How often are your dogs out in the summer?

[RoxMonster]

Summer is brutal where I live--super muggy, hot, and humid. I have a black lab mix who loves being outside, but I don't want to keep her out too much.

In our backyard, she has a water bowl and plenty of shade to lay in. If we're going to be out there for a little while, I also fill up a kiddie pool for her. When it's really hot, instead of running around with her ball, she usually just lays in the shade. She enjoys being outside, even if she's just laying around.

Whenever we come in (even after about 10-15 min outside), she flops down on the hardwood panting and sleeps for awhile, so it seems like the heat does take it out of her. However, I hate just leaving her in the house except for going to the bathroom because she's a dog that needs exercise and likes being outdoors. (BTW, whenever she is outside, H or myself are out there with her. She's never left unattended).

So how often do you take your dogs out in the summer? Is it OK for her to lay in the shade if it's really hot out, or should she not even be out then? We are going to the vet tomorrow for something unrelated, so I plan to ask her, but thought I'd post now since today is super steamy out and she just totally zonked out in the living room from being outside for 15 min.

[LateToTheParty]

I also live in a really hot and humid area. I have Boston Terriers though who cannot tolerate heat very well so I don't take them out for long periods of time during the summer. After 10 or 15 minutes they are usually ready to come back in. Sometimes, if it's not too terribly hot, in the late evenings I take them for short walks to help them burn off some energy.

If it's really hot out even in the shade it can too much for some dogs. So I would probably limit the time outside if she seems uncomfortable. Although I think your kiddie pool idea is good. Sometimes with my dogs I will use a hose or just a bottle of water to wet them down which I think helps keep them cool.

[mala]

We let her out for 10min or so every hour, on average. Longer in the morning and evening. We don't go out with her though. Our yard is mostly shaded, and she always has water of course. If I see her laying by the door I'll bring her in early.