Keeping Your Pooch Cool In Hot Weather Is A Must!

It's great be able to take your dog out for a walk or run on a beautiful summers day, but there are a few things you need to consider before hitting the road together. Dogs are not as good at cooling themselves down as we are, in fact,the majority of dog owners would probably be surprised to know that overheating and even heat stroke are very real risks to a dogs health if some common sense precautions are not born in mind.

Its very important that our dogs are kept out of the sun during the hottest part of the day between 11am and 3pm. So, instead of subjecting your pooch to those burning footpaths and roads, or even the boiling sand at the beach, take him for a gentle run on some nice cool grass where there are a lot of shady trees.Thats much more comfortable for you as well. Better still would be to schedule your daily run for the cooler parts of the day,say early mornings or early evenings.


When your dog has to walk on those really hot surfaces like hot sand or blacktop bitumin the heat reflects up and as your pets body is horizontal, and very much closer, to the hot surface his body can overheat very quickly, and this can be very dangerous. So if you have to take him to the beach, make sure he runs near the waters edge where it will generally be cooler. And if you have to walk him on the road or footpath,you need to realise that if the surface is too hot for you to walk on in bare feet, it is also too hot for your pooch to walk on. Dogs paws can burn just as our feet can burn, so common sense should be the order of the day.

A good rub down with a nice cool wet cloth is a great way to bring his body temperature to a more comfortable level, or better still a nice cool spray from the garden hose. You could even make him a doggy iceblock! Just get some small bones from the butcher, mix them up in water with some crushed home made dog biscuits and freeze. This is a great treat for your best friend and will really help keep him cool on those really hot days to come.

Another very important point to remember is that dogs dehydrate much faster than humans, and dehydration in dogs can be extremely dangerous. So, probably the most important task in keeping a dog as a pet is to make sure they always have access to lots of clean, cool drinking water. Most important.Dehydration can cause allsorts of nasty problems and should be prevented at all costs.
Common sense again!

And never,never,ever leave your dog in the car, as the temperature can rise to 40 degrees within a very short time ,even when the windows are down.This is another case where common sense should prevail, but sadly it is an all to often occurance. In fact,in a lot of jurisdictions it is actally against the law, and rightly so.

Another no-no is tying your dog to the back of your pickup truck. This is not only dangerous, as the dog could come to some very serious harm, but again, in a lot of places it is against the law and some very heavy fines could eventuate.

Also, be aware that garden sheds and other confined spaces can get extremely hot in during the high temperatures of summer, and if you keep your dog in a kennel, make sure it is kept in the shade and has plenty of ventilation and has a plentiful supply of fresh drinking water(it is a good idea to keep two, non spill containers of water that he can get at, just in case he should tip one over.And make sure you keep them topped up with nice cool, clean water.

And, did you realize that puppies are not very good swimmers when they are very young, so keep a very good eye on them around the swimming pool or down by the river.A great idea is to spend time teaching your pup to swim. This can be a great way to keep him cool on a real hot day, and can also be a lot of fun.

Dogs get very agitated by annoying flies and bugs, particularly in the hot weather, so it is a good idea to spray him with a pet safe insect repellent or citronella oil to keep these little pests away. The more they are annoyed by these fleas, flies and bugs, the more they will move around and, therefore, become overheated.

Sunburn! Yes dogs get sunburn just as you and I do. Some dogs are very susceptible to sunburn, particularly short haired, white or light colored dogs, so they also need some protection from those nasty, harmful rays, just as we do. Be sure to use a sunblock that has been specially formulated for dogs(some of the normal sunblock can cause skin irritations in dogs).
Pay particular attention to the tips of his ears and the area around his nose and, importantly the lips. Prevention in this area makes a lot more sense than having to make a very expensive trip to the vet for treatment after the fact.

Dogs are generally fairly resilient, but overheating, dehydration and sunburn are definitely situations to be aware of, so once again, common sense should be the keyword.











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While dogs are known to be resilient, they still feel the heat like we do, so on those sweltering days, perhaps consider keeping your dog inside with you. In really hot and humid weather, having your dog inside with air-conditioning may be necessary, or at least have a child-proof fan circulating, Seksel says.



If your dog must stay outdoors, its essential to create a cool environment to last the boiling summer months. Remember to provide more water than usual whether your dog is playing inside or out and provide two buckets of water in case they tip one of them over. Its always a good idea to keep checking how much water they have, and re-fill it when necessary, or even provide a bucket full of ice that will keep the water cooler for longer. And while your pooch is staying hydrated, ensure he is drinking clean, fresh water, as dirty water can harbour bacteria and upset his digestive system. Water should be placed in a non-spill container and not left out in the sun, as this can heat the water to an undrinkable level. Its always a good idea to spray water over a dog for a bit of a cool down, Seksel says.



Read the rest of this story in our current issue of Dogs Life!