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A bearded older man in a green shirt and suspenders sips lemonade through a straw beside a panting, smiling golden retriever. 15 / 22

Gus Poured One Glass of Lemonade. His Porch Buddy Showed Up Grinning.

AI imagegolden retrieversummerporch

A tall glass of lemonade with a bendy straw is doing its job on this warm afternoon. Gus sits on the porch boards with his knees up, sipping slowly and looking down at the glass with great concentration, as if it might disappear. Right next to him, Honey has her mouth wide open in a big, happy pant, eyes bright and ears relaxed, looking like she has just come back from a romp across the yard. Out past the porch post, buckets, a watering can, and potted plants are scattered in the late-day sun.

That open-mouthed grin is cute, but panting is also how dogs cool down, since they do not sweat the way people do. On warm days, keep an eye on how hard your dog is panting, especially a thick-coated breed like a golden retriever. Shade, fresh cool water, and rest after play are essential. Heavy, noisy panting, drooling, stumbling, or unusual sluggishness can be signs of overheating, and that calls for moving your dog somewhere cool and calling your vet. As for the lemonade, it is best kept as a people-only drink. Citrus and sugar are not good for dogs, and plain water is what they really need.

Gus has his lemonade, Honey has her water bowl somewhere nearby, and the porch has just enough shade for two. That sounds like a pretty perfect summer afternoon.

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