Temperature are rising, so it is time to remind you of hot asphalt that burns your dog's feet, enclosed cars that kill your pet while you go in to do some quick shopping and the need for shade, a cool breeze or fresh air and lots of water.

My faithful readers have read about this for years, but still people do stupid things and the pets suffer.

Set up a backyard sprinkler and let the kids and your dog enjoy the cool water. They will all have fun.

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Dear Dr. Jorden: I really wanted a German shepherd puppy, but, when I went to find one, I found out they have lots of congenital and inherited diseases.

Some breeders wanted a lot of money for their puppies because they were all checked out for these diseases.

When I started looking for another breed of dog, I found out that all of them have problems. Are there any breeds that don't have these kind of diseases?

Dear Reader: Unfortunately, all breeds have problems, some worse than others.

The German shepherd is famous for hip dysplasia, which is a bad arthritis of the hips. It is very inherited and has the unique problem of not showing up for years.

Your dog may appear normal for six or seven years and then suddenly be in a lot of pain from his hip arthritis. By that time, your dog may have sired or had many puppies. Likely all of them will have the same crippling disease.

Prevention involves certifying both parents by taking radiographs after they are 2 years old and before they have puppies. It helps if the grandparents are also free of the problem.

Serious breeders do charge more for their puppies because they have spent the time and money to keep a disease-free line of dogs.

German shepherds also have elbow dysplasia, among other things.

Just about any breed you would mention will bring some type of problem to mind that I see in that particular breed. It doesn't mean that you can't get a good dog. It just means that there are many that could have certain ailments.

It is true that mixed breeds often are healthier than pure breeds. The mixed breeds' family genealogy may not be much to brag about and may have a few skeletons in the closets, but the mix of genes can sometimes make an improvement on the physical makeup of a dog.

I would suggest paying close attention to the general problems of whatever breed you decide to get.

Some things are so rare that you could get by without a lot of testing. Others, like the hip dysplasia, are so common that you really need to know before you buy a dog that he will not have the dysplasia.

When buying a "mutt" or a well-papered puppy, you need to take it to your veterinarian before you settle on buying it from a breeder. A good physical exam and discussion with your veterinarian about what problems a particular dog may have will help you decide before you get all attached to the puppy if there are risks that you want to avoid.

Many things can be done for some of these problems if you are aware of them and seek help before they are in advanced stages.

Some knowledge will make you a smart buyer. Don't let it rule what you do completely. Connecting with a puppy is more a matter of the heart than a matter of genetics.

Have questions about pets? Write to: PetVet; c/o The Billings Gazette; P.O. Box 36300; Billings, Mont. 59107-6300. Questions of general interest may become topics of future columns.