Let me start with a giant reminder...DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A PARKED CAR FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME DURING WARM MONTHS OF THE YEAR!!! Please look online at the multitude of information to teach yourself about just how fast your car heats up (even with windows cracked) and how quickly this can kill a dog. Also, PLEASE TEST GROUND SURFACE TEMPERATURE WITH YOUR OWN FEET BEFORE WALKING YOUR DOG ON IT. IT CAN AND DOES BURN THEIR PAW PADS! Sorry for the caps, but as a dog lover, these two issues are especially concerning to me. That all being said, let me move on. The "cool" people over at The Uncommon Dog designed an awesome infographic to give you quick, helpful tips and information with just a simple glance.
Kiddie pools are becoming ever more popular to dog owners. Maybe soon someone will actually market "doggie pools"! Until then, kid pools do the job. Whether you have a "soaker" like my Piper or a "splasher" like Murray, kiddie pools do the trick for a quickie cool down. Piper plops himself right in and stays a while. You can almost hear the "ahhh" this week when he plunks himself down sending much of the pool water cascading out and down my yard. Murray is not a soaker. He likes to play in the pool. Dunking his head for a ball, kicking his paws, and running and jumping in are his pool time preferneces. Either way, the result is the same...one cool dog!
Does your pup have a favorite spot to lay in your yard? Piper likes our patio. Murray likes to be under our pool deck. Sometimes all I do is wet them and our patio/ground down for a refreshing spot to nap in the shade. Wetting down your dog and a shady spot in your yard can do just the trick!
Make sure plenty of fresh, cool water is readily available at all times in the heat. One fill of a big bowl a day is not sufficient. Would YOU want to drink water that has been sitting out in the heat all day? No! Neither does your dog. Refresh it with a refill a few times a day. I even add ice!
Don't be an AC hog. If you have air conditioning in only one room of your house, make sure your dog gets to spend some time in their with you! We're all in need of need a cool break, even your dog.
A couple other items that I have found to prolong their cooling off period are "cool collars" and "cool beds". There are several styles and brand of each of these on the market, so research one that fits you specifically. Both the collars and the beds are designed to remain cool for a length of time to help keep your dog at a more comfortable temperature. I have found mine both work very well, and I would recommend looking into both of these.
So, please make sure you are keeping a close eye on your furry friends. They depend completely on you to keep them safe. Please don't let them down.
This is very important information. Our weather is consistently hot and humid. It makes me so mad when I see ignorant (or just plain dumb) people dress AND put shoes on their dogs then walk them outside in the sun. The poor dogs are panting and panting and panting away and when I tell the owners how hot their dog is, they say their dog LIKES dressing up.
ReplyDeleteSadly, dogs are not allowed on most of the parks so they have pretty much no choice but to walk on the asphalt. Whisky "exercises" indoors where it's cool. :)
Thanks for the information. We got Madame Bridget a cooling mat as the Cushings makes her hot all the time. England doesn't usually see very high temperatures as a rule.
ReplyDeleteDip Bridge and Elliot x
It is hot here too and we haven't been to the park for two days as it just too hot. Have a fabulous Friday and stay cool.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
Its been in the high 90s and up to 100 here too. I bareley let them outside of the AC. Even early morning its about 90. In the urban area it can be hard to find patches of grass for long walks and the pavement makes everything hotter
ReplyDeleteurban hounds
Pawsome information - thank you Murray!
ReplyDeleteWe have cooling pads in our Jennifer the Jeep... EVEN with the AC on in Jennifer... the SUN comes in and made us hot and so we had mom buy us cooing pads. Mom and dad NEVER leave us in a hot car... One of them stays with us and the other one Shops. FAST shopping!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post - it came at the right time before I'm melting away. I mostly use the floor tiles - they are nice and cool, but very uncomfy :o)
ReplyDeleteBOL. I was just talking about how we're having a nice cool front this week and temps are ONLY in the mid-90s. :) But yes, this is a very impawtant post. Short-snouted breeds like me can have trouble breathing when it gets too hot too.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The dogs go through so much water, one bowl doesn't even last a day in the summer! Keep cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the info, w can we copy this and re post it at a later Time? Just come by and let me know. Now Dad always worries his tiny brain aboutus during the summer, got puppers houses, we have the shade of his shop after noon time, and a kiddie pool filled to the top, which we tend to drink more than wade cause it stay cool!
ReplyDeleteThe Mad Scots
Very good info Murray!!! Ma is even thinkin' of gettin' me a doggie cooling vest! I say 'Yes!' to this idea! And she was even thinkin' of gettin' some of those doggie booties like Sugars (I'm not so sure abouts that!! BOL)
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby ♥
We make use of kiddy pools, but my three are addicted to Freon. They love their AC. I don't blame them.
ReplyDeleteGood advice, we use the kiddie pool, the frog pond, the A/C and lots of dirt holes around the garden!
ReplyDeleteWyatt and Stanzie
It's been so hot here in the UK, I am not allowed in the car unless it's to go to the park with the windows down xx00xx
ReplyDeleteMollie and Alfie