Five Important Tips to Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer

It's important to keep you pup cool, hydrated and safe!

1. Air Flow is Key. Dogs don’t sweat to cool off like people do; in fact, dogs only sweat through their paws! Clearly this is not enough to keep them safely cool. Instead of sweating, dogs pant; this helps to circulate air throughout their body. If the air your dog is breathing is hot, however, she will have a difficult time cooling down properly.
   1. Keep your house cool, and when outside, try to stay in the shade.
   2. Go for walks earlier in the morning or later in the evening when the temperatures are lower.
   3. Consider ordering a Cooling Vest from our online store!

2. Hydration is Crucial. Beyond keeping your dog out of the sun, you’ll want to be sure he stays hydrated.

Signs of dehydration to watch for:

• 
  
  • Excessive panting
  • Dry nose
  • Reduced energy, lethargic
  • Loss of skin elasticity – gently pinch a piece of skin between your dogs shoulder blades; if it returns quickly, your dog is still relatively hydrated; if the piece of skin takes longer to settle, he may very well be dehydrated.
    1. Keep fresh cool water available and accessible for your dog, and remember to bring some along for any walks or outdoor play time.
    2. Take frequent breaks as your dog needs them to avoid heat exhaustion or overheating.
    3. Another trick is to feed them healthy, hydrating snacks like watermelon; please check carefully before feeding anything to your dog to make sure it is safe.
    4. Keep in mind that overweight dogs are at a higher risk for dehydration.

3. Water Play. Some people like to hose down their dogs because water evaporates and helps keep the heat away, right? Getting wet can certainly help but be cautious not to completely douse your dog! This will inhibit air flow through the fur coat; dogs with double coats or longer fur will have a hard time drying off effectively and can be at risk of overheating.
   • Wet down ONLY the chest, belly and legs, or consider laying out a wet towel (or a shallow kid’s wading pool) for your dog to cool off with as needed.
     
     
4. Regular grooming. This seems too simple to be true but it works! Summer is a messy time of rain and water and mud, and most dogs like to get dirty! Some people think shaving their dog’s coat will keep them cool and prevent muddy tangled fur, but this can actually harm your pet! Your dog needs his fur coat – yes, even in the summer! His furry coat helps protect his skin from the sun – preventing sunburn, heatstroke and even skin cancer. Regular grooming will keep the tangles and mats away so that air can flow through the fur effectively; this is important to help him stay cool! Bathing and grooming will also help prevent one of summer’s more annoying threats – fleas! Reserve your bathing or grooming appointment now!
   
   
5. Warning: Asphalt. Apshalt, cement, concrete, whatever side walks and roads in your area are made of – they’re hot! Hot pavement can burn your dog’s pads and cause serious damage. Touch the pavement with your hand; if it’s too hot for your hand or for bare feet, then it’s too hot for your dog! Stick to grassy areas!