[Gail P]

Only one of my dogs is really heavy coated, but mine are all used to spending a lot of time outside in the winter since we dogsled. Once the warm weather comes I put a kiddie pool out in the backyard for them and they love it. Some of mine like to soak themselves as soon as they can break ice on the puddles in my fields and will lay down in the water after running around playing. A couple will also jump into the horse trough and lay down in it. I take them out in the fields to run and play in the mornings and evenings in the hot weather, before the sun is really up over the trees and when it's going down, and then after that they have the choice of staying in the backyard with their kiddie pool and shade, or coming inside the house. Depending on the temperature and if it's breezy or not, I may have the windows open or the air conditioning on in the house and I keep the curtains pulled across the front where the sun really shines in. I also like to take the dogs swimming at some nearby lakes and rivers.