July 3rd - Dog Days of Summer Begin
By Anna
@LadyDuck (458230)
Switzerland
July 3, 2019 7:37am CST
A serious heatwave just left Switzerland, but the hot Summer days are here to stay.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, today the dog days of summer begin.
The Dog Days last during 40 days. from July 3 and ending August 11.
Some people think that the saying "dog days" comes from the fact that dogs start panting due to the heat. This is wrong!
Those 40 days coincide with the time when Sirius (also called Dog Star) rises and sets with the sun.
The ancient Romans called those days, "dies caniculares" (dies = days, canis = dog ) and the saying was later translated as “dog days”.
My photo is not of a dog, but this is one of the cat of my neighbors, resting in a shaded area of ours garden.
How do you plan to spend the hottest days of the year?
110 people like this
107 responses
@Marilynda1225 (79772)
• United States
3 Jul 19
I didn't know how the phrase "dog days" came about but I am familiar with the saying. I'll be spending the majority of the dog days inside in the air conditioning. No specific plans for the summer months
9 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
3 Jul 19
@Marilynda1225 We have to go out and it's even good to replenish the Vitamin D in our body.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79772)
• United States
3 Jul 19
@LadyDuck early mornings and after dusk seem to be the best times to be outside. However I know we all can't hibernate during the summer so it's inevitable that we'll be dealing with it at some point.
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
3 Jul 19
what a sweet kitty! thanks fer the 'xplanation 's i don't reckon i'd e'er given such much thought? now i'm gonna need to hunt fer sirius come dusk, lol.
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Jul 19
@crazyhorseladycx We also have a pond, but the water is not perfectly clear and clean inside the pond. Those kitties know that they are safe if they come in our garden.
5 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
4 Jul 19
@LadyDuck we'd too much cloud cover fer me to see such :( no rain, jest clouds. those kitties 're lucky to've ya, ms. anna.
here i've the pond, so've no worries 'f any critters goin' without water.
4 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
5 Jul 19
I dislike it if it gets too hot - I prefer it mild but not too stifling - I burn easily in the Sun, (half albino, half vampire I think). Never knew the origin of 'dog days' before. Lovely cat
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
5 Jul 19
@LadyDuck I never sunbathe - it would be like climbing in the microwave for me
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
6 Jul 19
@arthurchappell Exactly the same for me, I do not want to smell like a roasted chicken.
3 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40056)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 19
@LadyDuck - We have not hit the hottest days of our summer, yet, but we should later this week. I think I will just walk at the beach more often to beat the heat!
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
9 Jul 19
@DeborahDiane The temperature is nice here right now, even during the hottest hours is not too bad.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40056)
• Laguna Woods, California
8 Jul 19
@LadyDuck - I have always enjoyed walking in the morning. I try to set up my days so I can walk right after breakfast (or sometimes before). Then, no matter what happens the rest of my day, I always feel like I have gotten in my exercise. Fortunately, in a mild climate like California, there is not a lot of difference between the temperatures in the morning and those in the afternoon, maybe 10 degrees difference, so I am usually comfortable walking in the morning. We are supposed to get some very hot temperatures next weekend, though, so I will be especially happy to walk in the morning!
2 people like this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
3 Jul 19
Thank you for the etymology ot the term, and the info, too,. Didn't know there is such a forty day stretch at summer time called dog days.
We don;t have summer in the Philippines, We just have the hot season and the wet season. But because the Americans indoctrinated us with American weather, we generally call the hot season summer.
Summer this year came in the form of the El Nino Phenomenon. We had a water crisis. But a week ago, the rainy season officially started.
Have a good summer.
3 people like this
@eileenleyva (27562)
• Philippines
4 Jul 19
@LadyDuck Yup, your post is very informative.People use terminologies and idioms without really knowing the origin of the expression. Glad you clarified the meaning, not only did I learn a new term, I also feel better educated as far as climate is concerned.
Not much do we know about Switzerland - just the Swiss Miss, the chocolates, the banks, and Roger Federer.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Jul 19
@eileenleyva 
The Swiss Miss is not even Swiss it is American. Here we have good chocolate and beautiful forests, lakes and mountains.
The Swiss Miss is not even Swiss it is American. Here we have good chocolate and beautiful forests, lakes and mountains.2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
3 Jul 19
I have been wondering why the hottest days are called dog days,now I get it.According to lunar calendar here,the dog days begins on 12th, July and ends on 20th, August.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
4 Jul 19
@LadyDuck Yes,it depends upon where you live in.Over here, when the dog day begins varies from year to year.However they are all after summer solstice.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Jul 19
@changjiangzhibin89 They are usually from July and end a little before or soon after mid-August.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
10 Aug 19
The UK has had some hot days this year which is nice as long as it isn't too hot. We aren't used to it here and it leaves many of us drained. At the moment we are back to wind and rain but we do need some rain and I find it easier to function in cooler temperatures. Interesting to hear about the dog days.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
10 Aug 19
@LadyDuck I was on holiday in the middle of July and we had a heatwave. On one of the days it was so hot I couldn't do anything. Luckily the rest of the holiday was cooler.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
11 Aug 19
@sprite1950 We had two very hot days, I did not even went outside in the garden, we never had a temperature like this here.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118459)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Jul 19
Wow, such great information! I was never aware of where the term "dog days of summer" came from. Now I know. Thanks for sharing this information.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
13 Jul 19
@moffittjc Thank you Jeff, today I am more than lazy, but I will write something soon.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118459)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Jul 19
@LadyDuck I am sure there is so much more that you will write about in the future that will enlighten me and so many others! It's fascinating to learn new things!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
3 Jul 19
@hardtimes1958 Because it is almost never hot here. We had those few hot days but now our house inside is cool.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
3 Jul 19
@hardtimes1958 I have a fan where I use the computer, more to keep the computer cool than to cool myself.
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22907)
• Serbia
3 Jul 19
Unfortunately I will spend almost whole summer in the city, only in September I go to a deserved vacation and can not wait. I'm glad to finally comment on your discussion
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
4 Jul 19
@LowRiderX I went out this morning, it was not hot, very nice weather.
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22907)
• Serbia
4 Jul 19
@LadyDuck I'm not so sure it will not be warm, but I will not go out when it's the warmest. But you never know, we have a lot of rain ...You are welcome!!
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
3 Jul 19
This is interesting. I feel that we are in for a super hot summer. I will be inside as much as I can. What needs to be outside here I will do early in the morning or in the evening. Same goes for errands. That way the only time I will really have to go out i s when I am taking care of my granddaughter.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
26 Jul 19
It is getting warmer this week and I have the a/c on since. I hope it isn't too hot there now!
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
26 Jul 19
@LadyDuck Do you have a/c there or it is not common because the homes are much older?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
27 Jul 19
@infatuatedbby In Switzerland only 2% of the houses have air conditioning. We do not have many hot days and the houses are so well insulated that you do not need forced cold air inside.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
10 Jul 19
With the cool spring and extra rain we had I really wondered if it would get hot at all but it did . It's especially hot right now as we're sitting in the car waiting while our crew finishes a job. There are no trees around to hide under
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
13 Jul 19
@MarshaMusselman During the June heatwave we reached 39.5 Celsius (103 F) here in the south of Switzerland. In France they had the hottest temperature, 45 C (113 F). Right now we are back to the Swiss normal for July, from 18 C 65 F) during the night and early morning, up to 28 C (82 F) during the hottest hours of the day.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38659)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Jul 19
@LadyDuck my daughter just informed me that we have extremely high temps headed our way either next weekend or sometime that week where it's supposed to be around one hundred or the high nineties. My husband may need to go sit in the library and I may need to do the same if it's too hot to stay in the house.
Hopefully if that does land here it's not for very many days. How hot was it for you at the end of June?
1 person likes this
@nitirrbb7 (4317)
• India
15 Sep 19
I just can't stand heat but don't have much choice as we don't have ac at home so spend most of the time working at office
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
17 Sep 19
@nitirrbb7 I pour water in a bowl for the birds and it always freezes in winter. The temperature inside a refrigerator is around 2 degrees Celsius, here we are below zero many days in winter.
1 person likes this
@nitirrbb7 (4317)
• India
17 Sep 19
@LadyDuck Switzerland is my dream destination, I wish to travel atleast once in my life to Switzerland. I remember you once had said that the you were taking a glass of water outside the house don't remember for what but it was so cold that the water freezed, wow so much cold that must been cooler that the temperature inside my refrigerator. I love winter but don't know if I can stand that much freezing cold
. I love winter but don't know if I can stand that much freezing cold1 person likes this
