Although Doc and I enjoy the summertime, one thing I do not like are the sultry dog days of summer. It’s so hot and humid it makes my paws sweat and leaves my fur so frizzy that it results in a very bad hair day. Oh the horror! But I bet you don’t know where the term dog days comes from, so this smart pooch will give you a brief tutorial all about it.
During this time of year, Sirius, also known as the dog star is not only the brightest star, it is part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog. Sirius is so bright that the ancient Romans believed it actually gave off heat, adding to the sun’s warmth so they called this time of year dies caniculares or ” dog days.” In reality the heat this time of year is a result of the Earth’s tilt causing the sun’s rays to hit us at a more direct angle and for longer periods of time resulting in hotter days. The Romans also thought the oppressive heat led to lethargy, fever, bad luck and dogs going mad. Now I don’t know about all that but it does result in me being a miserable hot dog.
The best thing about being a member of the canine clan is that we have had to learn to adapt for centuries. So how is this black haired dog and his owner coping with the heat? Luckily Doc keeps the air conditioner on low and paddle fan on high over the bed so I can nap in comfort and stay cool during the heat of the day.. Late in the afternoon as the sun begins to set, we finally venture out on the back porch with a cool drink. If there’s a breeze, we can sit comfortably and enjoy the symphony of sounds that are performed by the creatures of the night. The one good thing about the dogs days is that it does force us to slow down and that is never a bad thing in this hectic world we live in.
So savor the last of summer while it is with us because in the middle of winter we will long for the dogs days of summer to return.