Luna and Me in the Arizona Summer — How We Survive the Heat Together

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Every morning this summer, we have the same argument.

I get up, get my coffee, and start thinking about getting outside before the heat takes over. Luna watches me from her spot on the couch, completely unbothered, like a dog who has made her peace with staying indoors forever.

I head toward the door.

She lifts one ear.

I reach for the handle.

Both ears now. Eyes open.

The second I move to grab her harness — she launches off that couch like she has been waiting her entire life for this moment. Tail going, nose already working, acting like going outside was her idea all along.

Every. Single. Morning.

I don’t know if this is a hound thing, a Luna thing, or just the universe reminding me that dogs are fundamentally ridiculous and I love them for it. Either way, it is our ritual and I wouldn’t trade it.

Walking a Chihuahua mix in Phoenix Summer — What That Actually Looks Like

If you have never walked a hound dog, let me paint you a picture.

It is not a walk so much as a guided investigation. Luna is part hound and that nose of hers is basically a supercomputer that processes information I will never be able to access. Every blade of dry grass, every patch of dirt, every spot where another dog walked twelve hours ago — she finds it, she clocks it, she files it away.

In the summer we walk early. I mean early — before 7am if I can manage it, while the pavement is still cool enough that I can press my hand to it and hold it there comfortably. That’s my rule. If the pavement is too hot for my hand, it’s too hot for her paws.

We keep it short in the summer heat. Fifteen to twenty minutes, no heroics. Luna doesn’t always agree with this timeline — she would like to investigate every single thing in a three mile radius — but I am the one with thumbs and the leash so we head home before either of us gets overheated.

At night we go again. Later, after the sun has been down long enough for the world to remember how to breathe. Luna’s nose kicks back into high gear and she trots along like she’s solving a mystery, which she probably is.

What I Do to Keep Her Cool

Luna is not a delicate dog. She’s sturdy and opinionated and acts tougher than she is. But Arizona summers are not joking around and I take her comfort seriously.

Frozen treats are the thing she loves most. I freeze low-sodium chicken broth in ice cube trays and give her a few throughout the day. She works at them like it’s a puzzle and it keeps her busy and cool at the same time. You can also freeze plain peanut butter or banana pieces — Luna is not picky, she is enthusiastic about all of it.

Fresh cold water, always. This sounds obvious but I check her bowl constantly in the summer. Dogs can get dehydrated faster than you’d think in this heat and I’d rather refill the bowl ten times a day than worry about it.

Keeping the floors cool. Luna gravitates toward the tile in the summer because she’s smarter than most people give her credit for. I let her do her thing and don’t make her sleep anywhere warmer than she wants to.

That’s honestly it. No fancy gadgets, no complicated routine. Just common sense and frozen chicken broth cubes that she acts like are the greatest thing that has ever happened to her.

Luna’s Summer Personality

Here is what summer does to Luna: it turns her into my shadow.

Outside she is independent, nose-driven, her own creature following a scent trail I’ll never understand. But inside during the summer heat she follows me from room to room like she is attached to me by an invisible string. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, back to the kitchen — she is there. Every time.

I used to think it was sweet. I now also think it is slightly unhinged. I say this with complete love.

She will find the exact spot I am about to step and lie down in it. She will follow me into a room, watch me do the thing I came to do, and follow me back out. She has no task. She simply needs to know where I am at all times.

In the summer especially I think the heat makes her want the comfort of her person. I get that. On the hard hot days I want my people close too.

So we coexist. She sleeps near my feet while I write. She moves when I move. She sighs heavily when I don’t move fast enough. It’s a whole dynamic.

What I’ve Learned About Dogs in Desert Heat

After summers with Luna in Phoenix I’ve picked up a few things worth sharing if you have a dog in a hot climate:

The pavement test is real. If you can’t hold your hand on the pavement for seven seconds it will burn their paws. Walk on grass when you can. Walk early or late. This is non-negotiable.

Watch for the signs. Heavy panting, slowing down on the walk, looking for shade — Luna will tell me when she’s done if I pay attention. Learn your dog’s signals and trust them.

Short walks are still walks. Fifteen minutes of sniffing does more for a hound’s brain than an hour of purposeless walking. Quality over quantity in the heat. Luna comes home satisfied from a twenty minute investigation every time.

Frozen treats are cheap and they work. You don’t need anything fancy. Ice cubes, frozen broth, a frozen Kong stuffed with peanut butter — dogs love them all and they genuinely help on hot days.

Let them lead inside. If Luna wants the tile she gets the tile. If she wants to be in the room with the AC vent she goes there. Dogs will regulate their own temperature if you let them.

She Makes It Worth It

Phoenix summers are objectively brutal. I will not pretend otherwise. The heat is relentless and going outside requires strategy and timing and sometimes a little courage.

But every morning when Luna launches herself off that couch the second she sees me reach for her harness — every morning when her nose hits the air and her ears perk up and she becomes the most alive version of herself — I am reminded why we do it.

She doesn’t know it’s 105 degrees. She knows there are smells to investigate and a person who loves her walking beside her and that is enough for her.

It’s usually enough for me too.

Shop Luna’s Summer Essentials — Everything we actually use to survive the Arizona heat is linked in my Amazon storefront. From frozen treat molds to cooling gear, I only share what Luna has truly approved.

Do you have a dog in a hot climate? Tell me your summer survival tips in the comments — Luna and I are always looking for new ideas. Especially if they involve frozen treats.