How to Keep Your Dog Cool When It’s Hot Outside
by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020
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When you have a dog, summer is pretty much the best time of the year.
Daily walks, going to the beach, spending most of our time together outside, warm weather brings so many possibilities!
But it can also be a dangerous time for a pet. Overheating, exhaustion and dehydration are just a few of the problems you may face in the hot weather.
It’s particularly important that you watch out if you have a short-nosed dog, which is particularly susceptible to heat.
We want to make sure our dogs were safe and happy to enjoy the summertime and this is what we do to keep them cool.
Tip 1 – Give Him Plenty Of Fresh Water
This is the number one tip, give your dog plenty of water, wherever you go. If you keep a water bottle in the fridge, that’s a perfect option for the heat.
When we’re at home, the way we keep our pets hydrated is by having a stainless steel pet water fountain available at all times.
We find this one easy to clean and the best at keeping the water fresh and clean,
It’s big enough for our 6 pets and all we do is top it up with new water once a day. Can you tell we’re in love with it?
When we’re outside, we want to make sure we’re able to give them water without having to carry bulky items, so we have a collapsible rubber dish and a water bottle and we’re good to go.
Tip 2 – Keep Him Groomed
Some dogs don’t require much grooming, but particularly when you have a long haired dog, grooming can make all the difference in hot weather.
In our case, Tommy and Coco get their hair clipped at least twice a year.
You’ll need to be careful though, less hair means he can get sunburned, so watch out for that, use sun screen if necessary.
You can use regular, human sun screen, just make sure he’s protected. If your dog has white, short hair, a UV blocking dog shirt is your best option.
For short haired dogs, a vigorous brushing every other day should be enough to keep the dead hair off and your dog feeling cooler.
We use a great brush that doesn’t cost a lot of money, see it here:
Don’t forget the feet!
Another part of your dog’s body you need to be careful with are the feet, of course. Walking on hot surfaces can really hurt your dog’s paws.
There are a couple things you can do to make sure that doesn’t happen.
You can get your dog some boots or socks and you can avoid walking your dog at the hottest times of the day.
For us personally, boots are out of the question, they would eat them before they wore them, so we are very careful about the time we walk our dogs.
But we also have a secret weapon. We use paw butter.
We use it once a week to keep the feet hydrated and protected. So far, we’ve had no complaints.
Tip 3 – Keep Your Dog Indoors
If it’s too hot for you to be outside, then it is too hot for your dog as well. Unless you happen to have AC in there, a dog house is no place for your pet in high temperatures.
Even when your dog is indoors, it can still be too much. Be sure to keep your blinders down, providing shade and cooler temperatures inside.
If you don’t have any fans or AC in your home and the temperatures are high, give your dog a bath or place a damp towel on him to help him keep fresh.
And, when you do have to walk him, it’s best to choose early morning, late afternoons or evenings for bigger strolls or more strenuous activities.
Heatstrokes are dangerous and serious, don’t take them lightly.
Tip 4 – Feed Him Frozen Treats
Just like we love ice creams in hot weather, dogs love it too. You’ll just need to pick healthier options for your pooch.
Like fruit or, if he’s not a fruit fan, ice cubes with some sort of meat broth or whatever he prefers.
We like to mix things up a bit, so will fill their Kongs with fruit or peanut butter and them we place them in the freezer (the Kongs, not the dogs).
We’ll warn you, it can get a little bit messy but, for those hot days when we can barely play with them or do any sort of strenuous activities, this keeps them entertained for a long time.
Another simple way to add more moisture to your dog’s diet is giving him canned food or mixing it up with his kibble.
Bit by bit, keep your dog hydrated and healthy through the hot weather.
Tip 5 – Get Him Wet
The simplest way is to use a wet towel around to keep him wet.
But, if you want to go that extra mile and have the room for it, a doggy pool will drive them crazy!
If your dog loves the water, we guarantee the trouble will be keeping him away. This is the one we use, the foldable feature is very practical:
We also use a portable shower often and it just may be the brightest idea anyone with a dog or a penchant for adventure has ever had!!
Either to wash the dogs after they play in the dirt or to keep them wet on a summer day, this is such a great tool!
You can heat the water with the sun in wintertime but for the summer, just keep it in your car trunk and use as much as you want. Here is the one we own:
Last But Most Certainly Not Least
The most important thing to remember is to never leave your dog inside a car in the heat, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
The temperature the inside of your car can reach in that amount of time is too high for him to stand.
If, even after all of these measures, your dog gets heatstroke, you’ll need to try and lower his body temperature by using a damp towel and then go straight to the vet.
Don’t use really cold or freezing water, you may think that it’s the best option but, in fact, it will be too much of a shock for his system.
How to tell if your dog is suffering from heatstroke? These are the symptoms to watch out for:
- Heavy panting
- Heavy drooling
- Trouble breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
- Dark or red gums and tongue
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Agitation
Jack Russells tend to stretch their limits and we’ve had a couple of episodes where we thought one of them was about to collapse due to heatstroke.
Since then, we found that, by using these simple tips, we’re able to keep our dogs cool, healthy and entertained throughout the summer. Hopefully it will work for yours too!
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