Top Tips to Help Your Dog Beat the Heat

For humans, when it gets to be 90 degrees or more, we can easily cool down by wearing less heavy clothing and drinking something cool. For a dog, it isn’t that clear cut seeing as they cannot pull off their fur coat when the temperature rises. So what do you do?

• Make a cool haven for your dog in your backyard with kiddie pools. Add water into the kiddie pool and your dog will love jumping and splashing around in it. It will help your dog stay cool in the hot summer and release some energy as well.
• Make frozen treats for your dog such as a frozen popsicle or give your dog ice cubes as treats. It is quite easy to do; put all their favorite toys in a bowl, add water and leave to freeze in a refrigerator. When you pull out the bowl, you would have created a fun way to keep your dog cool and entertained (without any calories).
• Do not leave your dog alone inside a car. The temperature can go above a hundred degrees very quickly, even with the car windows left open. This will be very uncomfortable for your pet and could lead to serious illness or even death.
• If your dog does not like splashing around in water, you can reach a compromise by using cool ceramic tiles. Buy some tiles, put them in the refrigerator, and when you remove them, you place them near your dog’s bed. Your pet will really love laying down on the tiles.
• Before heading out on a hot day, you can put a chilled bandanna on your dog or you can use a t-shirt if it’s a larger breed. This will help to keep the body temperature down. Make sure you rewet the bandanna or t-shirt frequently.
• If you want to exercise your dog, make sure you do it at that time of the day when the temperature is low. You can take your dog out in the early morning or in the evening when the sun has gone down. Also, keep the walk short if the temperature is high.
• When you take your pet to beaches, parks and fields, make sure you protect them from the potential dangers of the heat. Dogs do not perspire as humans do, so they can quickly overheat on a warm day leading to exhaustion. Ensure that you provide shade and water to help them cool down.
• Avoid the hot pavement when you take your dog out for potty breaks. Do not leave a dog standing on hot asphalt or concrete. You can use a protective cover for your dog’s paw pads. However, these are not shoes and it is best to avoid the hot floors totally.
• For overweight dogs or those that have health issues such as lung or heart problems, they should be kept indoors and attended to with extra care during the hot times.

For a fluffy dog like a Samoyed, you can get them a hair cut in summer just to allow them cool more quickly and easily. However, if you do not want to cut your dog’s hair, you can make use of cooling covers to help them stay comfortable.

If you suspect that your pet is having trouble with the heat at any point, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian. According to the Humane Society some signs shown by dogs having problems with the heat include “heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure, and unconsciousness.”