Keeping Your Dog Cool in the Summer

Living in Austin during the summer can be hard on any dog, and we must train ourselves to keep our dogs’ needs in mind during the hot summer Austin days.  As we covered in a previous post, Should You Shave Your Dog in the Summer?, we learned that dogs do not feel cooler when shaved.  Since that is the case, what can you do to keep your dogs cool in the summer?

Here is a short list to help keep your dogs from over heating during the warm weather:

• Make sure the dog has plenty of access to fresh cool drinking water
• Never leave your dog in a parked car
• Make sure your dog has access to shade, and do not leave them outside when you are at work or away from home
• Set up a baby pool or a sprinkler in the back yard, or play some games with one of these
• Instead of pouring water on the dog’s back in efforts to cool him off, apply some water under the dog’s front armpits, belly, and inner rear leg
• If your dog has a dual layered coat, have a groomer brush out the undercoat to help insulate your dog
• Be sure to decrease the intensity of your play sessions, walks, and runs during extreme heat
• Be aware of your dog’s paws and pads when it comes to walking them, the street and sidewalks can get very hot
• Be sure to apply sunscreen to fair skinned dogs with fine coats
• Plenty of naps on the tile floors

Dogs are not only uncomfortable on hot summer days, but they are vulnerable to heatstroke and heat exhaustion which can be fatal, especially for overweight and older dogs.  Regardless of your dog’s age, weight, breed, or habits, please keep an eye on your pets and make sure they have as much fun this summer as we do!

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