Dog Days are known as the hottest and most muggy period of summer — and if all goes according to schedule, they could come to an end by Aug. 11. Time will tell.
Not to dwell, but some reports have described these lingering oppressive days of heat and humidity as sultry, sweltering and sticky. It’s nothing new. Since ancient times, observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean have recognized dog days as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius and the sun. Back then, Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, located in Canis Major (The Great Dog) was thought to provide heat to the Earth.
This “dog days” period coincided with hot days that were plagued with dreaded disease and discomfort. Today’s annoyances that are acerbated by the heat include poison ivy and seasonal pests such as bees, Lime ticks and West Nile Virus-carrying mosquitoes.
In America, “dog days” have been used as names of independent films, dog groomers, dog daycare and songs. Locally, six-packs of beer produced by Two Brothers Brewery celebrate Dog Days.
Cheers to dog-friendly patios.
To mark the midway point of the dog days of summer, six dogs and their owners met recently on the dog-friendly patio at Meson Sabika to celebrate. The lovely secluded outdoor area between the historic mansion and the pavilion provides a place for dog owners to enjoy dinner with their best friends.
McGruff the Crime Dog also showed up to hound folks to help prevent crime and to “Run with McGruff” on Oct. 27 during the first-ever Crime Stoppers Running Scared 5K. For early registration, visit www.crimestoppersrunningscared.com. Pay attention. Stay alert.
Meanwhile, dog-friendly patios throughout Naperville are located at Quigley’s Irish Pub (Naperville’s original dog patio, complete with hand-crafted dog water bowls, created by the owner Nancy Quigley), Catch 35 (Fenced-in patio out front), Ted’s Montana Grill (Very small area accessible from the back), Kumas Asian Bistro (Patio area is out back) and, of course, Meson Sabika. Attentive servers keep water bowls filled for well-behaved pups on leashes.
Dog-friendly patios are a fun destination for a dog walk, especially in the evening when cooler breezes add to the comfort of dog days of summer.
All things considered, PN photographers jumped at the chance to showcase intimate, personal canine experiences, bringing lighthearted joy, seasonal health tips and a few local dog stars to our pages this month.
