With temperatures starting to rise, the summer fun can finally begin! And for pet parents, you want to make sure your pet can join you for all the fun adventures. Summer is a great chance to bond with the family and pets, but there are a few precautions you’ll want to take to make sure you get the most out of your precious warm weather time, plus keeping the pets safe from harm. Here are my top five ways to keep your dog cool this summer:
The pool: Nothing better on a hot day than a splash in the pool! Most dogs love to follow toys into the water and a soak in the pool is a great way to keep them cool. Remember to always observe your dog just like you would a kid in the pool and never leave them unattended.
The lake: If you are lucky enough to live near a lake, this is high on many dogs’ bucket lists (bonus points if they get to go on a boat ride). Lakes, cabins, and boats are great places to take your dogs to cool off when it gets hot, and they even make doggy life preservers. Just like the pool, never leave your dog unattended by the lake, and make sure you always know where they are on the boat.
The hose: Dogs will go bonkers chasing water from a hose, and playing with a hose or sprinkler is an easy way to cool off a hot dog. A couple of precautions, though – if the hose has been sitting in the sun, the water inside gets hot. Don’t spray the water on your dog before testing the temperature yourself. Also, some dogs will drink too much water when playing with the hose, and in some extreme cases, this can be dangerous. Make sure you don’t let them go totally bonkers when playing with the hose.
Misters: Misters can be easily installed, don’t cost much, and they can drop the temp by around 20 degrees. If you have an outdoor dog, consider adding one of these near the doghouse to keep them cool.
A/C: Resist the temptation to take your dogs in the car, even for a short trip. The inside of a car can become a deathtrap in just a few minutes, and we’ve all had those “just a few items” shopping trips that become a marathon of consumerism, and that’s plenty of time to expose your dog to heatstroke in the car. Leave the pooch on the couch and crank the A/C.
Dogs can’t cool themselves by sweating through their skin like people can. They need water or cool air to be able to dump heat from their bodies.
