08/07/2026
READ ME - HEATWAVE 🔥 Please SHARE & pay close attention to the daily weather forecasts over the next few days, particularly the temperatures & UV index ⚠️
Open 10am - 4.30pm until Friday & 10am - 4pm on Saturdays…it’s HOT again today, Thursday & potentially some of Friday 🌞 once again Birnie doesn’t want to see ANY dogs in the shop or out & about…we are very much a dog friendly shop - part of that means being proactive about asking folk to not bring them in or take them out during the heatwaves - your dogs wellbeing is more important to us 💯
⚠️ It’s gone up a degree since I made this from 24° to 25° today, with up to 85% humidity + the UV index is high which can be unbearably hot for our dogs & other animals ⚠️
They say temperatures above 19/20° is a cause for concern, however our Albert struggles in lower temperatures with his coat type, Aìfe copes slightly better as her coat is finer, both are kept groomed & tangle free, but still Albert overheats, and both will always want to go for a walk or stay out in the blazing heat if given the choice, nae happening 👎
Dogs are classic people pleasers by nature, they will go on every walk regardless if they’re struggling to regulate their temperature (panting) - it is up to us to make sure their health isn’t put at needless risk for the sake of a walk on a bonnie day - the buck stops with us all, as their guardians. If the unthinkable does happen & they go in to heatstroke, we are culpable, full stop. That may sound harsh, but we are responsible for their wellbeing, every year we hear about this happening again & again, what will it actually take for this to stop?
The only things to not cancel are necessary medical treatments/surgeries/appointments with your vet, anything else can be rescheduled for when it’s cooler…a day out, a dog walk, beach or a shopping trip? NOTHING is worth putting them at risk 💯
We bring this up every year but still, literally every single heatwave we see folk out with their dogs on hot days 😩 all the local areas, ground surfaces, roads, carparks & pavements will remain hot, too hot for paws to walk on, we’ve seen tarmac bubble up before which will burn paws 🐾 forests can offer shade, but even they get hot when the weather is above normal temperatures.
People also leave them in cars for a variety of senseless reasons, there is no justification - PLEASE never leave them in any vehicle, they all get hot quick, a window left open is not adequate enough to keep them cool! ⚠️
PLEASE leave dogs safely at home, keep them cool indoors, plenty water 💦 leave walks until early morning or late evening, quick toilet trips are fine but nowt more - check on small animals like rabbits or guinea pigs etc 🐇 move them into a cool garage or shaded area, some cool slates, tiles, granite etc are ace for them to lie on to keep cool, you can also fill a bottle of water then freeze & put in a sock for them to lie beside to keep cool ❄️
Also look out for our local wildlife, leave shallow water vessels around the garden & top up frequently, add a layer of stones so creatures like bees etc can safely drink & climb out 🐝
Soon as the weather cools down it’ll be back to normal safe temps for fun dog walks or visits in to see Birnie 🧔🏻
Birnie has hints & tips for keeping them cool, plus we have cool mats, cool coats, cool toys, paddling pools & splash pools 💦 + our freezers loaded with…Scoops Puppuccino Ice Cream Pops + Scoops Vanilla or Mint Ice Cream • Northern BL°C Strawberry & Vanilla Ice Creams • Frozzys Frozen Yogurt all flavours • Woof & Brew Paw Pops • Jude’s Ice Creams & Bones • Plus all DIY Life Of Riley Ice Creams & YowUp! Frozen Yogurts ❄️ + we have all Karnlea, Anco, Nova & Forthglade Bone Broths which can be added to their water to encourage drinking or frozen for a cooling iced treat 🧊
❄️ Keep cool & hydrated 💦
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
The OG shop since 1950!
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Elgin • Moray • Scotland 🏴
