Keeping your dog cool during the summer

This summer in Perth has seen some scorching hot weather. So if your home is not air-conditioned or if you happen to have an outside dog, it is important to make sure that your pet does not overheat. We’ve put together some tips you can keep in mind to protect your dog from heatstroke.

Put out two water bowls for your dog.

Your dog should always have a bowl full of fresh water. In the summer, however, it is wise to put out two bowls – especially if you’ll be going out and leaving your dog alone. This way if your dog has no water left in one bowl or even if your dog accidentally tips a bowl over, it will still be able to drink from the backup bowl.

Make sure your dog has a shady spot

Make sure that there is shade available around your property at all times for your dog to get out of direct sunlight.

Watch out for hot pavement or other surfaces

If your dog is outside, ensure that it has a cool surface to lie on. Bricks and concrete can get extremely hot in direct sunlight. If you don’t have any grass for your dog to lay on in the yard, you can place a mat that can stay cool for it in the shade. You can even find cooling pads and dog beds that can be filled with water to help keep your dog’s resting spot cool.

Dog owners should also be careful when walking their dogs in the heat. Wearing shoes, we often don’t realize just how hot the pavement is for our dogs’ paws. Check the temperate of your walking surface with your palm to make sure it isn’t too hot for your dog.

Walk your dog during cooler parts of the day

Avoid walking your dog during the hottest parts of the day. Taking your dog out early in the morning or in the evening when some of the heat has died down can be a safer and more pleasant experience for everyone.

Wet your dog off throughout the day

Consider hosing down or otherwise wetting your dog at regular intervals on a hot day. Your dog may not particularly like this, but this will help to keep it cooler in the heat.

Buy a wading pool for your dog

A small wading pool with fresh, cool water can be just the thing to cool a dog down on a hot day.

Never leave your dog in the car alone

Leaving the window open a crack doesn’t cut it. Never leave your dog alone in the car, especially on a hot day. If you absolutely have to leave the car for a few minutes, keep it running with air conditioning on.

Be careful at the dog beach

You might think that taking your dog to the beach in very hot weather is a great idea to help it cool off. If your dog likes to swim, the beach might be a good idea (but stick to the cooler parts of the day). On the other hand, you might want to stay clear of the beach if your dog is simply the kind to stay on the shore and mingle with the other dogs as sand heats up very quickly. If you do decide to go to the dog beach, make sure that you always bring fresh water – you don’t want your dog drinking salt water and becoming dehydrated.

Be careful when playing with your dog

Do not count on your dog to stop playing when it gets hot or tired. Your dog may keep begging you to throw its toy even if it is exhausted or overheated simply because it is so excited about the game. Don’t push too many physical activities with your dog in the heat and always watch for signs of dehydration or overheating before, during, and after play.

Trim your dog’s coat

If your dog has a long or messy woolly coat consider getting it groomed and trimming the coat down for the summer. A dog’s coat can actually help it to stay cooler, so shaving your dog completely likely won’t do any good (and will increase the risk of sunburn for your dog), but trimming the coat to a thinner layer can help it to handle the heat.