Keeping your cool

We’ve had some very hot and summery weather in the recent weeks, which means lots of fun summer activities and beach trips, but also means some potential overheating for our furry friends (and humans, if you’re anything like me!). So I’ve put together a few tips to keep your furbaby cool this summer.

Hydrate

If you were out in the sun or warm all day in the summer you’d make sure you stayed hydrated and drank lots, well dogs are no different. Whether you’re at home in the garden or taking a trip out, make sure you have plenty of water for your dog.

We have 3 travel bowls, 1 in each vehicle and a spare one just in case. I like to always make sure we have one and we take a bottle of water too, to make sure that even if there isn’t dog water bowls out and about, we have our own at hand.

Frozen treats

I’ve always given our dogs ice cubes, they’re great to cool them down a bit in the summer, and they love crunching them too! I’ve also started making homemade frozen doggy treats after being inspired by a few others on Instagram. I put up some of Fudge’s favourite fruit and vegetables into small pieces and mix them with natural yogurt or water, then leave them in the freezer; Fudge loves them.

As an alternative, you can make some frozen treats with out favourite dog food- Guru. Just take some guru-luscious pellets and soak them in water, then freeze and enjoy in the sunshine.

Another good idea is putting their favourite toys in the freezer with treats in, that way when they play with them in the sun, they’re nice and cool.

Paddling Pool

I’ve seen so many doggies with paddling pools, and really wanted to get one for Fudge, so we finally got round to it this month and got her one. She was a bit apprehensive at first, wondering why there was a massive water bowl outside, but it didn’t take her long to get jumping in and out of it and playing fetch in it. It’s really is a great idea to keep them cool in the garden.

Other great ideas

Cooling pads and coats are another great idea to keeping doggies cool, being able to lie on a cool pad instead of a warm bed is great for cooling down their core body.

If you don’t have a cooling coat, you can still soak a towel or your dogs fleece in cold water and put it on them to cool them down. Just remember to remove it if it dries out as you don’t want them overheating with it on.

Try to create a shady area in the garden, that way they can still enjoy being outside but they’re not in direct sunlight and are more protected.

Things to remember

If it’s a really hot day try to go for walks in the morning or evening when it’s a bit cooler and more enjoyable. Dogs can suffer from heat stroke so in the middle of the day when it’s the hottest, it’s best to avoid exercise and to keep your furbabies cool.

Never leave a dog in a hot car, whether the windows are open or not, it’s very dangerous and not worth risking their life for.

Pavements get very hot! Although dogs pads go through a lot, they still need a lot of looking after, and pavements can easily burn them when it’s hot. Try to stick to grass areas or trail paths. If want to know how hot it feels, put your hand or bare feet on the pavement and if you can’t hold them there then it’s definitely too hot for your dog to walk on.