Summer is here!!! …yay?
You wish all winter for it and when it hits you are just like what the heck was I thinking?!?
Poor Fido your bestie is just as miserable, if not more than you and the rest of your family. Since dogs don’t sweat thru their skin like we do they are a little more susceptible to overheating.
Dogs relieve themselves from heat by panting; they also discrete a small amount of sweat thru their nose and foot pads but not much. Most Dogs can tolerate up to about 90 degrees but that can vary on size and breed.
Once it gets hotter than that you should try your best to make him/her comfortable. Here are some summertime tips, DIY ideas and of course heat stroke info to keep your dog cool during summer!
Keep Your Dog Cool During Summer With These DIY (Dog-It-Yourself) Tricks & Tips
The $5 Kiddie Pool
Go to a local Walmart and buy one of the cheap little $5 pools and then just fill that bad boy up with water and set it under some shade.
Some dogs will jump right in it and lounge all day like they’re in their own little playboy mansion grotto.
On the other hand some will blankly stare at you like “are you getting in that thing?”
Either way it’s worth a shot and if it’s a no go I’m sure some kid would love it and could even make it into a sandbox or something.
Frozen Toy Bowl
Simple, cheap, effective. So basically you take your dog’s favorite toy fill up a big bowl with water toss in the toys and freeze. Your dog will go crazy licking and chewing to be reunited with his toy and will be cooling down at the same time.
Frozen Treats in a Toy
Freeze some dog biscuits and stuff em’ simple as that. You can get a Kong or something similar even a tennis ball cut open enough to slip in some treats will do.
Cooling Mat or Vest
If you’re crafty and have some time these are definitely worth it. There are tons of tutorials for these online and seem pretty easy if you can sew.
Here is a great link on how to create your own
Make Your Own Frozen Dog Treats/Ice Cream
Frozen+yummy = happy pup (tail wag included).
Just do the following steps and you’ll be set!
- Mix banana, yogurt and peanut butter together
- Blend in a blender
- Pour into ice cube trays
- Freeze and serve to your pups!
Paw protectors
VERY IMPORTANT!! If you don’t have these don’t take your dog for a walk and burn their poor little paws you can buy them or make them.
Here’s a cool video to show you how to create your own paw protectors!
Take him for a swim
Just remember not all dogs are naturally born Olympic swimmers so here’s some tips for a doggie dip.
Test it out in shallow water and don’t force him/her let them ease their way into it.
They do make life vests for dogs of all sizes this is not only unbearably cute but can save your pup.
Keep in mind dogs can seem heavier when wet and trying to pull them into a boat can seem easier said than done.
Make sure the water isn’t too cold this can be a shock to their body and cause their blood vessels to constrict if it takes your breath away when you take a dip then don’t force your dog into it.
Dogs do not have a rest/tread water mode like humans they will just keep going full blast and wear themselves out quick if they aren’t used to swimming.
Stay close by incase of an emergency.
Heat Stroke Signs/Symptoms You Should Know
- Rapidly panting
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Shaking
- Poor coordination
- Sticky dry tongue
- Disoriented
- Rapid heartbeat
For mild cases you can try to cool your dog down at home by first getting your dog out of the sun/heat (obviously). Wet some towels in cool water and place them over your dog and on the floor to lie on. Try to get them to drink water don’t force it down.
You can put them in a “cool” bath not freezing or full of ice cubes that can be just as harmful as the heat itself. In the same sense don’t give your dog ice cubes to eat when they are overheated as cooling them down to much too fast can cause complications. Always have the info for your nearest 24 pet hospital posted on your fridge for emergencies serious heat stroke in dog can be deadly and can come on quick so if you have any doubts on the severity just take your dog in you could save your best friends life
And lastly, don’t be one of those people who are oblivious to how hot a car can get and leave your poor dog to roast while you run in for some groceries it’s really not worth risking your dog’s life to save some time in dropping him or her off at home first.