10 Ways To Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer

With summer in full swing, nothing’s better than spending days under the sun with our four-legged family members. But high temps can make summer plans impossible to enjoy. At best, our dogs start to feel miserably hot after just a few minutes outdoors. And at worst, extreme heat can put them at risk for heatstroke. Read on for our best tips to help your hot dog stay cool this summer.

1. Bring Your Dog Inside.

The obvious, yet most vitally important way to keep your dog safe and cool this summer is to keep them indoors in an air conditioned space. Even when the weather feels moderate to us at around 70 to 80 degrees, dogs are at risk. Dogs do not sweat throughout their body, only from their paw pads, making them vulnerable to overheating. Never leave your dog unattended outdoors or in a parked car in the summertime, not even for a few minutes.

2. Replace warm beds with cooling mats.

For dogs, nothing feels better than sprawling out on their belly on a hot day. You may have noticed that your dog chooses to lie on the kitchen or bathroom floor, or even inside a shower or bathtub, rather than curling up on the couch. Heat-conductive surfaces, like tile and ceramic, quickly draw heat from the body. A dog cooling mat works the same way, with a water-filled core that feels blissfully cool against your dog’s warm belly.

3. Make tasty pupsicles.

Freeze bone broth in an ice cube tray to make easy, freezy pupsicles.

It’s easy to make tasty frozen treats for your dog - add bone broth, yogurt, and/or any of their favorite food or treats and freeze for at least four hours. Any container can work as a “pupsicle” mold, from old yogurt containers to ice cube trays. Or, fill and freeze their Kong toy for a fun, frosty puzzle. Frozen berries, too, make a great instant cool-down treat.
 

4. Make Your Own Swamp Cooler

Give your dog their own personal cooling corner in your home by placing a bucket of ice in front of a box fan. The ice need not be close enough to the fan to create an electrical hazard. It only needs to be positioned so the air will be chilled as the fan blows. As the ice melts, warm air passing over the bucket will be cooled, sending a refreshing breeze towards your dog.
 

5. Apply A Cool Compress To Your Dog’s Pulse Points

Need to instantly cool down your dog? Apply a cool, damp washcloth to pulse points, where blood vessels are close to the surface of your dog’s skin. For dogs, pulse points are located at the inner thighs and armpits.
 

6. Avoid midday meals.

The digestive process generates heat, especially with big meals rich in fat, protein, or carbohydrates. Feed your dog early in the morning and after sundown to help them better tolerate the midday heat.
 

7. Stay in the shade.

Direct sunlight can make your dog feel up to ten degrees hotter than the ambient temperature. Add more shady areas to your home and garden by planting trees, installing a patio awning, or putting up a car tent for your dog to relax under. And if you take your dog to the beach, don't forget the umbrella!
 

8. Groom Your Dog For The Summer

While your dog’s coat does provide some level of UV protection and insulation, it can still cause them to feel weighed down in the summer. Dogs with a single coat or “hair coat,” can get a short clip at the groomer’s. For double-coated dogs, brush at least every other day to keep the insulating undercoat light and airy. While groomers usually do not recommend a full clip for double-coated dogs, you can opt for a belly shave or a scissor trim to help your dog stay cool without compromising the insulating properties of their double coat.
 

9. Help Your Dog Maintain A Healthy Weight

Body fat has insulating properties, trapping heat and slowing the body’s ability to dissipate heat through circulation. Dogs that are overweight or obese are significantly more likely to suffer heatstroke. Talk to your veterinarian about determining the ideal weight goal for your dog and creating a healthy, sustainable weight management plan. Your vet may recommend a senior or weight management dog food to help keep your dog nourished and satiated on fewer calories.
 

10. Keep frozen bandanas in your freezer.

Soak, wring, and freeze an assortment of rags, washcloths, and bandanas and keep them in your freezer for hot days. Puppies love gnawing on a knotted, frozen rag, while older dogs can wear icy-cool bandanas to beat the heat. Also, you can drape a chilled washcloth over your dog’s body to instantly cool them off.

VISION

Every pet deserves to live a long, happy, healthy life.