How To Keep Your Dog Cool During Summer Heatwaves
The summer season is super fun, but it comes with some risks. With the temperatures rising, you need to make sure your precious pup stays cool. Here are a few tips to ensure your furry friend doesn’t get overheated even on the hottest of summer days.
Keep Walks Quick
When it’s too hot outside, keep your walks with your pooch pretty quick. Even if it's just ten minutes, make sure that you have some water for yourself and your furry friend. You may also want to consider getting little booties or use a cooling balm to protect your pup’s precious paws from hot cement unless you plan to only stay on grassy areas.
Make Your Furry Friends Some Dog-Friendly Ice Cream
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One of the best things to do on a hot day is to eat some ice cream. Unfortunately, human ice cream isn’t the best for pups. However, you can easily make a version of this tasty treat that is safe for your dog to eat. All you'll need to do is mash up a few strawberries, a banana, and some plain yogurt and pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours.
Take Them In For A Trim
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My dog is super fluffy and needs to be shaved during the summer. I request a pretty severe haircut at the groomers because she gets overheated so quickly while we are out on walks. The one downside is that she looks like a completely different dog, so there’s always a moment of panic that I picked up the wrong pup.
Skip this step if you have a dog with a double coat, like a Bernese Mountain Dog or a Husky. According to Forbes, “shaving their fur increases the likelihood they’ll get a sunburn whilst outdoors.” To make sure that your double-coated dog stays cool, you will need to brush them every day to get rid of excess fur.
Purchase A Cooling Bed
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One of the best feelings in the world is resting your head on the cool side of the pillow. What if I told you that your dog could sleep on what basically is a really cold pillow. You’d be jealous of your dog, right?
A couple of brands sell self-cooling pads for pups that come in super handy during the summer season.
Keep An Eye Out For Heatstroke
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If your dog is out in the heat for a prolonged period of time, you need to keep an eye out for heatstroke. The Humane Society noted that the symptoms are “heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure and unconsciousness.” If you notice these signs, get your dog to a cool space and head over to the vet as soon as you can.