Hot weather and your dog

When it gets really warm and humid, we all feel slower and less able to manage normal outdoor activities. There are many people who struggle through warm days with many different tactics like drinking lots of water, finding cool spots to rest, and taking breaks. This is exactly what your best friend will try to do during these hot days. One thing that can occur when a dog is over heated, is serious, and it could result in death. If your dog cannot cool down quick enough, they can go into a stroke, and this is caused by swelling in the brain. Dogs are not built with sweat glands in their skin like humans, and as such, only cool through panting, and rest.

Ways to cool your dog down safely are:

• • Cool water: Be sure not to shock your best friends system too quickly with a water bath or shower, but soak a towel with cool water, and drape it around your dog. Then, when you see that your dog is cooling down, dunk into a small pool or over the hose, to throughly cool your dog down.

  • Do not leave in the car: As a rule, dogs in the car, should always be with you. You should never leave your dog in the car by themselves. Cars and trucks can quickly overheat, and you will lose your dog quickly to this environment.

  • Buy a dog vest: Many pet stores sell these cooling vests for your dog, which work like our sweat glands work, by giving your best friend a great way to evaporate heat through water. This technique works best in hot, dry conditions, but it is a great way to bring some comfort to your dog anytime.

  • Keep their feet cool: Many times, the concrete and asphalt that dogs walk on is very hot and can burn their feet. Try to keep their feet cool, but keeping their feet wet, and walking on grass and dirt areas, as they are less likely to burn your dogs feet.

A pool is a great way to keep your best friend from missing out on the summer, and brings you some great ways to have fun with your dog.