Keeping your cool (at least your dogs)
Throughout the years of having my own dogs as well as pet sitting, I've learned a lot of different ways to help keep animals cool during the summer- especially dogs, as they need to be outside more often then any other pet.
Julie Renee
6/28/20263 min read
It may be obvious to some not to walk their dogs out during mid-day in the summer. Yet, sometimes; when you got to go, you got to go. There may be times throughout the summer that your dogs need to be out doors in the heat, but in doing so, we need to be very intentional about the length of time. Also, this is the time to be creative to keep them cool for those dogs that live outdoors year around, especially in a drier or warmer places to live.
Throughout the years of having my own dogs as well as pet sitting, I've learned a lot of different ways to help keep animals cool during the summer- especially dogs, as they need to be outside more often then any other pet.
We might have heard simple cooling hacks like:
Putting ice cubes in their water
Freezing yogurt in their favorite rubber chew toy
Keeping rotating fans going throughout the hotter months
Frozen treats like blueberries
These are all great ideas and they work well! But there are some other great ideas that also have been proven that you may not have explored yet. I'm not touching base on all of them today. Some that I've found to work wonderfully if done correctly.
Protect their paw pads!
We often forget how hot the pavement can become because we are always wearing shoes when we go outside. This "trend" is becoming more popular and due to this more people are becoming aware of this need. But, it's not something that is comfortable or familiar for dogs, so this direction is. hit or miss when it comes to how to dog will respond to wearing some sort of "booties" since this is usually not something they've been wearing since they were puppies.
Do your research. Ask friends. Read reviews. Try different ones.
Then have your dog wear them all the time, as much as possible to get used to them. Start before it's the summer months, indoors and outdoors. Start with a few minutes at a time, and then gradually increase the amount of time they wear them.
This will help ensure that their paws are protected when they need to be outdoors for those mid-day potty breaks.
Water play!
Have your dogs enjoy the water as much as possible (get ready for them to get dirty too)!
Grabbing a hose connecter that turns that water source into an instant sprinkler, or having a wadding pool helps tremendously to keep their core body temptress down. Do these activities still while it's cooler outside to aid in the cooling process, but keep these options available as much as possible throughout your summer planning.
If your dog enjoys swimming in your pool, schedule out a time frame 2x a day to have your dogs do their laps. This is not only great exercise of course, but a fantastic overall cooling effort, making it easier for them to rest mid-day when the sun is the hottest in between swim times. Ensure they are supervised at all times,
Cooling vets and bandanas!
This one interesting enough isn't very popular, but I believe it's similar to the paw protectors. It's not a normal thing they wear, and because they are not used to it- they are not wearing it. You have to prepare your pets prior to them needing it to condition them to wearing these items before they really need to wear them. They are not used to these objects on their bodies and naturally it will make them uncomfortable at first. So introducing them to these additions is not usually going to be welcomed happily.
Start mid-spring and keep it consistent. Remind them with love and treats to keep them satisfied throughout the transition process. Be patient and again, start with small amounts of time, increasing these times each day slowly. Sometimes they don't understand your efforts in keeping them cool and how imperative that need it. That's why they need you to keep them cool, staying hydrated and loved.
My heart is that no pet will suffer the summer months. If you are having trouble taking care of your pet, please contact your local non-kill shelter to speak with someone about your pets needs. No animal should endure any sort of neglect, especially during a difficult season. There is no shame if your life situation has changed, just keep in mind how that effects everyone around you, including your pets.