Have Some Summer Fun With Your Canine Buddy

Freewheeling on a summer day with your dog. Is there any better way to pass the time in July and August?

Here’s a wrap-up of summer activities and safety tips.

Frisbee competition

It all started with a whippet named Ashley who performed Frisbee tricks for baseball fans at Dodger Stadium. Today, cities across the country participate in a network of local, regional and national Frisbee competitions for dogs.

Spokane is no exception. For the past 15 years the Alpo Canine Frisbee Disc Championship (formerly know as the Ashley Whippet Invitational) has attracted more than 20 dogs.

This year’s competition is Thursday, 6 p.m., at Shadle Park. It’s free to competitors and spectators.

Dogs have one minute to catch and retrieve frisbees. They earn points for how high they jump and how far they retrieve. The winner earns a chance to compete at the regional competition in Seattle July 13. Nationals are held Sept. 13 in Washington D.C.

“People bring blankets and lawn chairs. It’s a real family event,” said Marion Severud, community relations supervisor for the city parks department.

The Spokane competition features local pet-related merchants and organizations including Thunder Mountain Dog Supply, SpokAnimal and a greyhound adoption group.

For more information call the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department at 625-6200.

If you want to kill your dog

Leave it in a parked car on a warm day with the windows open.

That’s right. Even with the windows open it only takes a few minutes for your car to become a stifling death trap.

Too many dogs have given their lives to prove open windows, parking in the shade and air conditioning do not negate this common sense rule: Don’t leave your dog in the car on a warm day.

The American Humane Society created a flyer to combat this ignorant practice. It’s just the right size to slip under a car’s windshield wipers. I photocopied mine and carry a supply with me spring, summer and early fall. If you’d like a copy, send me a self-addressed stamped envelope at the address listed on the bottom of the dog calendar.

If you find a dog locked in a car on a warm day, ask the nearest business - where the owner is probably shopping - to make an announcement.

If that doesn’t work, call one of these numbers:

City of Spokane - SpokAnimal, 534-8133.

Spokane County - Spokane County Animal Control, 458-2532.

City of Coeur d’Alene - Coeur d’Alene Police Department, (208) 769-2320.

Kootenai County - Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department, (208) 664-1511.

Other locations - try city police or county sheriff departments.

And don’t forget to leave a flyer on the car.

Local dog earns national retriever title

Summer got off to a great start for Fishtrap Calamity, a black Labrador retriever, and Ray Bly, her owner, both of Spokane.

Calamity won the National Amateur Retriever Championship held the week of June 15-20 near Virginia, Minn. She competed against 108 other dogs.

Bly is a long-time member and past president of the Spokane Retriever Club and a member of the Spokane Bird Dog Association.

Although other Spokane dogs and their owners have competed in the prestigious national competition, Calamity and Bly are the first locals to win.

Water babies

Many dogs love to swim. But trying to doggie paddle across Priest Lake, Loon Lake or Lake Coeur d’Alene would tax even the most athletic canine.

If you’re taking your dog boating, get him a life jacket. They’re available at some local dog and pet stores and through specialty catalogs. If you have trouble finding one, drop me a line.

And remember - a river’s undertow and current can drag down a dog as quickly as a person.

Summer reading list

Two new dog books worth checking out:

“Dog’s Best Friend: Annals of the Dog-Human Relationship” by Mark Derr. The press release for this book claims more American households have dogs than children. Derr’s book explains why. He details how dogs helped us domesticate other animals, how they protect us and why they remain such a unique source of emotional strength.

“Poodle” by Bruce Fogle, DVM. This a terrifically handy little book. Fogle approaches poodles with a how-to mentality: how to care for them, groom them, train them. Full of easy-to-interpret pictures and diagrams.

For the love of trucks

If the research is correct, we live in one of the most lucrative markets for pickup trucks. Unfortunately, not all truck owners realize how dangerous it is to let a dog ride loose in the bed.

They think it looks cool.

It looks ignorant.

Hit the brakes slightly hard just once and the dog is road kill, although first it has to bounce off the windshield of the next car. Tie it in the bed and you risk breaking its neck when you brake.

And have you ever noticed how quickly pickup beds get hot? It’s easy for dogs to burn their pads.

Put the dog in a traveling crate, available from almost all pet and farm supply stores.

Now you look cool.

Life’s basics

Especially when it’s hot, dogs need constant access to water and shade.

A dog house might provide respite from the rain, but if it’s not well ventilated that’s the extent of its usefulness in the summer. Make sure your dog can get to a shady, well-ventilated area.

If your dog keeps knocking over his water dish, try a weighted bowl (available at most pet stores) or a bucket chained to something sturdy. Some people even partially bury a bucket in the ground to keep it stationary.

Some do and some don’t

National parks do not allow dogs on trails. National forests usually do. State and county lands vary. Check land regulations before arriving for a hike with your dog.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: DOG CALENDAR Alpo Canine Frisbee Disc Championship - Thursday, 6 p.m., Shadle Park. Open to all dogs. Free; sponsored by Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. Information: 625-6200. Lure Coursing Trial - Saturday-July 13. John’s Field on Spotted Road near Cheney, 8 a.m. Competition for sighthounds. Spectators welcome. Advanced and same-day registration accepted. Information: 535-5703. Dog Grooming Class - July 16 or Aug. 13, South Hill Grooming, 6:30-8:30 p.m; sponsored by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. Information: 625-6200. Dog Training Class - four-week classes beginning July 16 and August 6, 6:30-7:30 p.m, Franklin Park; sponsored by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. Information: 625-6200. Dog Training Class - Diamonds in the Ruff. Four-week puppy as well as beginning and intermediate obedience classes starting early July and August. Six-week advanced class starting the first week of August. Information: 325-7833. All Breed Conformation and Obedience Fun Match - July 26, Clark Park at Garland and Division, 8:30 a.m; sponsored by the Beagle Club of Eastern Washington. Information: 487- 6639. Dog Training Seminar - July 26-27, Tukwila, Wash. Freestyle with Donna Duford. Information: Puppyworks at (707) 745-4237. Dog Shows and Obedience Trials - Aug. 9-10 at St. Martins College in Lacey, Wash.; Aug. 16-17 at King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw, Wash.; Aug. 24 at Gold Creek Tennis and Sports Club in Woodinville, Wash. Information: 924-1089. First Aid for Pets - Aug. 19, Manito Veterinary Clinic, 7-9 p.m.; sponsored by Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. Information: 625-6200. Training People and Dogs Educational Conference and Trade Show - Registration due Sept. 1, conference is Nov. 21-23 in Memphis, Tenn. Speakers include Ian Dunbar. Preconference seminars Nov. 19-20. Information: Puppyworks at (707) 745-4237. Field Test - Sept. 6-7, DNR land on Ladd Road near Espanola; sponsored by the Spokane Bird Dog Association and the North American Hunting Retriever Association. Information: 466-9243. Field Trial - Sept. 26-28, DNR land on Ladd Road near Espanola; sponsored by the Spokane Retriever Club. Information: 924-2353. Field Trial - Sept. 26-28, Fishtrap; sponsored by the Inland Empire German Short-haired Pointer Club. Information: 299-5181. All-Breed Dog Shows - Sept. 26-28, Columbia Park in Kennewick; sponsored by the Spokane Kennel Club, Inland Empire Kennel Club and the Richland Kennel Club. Closing date is Sept. 8. Spectators welcome. Information: 292-2691.

If you would like an event announced in this calendar, send information at least one month in advance to: Mary Sagal, The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Include the date, time, location and a phone number the public can call for more information.

About Dogs appears the first Sunday of each month. Mary Sagal is a member of the Dog Writers’ Association of America.)