Dog days of summer are the muggiest days of the summer and generally are considered to occur from July 2 to Aug 11.

Wonder where that term came from? Ancient Egyptians. Before smog, lights and construction obscured the night sky, people used to watch the stars and imagine the constellations formed pictures of common items.

Among those common items were dogs. Two of those constellations became known as Canis Major and Canis Minor. The brightest star in the night sky and one which was part of Canis Major was called Sirius, the dog star.

During July/August, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun at times. Our ancient forefathers believed the stars heat added to the suns which created 20-days of hot and muggy weather. This period became known as dog days after the dog star.

Whatever the scientific background of the term, theres no denying July and August can be beastly hot for us and our dogs.

You must know the prime rules of summer never leave a dog in a parked car! and see he has plenty of water to drink but here are three tips that are not so obvious.

1. Prevent sunburn

This is a major problem for hairless dogs such as Chinese Crested, for dogs with bare skins such as Maltese with their parted hair exposing bare skin and for any dogs exposed ears and nose. Be advised that an overdose of sun may be associated with cancers of the nose and ears.

Dont let your dog out in the sun, especially on a beach, for long periods of time and use a safe-for-dogs sun block on him.

Remember your dog will want to lick any suntan lotion off so you must be sure it is non-toxic to him. Your vet can recommend a brand or use a product made for babies. Doggles, the company that makes sunglasses for dogs, has come out with a sunscreen safe for dogs called Doggles Pet Screen. Its available at http://www.entirelypets.com/petsunscreen.html $8.99 for a 2-oz spray.

I prefer to use stick sunscreen as its harder for a dog to lick off. If you use a sun block for babies make sure it doesnt contain any lanolin or baby oil.

2. Protect his paws

Hot pavement and unclean grass can be hard on a dogs paws. I like to use all-weather Muttluks on my dog while other people try something like Vaseline on their paws.

If its too hot or you dont like paw protectors, there are two products to consider:

1. Shaws Paw Wax which is very popular at dog shows to prevent dogs from slipping on the floors. The Paw Wax will help protect your dogs paws from the heat as well as gravel, asphalt and all hard surfaces. Shaw's Paw Wax is $5.95 for a can.

2. Mushers Secret is a popular product that protects paws from hot concrete as well as icy pavement. Apply a thin coat on pads and between the toes. You only use this product once a week unless your dog is out in extreme conditions. Its $9.95 for a jar.

Both products are safe for dogs and available through the Internet.

3. Beware your own backyard

Along with all the dangerous plants and diseases hiding in the grass, dont forget about your garden hose. It is NOT advisable to let your dog drink from a hose.

Standard vinyl garden hose has substances in it to keep the hose flexible. These chemicals, which get into the water as it goes through the hose, are not safe for humans or pets and there's also no way to tell what's inside the hose.

The outside thread opening at the end of the hose could be contaminated, covered with chemicals or germs or bacteria from a previous use, dirt, insects, or rodents.

A more current problem is West Nile virus which dogs can get from mosquitoes just as we can. Officials say pet owners should avoid walking dogs especially older dogs in areas with a lot of mosquitoes and should keep them indoors in the evening.

Never use insect spray on dogs because the dog can lick it off and ingest it. As a general preventive, take a few minutes daily to run your hands, or a comb, through your dog's coat to look for ticks and other insects.

Most of all, enjoy the summer sun and vacation time with your canine companion. Just make sure its a safe summer for both of you.