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Not being a dog, we have no idea. So we asked an on-the-go pooch how he stays cool. Ask Yahoo!: Lefty, thanks for helping us out.
Lefty: My pleasure.
Y!: You lead an active life. Chasing cats, running around the yard, and so forth. How in the world do you stay "fresh"?
Lefty: That's a personal question, but in the interest of furthering canine-human understanding, I'll answer it. You see, dogs don't have a lot of sweat glands. Humans have 'em all over their bodies, but ours are located primarily on our footpads. Those work, but we cool down primarily by panting. Y!: Ah, so when we see dogs walking around with their tongues hanging out, they're actually sweating?
Lefty: Not exactly. We don't have sweat glands on our tongues. Our mouths produce a lot of saliva. When we pant, air moves across the tongue and saliva, which helps to cool us down. Y!: And that's enough?
Lefty: Not really, no. Dogs can also get rid of excess heat by dilating blood vessels in our faces and ears. The process isn't as efficient as a person's, but it does the job. Y!: Interesting. Any final thoughts?
Lefty: Yes, to all you dog "owners" -- please remember to fill the water dish regularly. We like tap water, and plenty of it.
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