We all enjoy spending summer days outside walking our furry companions, but is being outdoors in this heat safe for our pets?

Experts say walking our pets outdoors in the summer heat should be kept to a minimum.

Whether you have a dog or a cat, in this type of heat pets need plenty of shade.

Freda Day, of the Corrine T. Smith Animal Shelter, has a better alternative to keep pets cool and safe.

"People might want to consider letting them inside, because face it, how many of us would want to be out in the back yard 24 hours a day when it gets to be 105 degrees outside?"

Day says some dogs can even be their own worst enemies, "The second you give them water, they step in it and knock that bowl over, so we have to be smarter than they are and figure out how to work around that so they always have water."

One fun way to keep pets cool during these scorching west Texas summers is easy and cheap.

Day suggests using old butter dishes to make giant ice cubes by filling them with water and freezing them.

"It's like the treat from heaven for a dog," says Day.

Dogs and cats pant to release heat from the body.

Without sweat glands, it is easier for our pets to get overheated.

Also, Day warns to never leave pets unattened in a parked vehicle; even with the windows down, a parked car heats up extremely quickly and could result in a fatal heat stroke for your pet.