Hey Woofa’s,

How’s the weather where you are right now?  Us Aussies are heating right up to 30-40 plus degrees (104 farenheit)!

I’m loving it, most hate it, but more importantly we’ve got to keep our fur kids cool.

There’s nothing more annoying than seeing someone out walking their dog on the boiling hot cement in the middle of a stinking hot day.

I ran across our driveway the other day in the middle of a stinking hot day and nearly burnt the skin off my feet.  I actually wondered if that’s how hot it would be doing Tony Robbins hot coal walk!!!!

Why would you walk your dog in that kind of heat on that kind of hot ground??

Something to Note

Dogs don’t sweat like we do through the skin.   They exude some sweat through their paw pads (underneath their feet).

Their most effective cooling mechanism is through panting because this circulates the air they need to cool down.

Ways To Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer!

1. Plenty Of Fresh Cool Water!

This might seem like a no brainer but I’ve been to people’s houses where there’s insufficient water available for their dogs!  Or a water dish with green moss all over it.

Billy has 4 water bowls, 3 of which are strategically placed around the yard so at least during different times of the day 1 of them will be in the shade.

His 4th dish is inside in the bathroom.  It’s cool and it’s all tiled so a good spot for it!  You could also use the laundry, any place in the house that is cool.

You could go a step further and freeze some water the night before either in blocks or cubes and put them in the dishes before you leave for the day.

Or you could freeze treats in a toy overnight and give your dog that to lick during the day.

2. Bring Your Dog/s Inside!

If you’re able to, bring your fur babies inside to enjoy the air conditioning/fan.

Or to sit on the cool floor tiles of the kitchen, bathroom, laundry or main living areas.  The cool tiles will cool their bellies.

3. Use a Wet Face Cloth!

Place the wet face cloth in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Take it out and either place it on your dog’s belly (if this is easier said than done), place it where your dog sits so they can lay on it, or just place it on the underside of your dog, this is the main area they cool down from.

Have 2 cloths, 1 on the dog and the other cooling down in the fridge and tag team them.

4. Use a Spray Bottle with Cool Water!

Use the spray bottle to lightly mist spray onto your dog’s belly area, groin area, and under their arms.

5.  Wet (light) Clothing!

If your dog wears clothes and they have a really light weighted garment.

Wet it with cool water and place it on them.   When they do sit it cools them down from underneath and all over.

Please be diligent here though, only do this if you’re home and the garment is light, the idea is to cool them down.

6.  Hose, Sprinkler, Out-Door Bath!

If your fur baby is a water lover, turn on the sprinkler or hose and cool them down the old fashioned way.

Hose them, let them run in the sprinkler, or fill a container that they can sit in but not too full that they can drown in.

You could also cool them down in the bathtub.

See Diesel’s pic above.  He’s sitting in the shade in his shell pool and loving it.

7.  Family Pool!

If your family has a pool and your dog loves water, allow them in for a swim.

I can’t stress enough though this has to be only if your dog loves to swim.   If they don’t it’s only going to stress them out and scare them.

Also only do this if someone is there to supervise, water safety is just as important for our dogs as it is for our kids.

There are life vests available for dogs, either online or at your local pet store.

One of my customers has a Bullmastiff and he knows he’s allowed in the pool for a swim only when they bring the life vest out and he loves it.

It gives him confidence in the water to swim on his own and it’s great for his joints.

8. The Beach!

Dog friendly beaches are awesome if you’re able to take them for a swim.

As well as local swimming holes, again though I stress the importance of water safety for your dog.

Things can change in an instant around water.  Another customer of mine takes their dog out on their boat with them and he also has a life vest as do the kids.

Be aware if you’re playing fetch with your dog and they’re constantly running in and out of the water, they could be swallowing it.  This can be harmful for your dog.

9.  Change Their Walk Time!

If your fur baby needs walking, I’d suggest walking them before the heat of the day.  Try early morning or well after the sun has gone down.

A way of testing whether it’s too hot to walk your dog, take your shoes off and walk across the footpath yourself, if it’s too hot for you it’s too hot for your dog.

10.  Shade!

Make sure your dog has cool shady spots to lay in around the yard.  Place their water bowls in those shady spots as well.

The sun moves so make sure there’s plenty of spots around the yard for your dog and their dishes.

11.  Doggy Sun Block/Screen!

Yes they make it and it’s available.

If your fur baby is a sun baker, put dog sun block on them.  Even when out about swimming, put some on them.

You could also try doggy swim clothes to stop them from burning up.

12.  Cooling Mats!

These help to cool your dog down too.

As long as they actually sit on them, they’re no use if your dog doesn’t sit on it.

You can also buy these on-line or at your local pet store.   Be aware though, if your dog is still in the bed ripping up stage, don’t bother!!!

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

It’s just as important to keep your dog/s cool and heat free this summer.

There’s ways they too can enjoy the summer without the risk of heat stroke.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW– WHAT YOU DO TO COOL YOUR DOG DOWN?