Dog Duty

07/25/2024

Another fun stop. The dog Library. No books there but story telling toys 🧸

07/23/2024

Beautiful neighborhood to walk with this beautiful girl, Maggie

07/18/2024

He is not reading them a story, it’s just treat time, so organized 🐶 ❤️ #

07/07/2024

I want to take a second to address the murky waters surrounding pavement temperatures when dog walking, and the ground temperature infographics circulating Facebook. While these charts are good to follow to be on the safe side, they are not exactly accurate in every situation. As of recently, I have had a few people approach me during dog walks to inaccurately lecture me on ground temperatures, some very polite, others.... not so much. One of the things we take very seriously on our dog walks, is the safety and comfort of a dog's paws during and after a walk.

- Some of these infographics claim ground temperatures of 143°F when the air temp is 87° F, which is something we don't often see here by the coast, and likely applies more inland or to a still-air environment void of any wind.
For instance, on one of my walks today the air temperature was 93° F, with a black asphalt temperature of 106° F. This cooler ground temperature was due to a cool breeze coming in from the coast, which I was also monitoring on my weather app.

- Some of these infographics claim that lower temps around 110° F can burn your dog's paws after 5-10 minutes, which is something we have never seen.
Most pet safety experts claim 120° - 125° F is the minimum temperature that can burn a dog's paws, and that it is generally safe to walk your dogs at ground temperatures below 120° F.

- Some of these infographics speak of a 5-second rule, where you place the back of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds to determine the temperature. We have always known this as the 7-second rule, and we don't recommend skipping those extra 2 seconds of contact!

So to sum it all up, it is a good idea to follow the guidelines of infographics so as to not burn or cause discomfort to a dog's paws. But understand that the actual ground temperatures in a given area fluctuate widely due to wind, shade, pigment of the ground, etc.

Lastly, I would like to state that we have deployed the use of infrared thermometers in the field to temp asphalt, sidewalks, etc in each neighborhood. We find that this is the best way to safely determine whether or not the ground temperature is safe in a given area. We absolutely love all of the doggos that we walk, and it is important to us that they are safe and comfortable during their time with us.

06/22/2024

Attention dog owners: I am still seeing a lot of Chlorophyllum molybdites growing in town in both grass and woodchip habitats. If you see these, pull them up and throw them away. They are safe to handle without worry of poisoning yourself, but when ingested by a pet will guarantee a lengthy vet visit!

More info:
https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Chlorophyllum_molybdites.html

06/14/2024

Olive is Cuteness Everdeen

06/11/2024

Where is our dinner lady?

06/06/2024

This is the third sighting of a mountain lion close to home in the past week or so. All pet owners beware when out for a walk, and don't leave pets outside unattended.

06/04/2024

Dog owners: Keep an eye out for this mushroom in your lawns and woodchips!
They are in the same genus as button/portobello mushrooms, and have a lot of similarities...but these ones cause extreme gastrointestinal upset in pets and humans.
The yellow bruising can be found by damaging the cap margin or base of the stem, and is a good enough indicator to throw them all away. They are safe to handle without worry of poisoning yourself. If you're unsure, Shane has offered to ID any mushrooms you find and are concerned about.

More information:

Agaricus xanthodermus
https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Agaricus_xanthodermus.html

Agaricus californicus
https://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Agaricus_californicus.html

06/04/2024

There is a high heat advisory Tomorrow and Wednesday! Ground temperatures at some point between noon and 2pm may become unsafe for walks. We will keep everyone updated over the next couple of days as the ground heats up, and will work tirelessly to make sure all essential walks and potty breaks are met early.

06/02/2024

Olive sleeping very comfortable. She is a sweet baby ❤️

05/31/2024

05/24/2024

Follow Gracie around Los Gatos, she will tell you where to find all the free treats in town Los Gatos Garden Inn

05/23/2024

It's that time of the year again!

05/20/2024

Our friend who fosters and spays/neuters strays has a bunch of kittens available if anyone in the San Jose area is looking. They were rescued off the street here. We are unfortunately not ready to adopt yet, but eager to help find them a new home. You can contact us for details.

05/12/2024

From all of us at Dog Duty, we thank all of you Dog Momma's and Cat Momma's for being such a wonderful Mother to these Furbabies! 😻🌺

12/24/2023

Super sweet story! The universe is magic sometimes. ❤️🐾

450.9K likes, 18.8K comments. “He wss my heart dog ”

11/01/2023

Happy Halloween!! 🎃🦇🐈‍⬛🐦‍⬛💀👻

06/21/2023

Happy World Dachshund Day! Rudy is celebrating his awesomeness!

04/27/2023

❤️❤️❤️

12/11/2022

Thanks, Stacy's Wag'N'Train!

It’s a rainy, blustery day in San José! If your walks are cut short or cancelled entirely, here are some things you can do with your dog while staying warm and dry inside!

http://www.wagntrain.com/training-resources/stacys-training-tips/boredom-busters/