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Caring for Dogs in a Hot Summer

No matter where you live in the world, you are bound to have to deal with your pets coping in hot weather at some point. Depending on the type of pet that you own, your animal may or may not be able to deal with heat comfortably.

With today’s busy lifestyles where most of us simply cannot afford to take time off work or stay at home to make sure that their animals are doing fine, we need to come up with effective ways to keep our minds at ease and our pets comfortable and healthy while we’re away from home. So what can you do when temperatures are rising (or preferable even before this happens)? Lets start with dogs first.

How to care for dogs in warm weather

Different breeds have different needs in warm weather but there are a few simple rules to apply when it comes to keeping your dog cool and healthy in summer. It is of the utmost importance to be extremely careful with the so-called flat-nosed or short-nosed breeds such as bulldogs, boxers and pugs.
These dogs may experience a lack of oxygen in warm weather due to the fact that their noses and nostrils in particular cannot take in enough air. Dogs will start panting (heavy breathing) when they are warm. Dogs cannot sweat properly the way humans do and have to get rid of excessive heat in the body by panting.

So what can you do? First of all, make sure to keep your dog out of direct sunlight. It’s a myth that dogs will seek the shade if they get too warm. Its ok for them to enjoy the sun for a short period of time, but in direct sunlight 5-10 minutes is more than enough. Take dogs for walks in the morning when the sun has not risen to its highest point yet, you will probably notice that your dog is only active in the early morning and evening hours in warm weather. Don’t worry, that’s only natural. So plan your walks carefully and only take your dog on short trips when its warm during the day.

Keep plenty of cold water available and if you have plenty of space in your garden, get an inflatable baby bath for your dog. Fill it up with water and introduce the dog to the bath. It may take some gentle persuasion, but this is truly a great way for your dog to cool down. Do not put the bath in a sunny spot though and keep your wet dog out of direct sunlight. Dogs can get sunburns too you know.
That takes us to the next tip; apply some sun block to your dog’s nose!

Don’t worry about food too much; your dog will probably be less hungry. Some dogs really enjoy licking ice cubes and a little ice cream won’t hurt (NO chocolate flavour however, chocolate is potentially lethal to dogs). Most dogs like fruits such as melon. Take the seeds out and give your dog some watermelon. Fruits are great to supply your dog with some additional fluids and fruit is not as heavy as regular dog food. Never give your dog grapes; they can actually kill your dog. Most dogs will only eat their meals when it’s cooled down in the evening so don’t worry too much if your pet does not want to eat its favourite food.
Do you need to travel somewhere with your dog in a hot car? There are plenty of things that you can do to keep your pet cool. Think ahead, make sure to park your car in the shade or put up sun screens in the back of your car (the space where your pet will be). Try to make sure that as little sunlight as possible enters the car before your drive. Put a plastic sheet on the seat/floor where your pet will be during the trip. Put a blanket or sheet of fabric on top of the plastic.
The plastic is used so that you can keep your dog cool and wet with a spray bottle in the back of the car. Make sure to bring a bowl of water and use an old t-shirt for your dog to wear. Wet the shirt regularly and open some windows in the car or use the airco to keep the temperature inside the car acceptable. Take regular short breaks and take your dog out for a short walk in a shady place. Give your dog some bread to eat before the journey to avoid travel sickness.

A handy list of stuff to bring for a holiday or trip with your pet in the summer heat is a great help if you are wondering what to pack:

• Chilled bottles of water
• A drinking bowl for in the car
• A sheet of plastic and a blanket
• A towel
• Sun block
• A spray bottle with chilled water
• Some dry biscuits
• A tin of wet food
• An old t-shirt (that fits the dog, cut off sleeves)
• A pet first aid kit (to remove ticks after walks etc)
• Car sun screens

If you take all these items with you, you don’t have to worry that your pet will become overheated in your car, keep a close eye on the animal and keep it cool.