How To Keep Your Dog Healthy In Hot Weather

We’re all hoping for a good summer this year. After all, we’ve spent so long cooped up during lockdown, getting outdoors and enjoying the hot weather is top of the agenda over the next few months. 

While we take steps to protect ourselves from the heat, we need to think about our dogs too. After all, they are just a susceptible to the effects of heat as we are, if not more so. 

As a responsible dog owner, the health and comfort of your pet is your priority. Ensuring they are well fed and exercised as well as getting a vaccination for your pet against serious illness are all ways to keep them healthy, but when the temperature rises, here are some tips on keeping your dog safe. 

Don’t Take Them Out In The Midday Sun

You know what they say, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. Because the sun is hottest between the hours of 10 am – 2 pm, it’s best to keep indoors or refrain from doing any strenuous activity between these times. 

If you do need to walk your dog during these hours, don’t let them run around too much and check that the pavement isn’t too hot for their paws. If you can’t keep your palm on the floor for more than five seconds then it’s too hot for your dog and they could burn their paws. 

Provide Plenty Of Water

Both you and your dog need plenty of hydration on hot days. You should carry water with you at all times and offer it to your dog every hour or when they are panting. 

There are plenty of great pet accessories such as a collapsible water bottle or a bottle that has a special attachment that a dog can drink from. 

Some ice in their water bowl is refreshing too.

Let Them Splash About

One of the most effective and fun ways to keep your dog cool is to let them swim. If there’s no water or pool deep enough for them to swim, why not fill a paddling pool and let them play in it as they wish. 

Wet towels are a good way to cool down your dog quickly. 

Don’t Keep Them In Unsafe Spaces

It goes without saying that you should never leave your dog in a car, even with the windows open. It can very quickly turn into a fatal situation for your dog. The same goes for kennels. If your dog is outside during the day, a kennel isn’t a good idea. There is no circulating air inside and the temperature inside can rise to dangerous levels quickly. 

Takeaways

Spending the summer enjoying the outdoors with your dogs is something many people look forward to. Knowing how to keep your dog happy and healthy in the heat is a must. It’s also a good idea to learn the symptoms of heatstrokes in dogs so that if your dog begins to display signs, you can get them to help quickly. 

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