NYC handlers?
I was matched with a program dog in February. We have had our first really hot days in New York City this week. I was wondering if any NYC handlers had suggestions for where they vested exercise their dogs when it is hot. I live fairly central in Brooklyn, but willing to go a ways or to another borough over the summer when it gets hot for long stretches. For outside Brooklyn, I prefer options near accessible subway stations. I’m also regularly in LIC.
My first thought was someplace like Target but the one near me is usually barely air conditioned and sometimes feels worse than outside.
Inside, we do mental stimulation, training, play fetch, etc, and I try to get up early or go out late to beat the heat, but would still love to hear your creative suggestions. My dog is black and seems to start to feel the heat a lot in mid-70s weather, so it’s not sustainable to stick to inside things all summer. For myself, I would usually go into Prospect Park as it’s usually coolest in deeper parts of the park, but the hours that it’s coolest are off-leash hours. It’s a mess of off-leash dogs even when it’s not off-leash hours/locations and doesn’t feel relaxing for either of us.
My dog is for mobility (dropped objects, taking off my jacket, etc, nothing weight bearing). I’m not great with stairs or standing but when I’m having a good day I can walk for a while.
(Also open to any other local suggestions that I might not have come across or thought of, such as free or deeply discounted vet care or grooming services, or other perks for service dog teams in the NYC area.)
Thank you!