are very lucky to have this forum to educate us and help us through this all new adventure with our precious little ones!

Thanks for sharing...I am definitely going to look into a doggie bike basket! I think Sophie will absolutely love going for bike rides!

Is it a special bike basket for pets or is it just a regular bike wicker basket lined with an added reinforced tether(?) strap? I am asking because my daughter's bike has a wicker basket on it that can be set up for Sophie unless there is something special about a pet wicker basket.

My son rigged up a regular wicker basket on my bike with a little leash made from a luggage strap (we used those plastic zipstrips to fasten it to the bike) I made a comfy cushion- a folded blanket would work fine. Ziva loves it, her little head swiveling to catch all the sights. I looked at a lot of pictures on the internet and checked out a few in stores and think our homemade/free is just as good!

When they invented "duct tape" and "zipstrips", they made my life complete!!!! There is NOTHING I cant do!!!!! I love your little basket idea!

There are a variety of bicycle baskets on Amazon and some other online sites. I like the one with the wire protection over the top so if the bike should run into trouble the dog will be fairly safe. A towel or some sort of cover for the top could be rigged up to protect from the sun. I don't ride a bike but I really thought the added protection of the wire over the top was a better way to go.
Amazon.com: Solvit 69996 Wire Safety Cage for...

Thanks yorkieusa...I'm new to YT and am not sure how to look up other members. Did it take a while for your yorkie to get use to wearing the boots? Which ones are the easiest for them to adjust too?

The younger they are when you start it will be easier. Just get something comfortable - not so hard and let them walk around in the house to get used to them. They look hilarious when they start walking in them, because they can't feel the bottom of their feet on the floor/ground, but they get used to it.

I'm all for keeping Jaeger indoors most of the day in this Georgia heat. We play a zillion games of fetch and chase to get him exercise in the summer, but we still go for early morning walks when we can.

If its really hot, I'll soak him with the hose (or in the sink) and then walk him-it really helps keep him cool and comfortable during the walk. We stay on the grass so his paws don't burn up.

He really misses being outside, even when it's super hot, so sometimes I'll take a small tupperware container, fill it with safe fruit and veggie chunks and water, freeze it, and let him melt it with his paws on the patio or in the grass. He loves scooting it around and digging at it to get the treats out.

Here in UK its start of summer & on hot days I walk Ollie before 8am and after 6pm as its too hot in day time he overheats and pavements far too hot.

I just wanted to share that I rigged up the wicker bike basket for Sophie and she absolutely LOVES our bike rides!

I now test the pavement daily...it really cools down after 8:00pm and we have great walks now.

Thanks again to everyone for your tips and suggestions!!!

What a nice idea! You two will have lots of fun going for bike rides.

It is really hot here now and we usually go for our walks 6-7 a.m. on weekends and it hasn't been cooling off in the evening until 8 p.m., so we go then as well. Of course, during the week we just go of an evening. Have fun with the bike rides!:)