How to keep your dog happy and cool in a heat wave
It’s certainly a hot one out there! We’re all trying to make the most of it and scrambling to get out during a rare heatwave in Ireland. We’re also very conscious about doing the best for our dogs and keeping them cool and happy without doing anything too strenuous in the high temps! Here are our best tips for a happy, comfortable dog in a heatwave:
When it’s over 18 degrees, please be kind to your dog and keep them indoors during the hottest parts of the day. Remember, dogs don’t have sweat glands, they pant to expel heat and keep themselves cool. This is why flat face breeds like bulldogs and pugs, are at the biggest risk of exhaustion or heat stroke in the high temperatures. As well as this, the pavements can heat up and become completely unbearable for paws to walk on. Early morning and late night strolls are the safest ways to exercise our dogs. Even still, make sure they’re taking it easy, allow them to sniff everything they want to sniff, let them into safe and shallow paddle areas, and avoid too much strenuous running around after a ball or chasing. As much as it is tempting to bring your dog to the beach or hiking, the car can be a dangerous place for a dog on a hot day and put them at serious risk, so dog owners, do your dogs a favour and leave them snoozing at home.
Less physical activity out walking means more of a need for mental stimulation while spending more time indoors. We can provide this for our dogs through enrichment toys, puzzle toys and boredom breaker games. The best way to do this and cool down your dog at the same time would be to always have a lickimat or Kong ready to go in the freezer. Fill the kong or spread the lickimat with natural yoghurt, frozen berries, or mashed banana as a dog-safe frozen treat or mash their kibble with water or low salt stock and pop them in the freezer ready to go.
You can also make doggy ice pops as a frosty treat to help cool them down by mixing or blending Greek yoghurt with banana, apple, cucumber or carrot slices and putting them in ice cube trays or containers and freezing them for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. You can also do the same by mixing stock or broth and freezing them with fruit or vegetable slices or dog biscuits in a container and letting your dog have at them by licking and biting through them to get the treats and cooling themselves down at the same time. Be sure to give your dogs any chews or treats in the shade or indoors in a cool part of the house.
When spending time in the garden, make sure your dog has access to shade and plenty of cold, fresh water and has the freedom to come and go inside and outside should they get too hot. If you’re outside for a while, put a wet or damp towel down for them to lie down on.
If your dog has a pink nose or white skin, they are at risk of burning their nose, muzzles or ears so, just like our own skin, protect them with spf if they’re going to be outside. They might not like this but try distracting them with treats while you apply it!
If you have access to a hose in your garden, try leaving it on mist as a fun cooling station in your back garden or better yet, invest in a paddling pool for your dog to sit in and throw his favourites treats and toys in it for him to fish out and have fun with.
While it’s important to make sure your dog has plenty of fresh water access, be sure they don’t over drink excessively as this can lead to bloat and tummy upsets.
The most important thing is to ensure your dog is safe in the hot weather, if you feel they are overly lethargic or having quite a bad reaction to the high temps such as excessive panting, vomiting, diarrhoea, red gums, dizziness or overheating, do not hesitate to bring them straight to the vet as these can all be signs of heat stroke or exhaustion which can be fatal for our dogs. If in any doubt about your dog, be sure to contact your vet immediately. Stay safe and cool out there guys!