How do we keep our dogs, nice and cool in the warmer weather? As some of you may have noticed the weather has heated up considerably these last few days, meaning that our four-legged friends may not be finding it the easiest to cope with having gone from reasonably chilly to reasonably tropical!.
Imagine you are a dog, and you are wearing a constant fur coat. It's a bit like us going out in a coat or a hoodie in this weather. Here are a few tips to help your furry friend stay cool and enjoy the long summer days, safely and happily.
Tip number one - Water Allow your dog, access to lots of cool water. Water should not be freezing to avoid shocks to their systems which can put additional strain onto their body.
Tip number three - Cooling mats If you have a dog that is happy to lay on a mat or a dog that likes to lay down on cool surfaces the cooling mat could be the perfect addition to your home. Beware, if you have a young puppy or a chewer, as they must be supervised when using the cooling mat. Although the contents of the cooling mat are usually animal-safe. It's not a great idea for your dog to ingest an entire cooling mat however tasty and fun they may find it!!. Keep an eye on those canine teeth!! Once on the cooling mat, they can enjoy hours and hours of coolness on their bellies, which helps to keep the core temperatures, nice and chilled. I recommend this mat https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07118H64D/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bestbehavio04-21&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07118H64D&linkId=7af2f67080aa028c0ab377806c48f351
Tip number five - Towels If you see your dog struggling or starting to overheat slightly ensure you've got cool wet towels to place on their belly. You can help your dog cool down by popping cool water onto their paws, their ears, and under their belly. Never use freezing cold water as this will cause your dog to go into shock. Dogs cool down by panting, and by sweating from their paws.
Tip number six - Carrots Another great way to help your dog stay cool in the summer are juicy treats such as raw carrots and frozen carrots. Dogs who love to chew carrots will certainly love to have a little chomp on a frozen carrot. This gives them fun low-calorie amusement, and a juicy cooling treat.
Tip number eight - Fans Get ahead of the curve, and make sure you've got plenty of fans around, or if you're feeling extravagant, you could invest in an air conditioning unit. Many pet parents tend to use fans, making sure that the fan is safe, the wires are out of the way and your dog can choose to get away from the breeze. I have dogs that lay by the side of the fan, and then I've got some dogs that love to lay right in front of it and feel the wind beneath their ears!
That's it for our top tips to help keep your dog cool, but last of all, please remember, if you're walking your dog in higher temperatures, they're not used to it yet, so remember to walk your dog when it's cooler in the shade, or where there's a good water supply. Always take freshwater out with you on your walks, give your dogs lots of rest and give them time to have a drink and sit down to get their breath back. Remember those brachycephalic breeds are much more at risk, including pugs, bulldogs and mastiffs and those dogs that have a shorter nose. They simply have less airflow and less ability to cool down.
