How to Keep Your Dog Cool When the Temperatures Soar

Summertime is a great time to get your dog outside playing in the sunshine, but with heightened temperatures come heightened risks. It's important to make sure you are taking proper precautions to keep your dog cool and safe when playing in the hot summer sun.

Water, Water, and More Water

When the sun is beating down it's easy for your dog to overheat and get dehydrated. You should always make sure that there is water available where your dog can access it whenever it is needed, and to keep it refreshed when it gets dirty or too hot. Staying hydrated is crucial to keeping your dog from overheating. When in doubt on how much water you will need for the day, always err on the side of bringing more water than you think you need.

Provide and Encourage Shade

While it's great getting out in the sun and having fun with your pup, too much direct exposure to the hot summer sun can be a bit much for your dog. Try to find a location that provides ample opportunity for natural shade, or bring your own ways to create some shade, and encourage your dog to take breaks in the cooler shade by placing their water or some treats under the shade. These breaks in the shade can play a crucial role in helping your dog to maintain its internal temperature and avoid any dangerous overheating.

Get a Sprinkler or Wading Pool

A fun way to help your dog stay cool in the summer is to give them the chance to get wet when the heat is just a bit too much for them. A basic wading pool is the simplest way to provide your dog with watery fun, as they can run and splash through it or even take some time to have a bit of a lie down in it. A sprinkler is another excellent option that your dog will love running through whenever they feel overheated, and maybe even when they don't.

Lay Out Damp Towels

If you don't have access to a pool or sprinkler system, your dog can still benefit from the cooling properties of getting wet. The easiest way to provide your dog with some hydro-cooling options is to wet down some towels and lay them out. When your dog is feeling too warm they can lie down and roll around on the damp towels to cool off. One important thing to keep in mind is that if it's very hot out your towels may get warm and uncomfortable when left in the sun, so make sure to rewet them with cool water when needed.

Don't Forget Their Pads

Something that is easy to overlook as a person who goes outside in shoes or sandals is how hot the ground can get during the summer. Heat-retaining or attracting surfaces like paved roads, or rock and slate patios can get extremely hot when exposed to the direct, high heat sunlight of summer. If your dog is allowed out to play on these hot surfaces without proper protection they can do serious damage to their paws ranging from irritation to burns. Putting dog boots on before you send them out protects them from the heat and keeps play time happy. A simple rule is that if you need shoes on to avoid burns, so do they.

Never Leave Them in the Heat

Overheating is a very real risk in the summer, and it is even more so when looking at situations like leaving a pet in a car or even home with all the windows closed and no air conditioning on. Temperatures in a car can quickly get well over 100-degrees on a hot summer day, and leaving your dog in the car, even with windows cracked, is both illegal and a severe health risk. You should never take your dog along for a ride in summer if they won't be able to get out of the car with you when you get there.

Walk When the Sun is Low

A simple way of minimizing the effects of the summer sun is to avoid taking walks with your dog when it's at its height and most hot. Taking walks in the early morning or late evening allows you to walk when it's light out but when temperatures aren't at their max. If you have reflective dog gear you can even take your dog for a walk after dark while still remaining safe.

Crop Their Coat

One reason that summer can be so challenging for dogs, particularly cold-weather breeds, is that they don't have the option to doff their extra layers of clothes when the temperatures rise. If your pup is struggling with the heat, then getting out some dog clippers and giving them a trim can help to keep them cooler. Regular brushing also helps to remove excess fur so that they stay as comfortable as possible.

Watch for Warning Signs

The most important thing you can do to keep your dog safe when playing in the summer sun is to pay attention to them. If your dog is panting or vomiting, or if they seem lethargic and disoriented, these are warning signs that the heat is getting to them. If you have a cool place you can bring them, do so immediately, and provide them with water to help them stay hydrated and cool off.