When I think of a dog enjoying summer, I think of a golden retriever. I think of a golden retriever happily jumping into the lake to fetch a stick.
I do not think of my dogs.
Millie and Charlotte are a pair of longhaired, blonde dachshunds. They are not known for their fun and friendly personalities; instead, the one time I had the audacity to take them to the lake, they spent the day digging large holes in the sand and barking loudly at passers-by. In their short lives, they have been called rats and ghastly hags and nuisances. They hate men (forgivable) and women (that, I can't figure out). Nobody who has ever met them has wanted to see them ever again.
But I tell you this: I have never encountered two lovelier souls. They're loyal and kind. They just also happen to be very, very, very high maintenance.
And because I've met some of your dogs, too, I know I'm not the only one without a sweet, friendly, All-American jock for a dog. So here's to the "extra" dogs, the ones that won't be attending Spokane Park's Doggie Dip at the pools or hitting up dog parks or even going to the lake on public entry. Here are my favorite ways to give them a perfect summer, in ways they're comfortable with.