Any dog lovers out there can relax. The “dog days of summer” does not refer to your pets suffering or going mad in the late summer heat. Instead, the English phrase is derived from the Greek observation of Sirius — part of the Canis Major constellation — rising and setting with the sun during the hottest part of the year.
According to the National Weather Service, which we know is always accurate in its forecasts, we should be getting a bit of a respite from the heat in the Southeast over the weekend, with heat indices increasing in the Southwest into next week. Though the Midwest is largely spared from the heat for the next several days, we’re facing air quality advisories due to the Canadian wildfires to the Northwest. By Wednesday, Aug. 6, moderate heat risk areas are creeping back in across the country (90-110 degrees F).
Protect Your Peace
July and August are typically the hottest months of the year in the northern hemisphere, so more heat waves are sure to come. This means being sweaty, dehydrated and generally uncomfortable at work on top of chasing fast-growing feet all summer and dealing with the normal stressors of life and running a business.
So, when you’re back for a lost shoe, there’s sweat burning your eyes and a horse nuzzling your back, it can be hard to see the bigger picture. Tensions might run high. Someone might snap at the other and say something they wouldn’t if it were a breezy fall afternoon.
While the dog days of summer don’t actually cause your dog to go mad, there are other myths and superstitions attached to the time of year. Seeds don’t grow, snakes become aggressive and wounds don’t heal. The dog days are also thought of as bringing bad luck, drought or unrest. Unrest — from unusual or irrational reactivity all the way up to physical violence — does have some basis in fact. Numerous studies have linked an increase in the rates of crime to an increase in average temperatures during the summer months compared to cooler months (one such study can be found here).
Though I wouldn’t suggest using the heat as an excuse for a bad attitude, knowing it can play a role may help diffuse a stressful situation. Maybe a veterinarian has a prescription you disagree with, a client didn’t pay you on time, you burned your arm or someone brought up politics. While there are certain situations that warrant a serious or severe response — such as being in danger or harming a horse — it’s important to consider how a response will affect a working or personal relationship.
Here are some serious and some not (but still effective) ways to cool off in hot and stressful situations:
- Temporarily remove yourself. Go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, “grab something” from your rig.
- Respectfully tell the truth. “I’m hot, sweaty and exhausted. The heat’s making me a little crazy today. I don’t mean to take it out on you.” A little acknowledgement on both sides goes a long way.
- Release your frustration. Though there’s no concrete scientific evidence that screaming helps regulate emotions, it is cathartic and can help you face the next barn with a clear head. Seriously, try it. Just make sure not to do it in front of clients.
- Phone a friend. Vent and get a fresh perspective, preferably from someone with air conditioning. Could you have responded differently? If so, do you need to address it with the client?
- Got ice? Physically cool yourself off with some cold water or ice on your neck. The shock can help reset your thinking.
- Give yourself grace. How would you diffuse the situation as a third party? Recognize where you’re right and where you’re wrong and move forward. Or table the conversation for a cooler day.
No one is perfect, and an argument isn’t the end of the world, but fighting with a client isn’t going to make you cooler, less frustrated or less exhausted in the long run.
Protect Yourself
A hot, sunny day is annoying, but it can also be dangerous. Sweating is your body’s way of keeping you cool. It isn’t a bad thing, but it does mean you’re dehydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water and replenish your electrolytes with drinks like Gatorade or Liquid I.V. It also helps to wear loose clothing that doesn’t trap heat, like linen, cotton or other athletic fabrics. Have snacks, stay in the shade when possible and keep a fan going. Anything you’d do for another person or a horse in hot weather, make sure to offer the same to yourself.
Beyond normal reactions to hot weather, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are no jokes. Here are some symptoms you might experience and should be your sign to stop and take care of yourself immediately.
Heat Exhaustion
- Cool, moist skin with goosebumps while in the heat
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Feeling unusually fatigued
- Weak, rapid pulse
- Low blood pressure (feeling dizzy) upon standing
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea
- Headache
Heat Stroke
- High body temperature (104 degrees F or higher)
- Change in mental state such as confusion, agitation, slurred speech, delirium or seizures
- Skin is hot, dry and flushed — no longer sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rapid breathing and heart rate
- Headache
Stay safe and cool(headed) in the dog days of summer this year!
