Deserts like the Sonora (around Tucson) and the Mojave are in a group of environments that represent the second most hostile climates on earth – at least for animals to inhabit. The number one slot belongs to the Arctic climes – places where there is no carbon material for fires or construction, and the cold relentlessly seeks you out. Unlike the desert climate, where shade from a cactus, a small cave or even a shallow hole dug in an old river bottom offer some protection from the heat and sun, in the Arctic, you cannot escape the bone-chilling cold. The desert is hostile to life forms because of some very basic elements:

1) Intense sunshine.
2) Lack of liquid water.
3) Hot, water-evaporating winds.
4) Dangerous animals and plants.

For the human species, today's life in the desert is a much simpler enterprise than it was even a mere 100 years ago. Today we have running water, refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning. Further innovations that ease the stress of desert living include ultra-light water containers; special beverages that are designed to ward off dehydration; high-tech fabrics that keep us shaded and cooler; compact, lightweight, portable shade apparatus; bug repellant; and snake proof clothing. Of course there are also things like handheld GPS devices; cell phones; folding pocketknives; high-tech boots; and flashlights.

We humans have managed to adapt and settle the less than ideal desert areas by living inside of substantial structures that have endless supplies of water. Our houses also have systems that cool the air and thereby reduce our body's fluid losses. Imagine getting up tomorrow morning and having to go outside and find a drink of water. Where would you start? How far would you have to go? And would there still be water there when you arrived, or would other humans (or other life forms) have already consumed it? Or what if you had to go out into the desert tonight and sleep. How would you deal with even the smaller desert denizens like scorpions, snakes, and tarantulas, much less mountain lions? But this is not an article about how a human can survive in the desert. This missive is meant to deal with minimizing the plight of Tucson pets – specifically dogs.

Chances are your family dog doesn't live in the family house, and it cannot turn the water on and off – nor can it tell you when it feels light-headed from dehydration. You have to take a proactive stance in caring for your dog in the desert. Every year dogs die in Tucson because their owners simply didn't know how to properly attend to the animal's needs. Here is some information that will help you ensure that your canine friend stays comfortable and healthy in the arid climes in and around Tucson.

Before we get too involved, let's deal with Rules One and Two:
1) Never leave your dog in a car with the windows closed.
2) Never leave your dog in a car for more than five minutes without a water source.

These are really the most critical rules to remember. Not obliging them will doubtless be the cause of more than one dog's death this year. In Tucson, the temperature inside of a parked car with the windows closed can easily reach 130° in a very short amount of time.

Most breeds of dogs were bred by man to be comfortable and functional in colder weather and conditions. It's no accident that a Labrador Retriever can swim through icy waters all day, or that a Husky can comfortably roll around in the snow for hours. But there are also warmer weather breeds, as well as breeds that do quite well in warm weather such as toy poodles, miniature schnauzers, and so forth. Your veterinarian can best tell you where in the temperature-tolerance spectrum your breed of dog falls. Dogs bred for cold weather require more attention and care in the desert than do other breeds.

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