By July, the sidewalk does most of the deciding. Here's the calm, unfussy way I keep Sunda's paws happy through a Chicago summer — the seven-second test, the two-minute pre-walk habit, and the after-walk reset that heads off the sore, cracked stretch most paws hit mid-season.

A weekend away with a dog doesn't need a duffel of gear. Here are the five things that always earn their spot in Sunda's summer travel bag — and the small one that matters most.

A good harness should disappear on the walk. Here's the unfussy way I fit Sunda's — how to measure, the two-finger rule, and the small details that quietly prevent chafing, slipping, and the dreaded backward wriggle-out.