When the weather is good and the sun is shining, most of us dog owners’ first instinct is to rush to be outside with our dog. But when it’s too warm, this can cause problems for our furry friends who may have some trouble keeping cool.
Here are three tips to make sure your pooch is keeping cool, and having fun this summer.
Keep Walks Short
Some dogs will tell you in no uncertain terms if it’s too hot to go for a walk. But most of the time our dog is having too much fun being out on a walk to care about something as lame as not getting too hot. So… that becomes our job.
For most dogs, if spring or summer temperature is between about 15 degrees they are happy to be out for as long as you want (fitness level permitting). But above that is when you should be starting to watch them more closely.
When I am out on my group dog walk, I may have many dogs of different shapes, fur types, sizes, and ages. Because there is so much variety, I use more visual cues to decide when it is too hot for our usual full-hour walk. These can be hard panting, lagging behind the group, or laying down during sniff breaks. When this happens it’s time to either head to the water or take the team home.
If it is above 25 degrees, even when walking in or around water, I always shorten the walk.
Playing in the Water
Even for dogs who aren’t a big fan of swimming, dipping their belly in can do wonders for cooling them off. Whether it’s heading to the river or even a kiddy pool in your yard, water is your dog’s friend while outside in the heat.
If your dog loves to swim, play and run through something like a river, that’s great. But be sure to watch them carefully as they can still overheat when swimming, especially if they play hard. It’s better to leave before they get too hot than after.
Some dogs aren’t a fan of swimming and that’s ok too. Make sure to never force your dog to go deeper than they want. Work with their comfort zone and slowly ease them into the idea of getting in the water. Treats can do wonders for this.
Training at Home
Sometimes it’s too hot to go for a walk, but that doesn’t mean your pooch doesn’t have some energy to burn. An awesome option that’s often overlooked for super hot days is doing some training. Working their brain is requires energy, so teaching them a new trick can be a fun way to spend a hot afternoon.
Tricks like spin, play dead, stick ’em up (this one is my guys favourite) can be great starting points. Or if you are looking for something more challenging you can do games like “Find it” or “Hide and Seek”!
There are always options for helping your dog out with their energy, but sometimes it takes a little creativity. Walking in the mornings or at night can be great options as well! Also always be sure your dog has access to water to drink, as this will help them keep cool as well.
If you are ever unsure of what your dog’s limits for temperature are, don’t be afraid to reach out to your vet with your questions.
You can even follow them on social media or their blogs to stay up to date. As the season changes, many vets will post about what to look out for during the season change, so look out for that.
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Need help getting your dog walked this summer? Message us at info@poochedyyc.ca
We are a Calgary-owned and operated dog walking company. We love that we get to serve the dogs in our community. We believe in building a strong bond with the dogs in our care based on love and trust and believe the best way to do this is by using training methods that do not rely on fear or pain. On top of this, it also means we have treats.
Our goal for all of our services is to ensure exceptional care for your dogs and to make sure they have the most fun possible with us.