How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer Heat

Summer is approaching! Are you prepared for the fun that you and your pets could have? Or perhaps, are you preparing your pets for the hot weather? While it might be a good time to bring your pets for some outdoor activity, you should always be mindful of the heat and how it could affect your dog. Here are some of the tips that you can take note of, especially when it comes to keeping your dog cool in the summer heat!

How to Keep Your Dog Cool in the Summer Heat

Of course, the general idea is that during summer, the temperature might get very high and this can pose a danger for your dogs. Just so you know, dogs can die under the summer heat as a result from heatstroke. To prevent your dog from being part of the statistic, it will be paramount for you to understand how you could keep your dog cool in the summer heat. If you follow the hot weather pet safety tips below, your pets can still have fun in the sun!

Hydration

Always keep your pets hydrated when they are out in the sun. While it may appear that your pet is not losing water, it can be pretty deceptive give that we might sweat more than the pets do. Keep your pets hydrated so as to reduce their body temperature too.

There are many ways at which you can do this. When heading outdoors with your dog, we would suggest you to bring along a bottle of their water so as to provide water to the dog when the need arises. To do this, you can either choose to bring along the bottle, or you can bring along the portable water bowl. Otherwise, a cool ice pack can sometime help your pet too.

Keep them off concrete

During summer, the heat from the sun can really fire up the temperature of the asphalt floors. While there might be people assuming that the pet’s paws are able to protect them from the heat, this is actually not true. Indeed, let us give you one of the top hot weather pet safety tips: the paws offer little protection against the hot concrete floors. If your pet has been on the concrete floors during summer, you will notice that the paws will turn red. This is an indication that it has hurt your dog already.

To get a good picture about this, you can simply place your feet on the asphalt floor during Summer. The amount of heat onto your feet is exactly the same amount that gets onto your dog’s feet too.

To prevent this from happening, you can time your walks with the dogs. Try to bring your dog for the walks during the mornings or late evenings when the heat from the sun is no longer strong. With a cooler temperature, it will actually allow your dog to walk on the concrete without much problems. This allows your pet to have a cool time while enjoying a good walk too.

Play in the shade

Of course, this is a no brainer when it comes to keeping your dog cool during summer. Keep your pets cool during summer by allowing them to play in the shade. Try to avoid bushes though, as you might not know what could be present underneath the bushes.

Be aware

When it comes to playing in the summer, you have to be very aware of the symptoms of heat stroke in your pets. When it comes to dogs, if you notice that your dog is panting excessively as well as producing very little urine, then it is a good indication that your dog might be suffering from a heat stroke. If this is the case, you should bring your dog to medical attention immediately.

Cool dog houses

Keeping the dog cool during summer is actually easy if you decide to invest in peripherals that can aid in keeping the dog cool. One such aid is actually a cooling dog house. There are indeed many dog houses that could assist in keeping your dog cool during summer. With the correct materials chosen for the construction of the dog house, it would actually help to keep your dog cool, which is an advantage during summer. Ensure that you choose a dog house with good ventilation as well as having a positive airflow into the house itself as this will help to keep your dog cool during summer.

Cooling dog bed

There are some dog beds that are actually efficient in keeping your dog cool during summer. From elevated beds that help to promote a good airflow to cooling dog beds, you are certainly not lacking of options here. There are several of these in the local shops, so you might have a hard time trying to find the perfect one for your dog. Just ensure that the material is comfortable for your furry friend. It will have a plus point if the dog bed has some cooling element that can help to dissipate heat from your dog.

Swimming

One good and efficient way to keep your dog cool from the summer heat is by bringing them to the beach for a swim in the sea! It can be a good opportunity for you to explore water sports such as dog paddling or even dog surfing!

If you live far away from the nearest beach, you can always opt for indoor pools. Indoor pools can also be a good way to bond the dog with you too, and it can be equally fun as well.

As a safety precaution, if you think there is a need, please purchase a life vest for your dog, especially if you intend to bring them out for a swim!

Conclusion

As you can possibly see, there are plentiful of options that you can take when the summer is here. From buying peripherals to bringing your dog out for a good time in the water, who says you cannot bring your dog outdoors during the summer!