A Samoyed in Phuket: How Belka Survives 35 Degrees

People stop us on Bang Tao beach almost every morning. 'Is it real? Is that a Samoyed? In Phuket?' Belka looks at them with her famous smile and wags her tail, as if she did not know that she is the wrong dog in the wrong climate. She is, of course, completely in love with the sea.

When we moved here, I was worried. A thick double coat made for Siberian winters does not look like a good idea in thirty-five degrees and ninety percent humidity. So I asked our vet, and then two groomers, and then two other Samoyed owners in Bangkok through a group, and together they gave me a plan that has worked for three years now.

First, the clock. We walk at six in the morning, when the sand is still cool and the beach is almost empty. In the evening we go out again after sunset. Between ten and five, Belka does not leave the house. She sleeps under the air-con on a cooling mat and watches the geckos on the wall. If a power cut happens, I put wet towels on the floor, open the windows and move to the shady room.

Second, the coat. Many people want to shave a double-coated dog in the tropics, but the vets I trust say that the coat also protects the skin from sunburn and helps to regulate temperature, and that regular brushing is much better. So I brush her for fifteen minutes every day, and the groomer takes out the loose undercoat every few weeks. The amount of white fur in our flat is something I will not discuss.

Third, water and paws. Fresh water at all times, ice cubes in the bowl, a short paddle in the sea, and no hot asphalt. I test the ground with the back of my hand: if I cannot hold it for five seconds, it is too hot for her paws.

Barsik, our British Shorthair, ignores her all day and curls up against her at night, which I think is the best argument for the plan. The tourists still ask for photos, and Belka happily poses. Her smile is her secret weapon against the heat, or at least against me.