29 Tips to enjoy summer:
CARING FOR THEM INDOORS
1. PROVIDE PLENTY OF COOL, FRESH WATER.
You wouldn’t refuse this to another person… why refuse it to your dog? Make sure they have plenty of cool, fresh water to last the many hours you are gone for work. Dogs need an almost-constant water supply.
As a rule of thumb, dogs need at least an ounce of water per pound of body weight each and every day, and even more during the hot summer months. Your furbaby will grow dehydrated very easily.
Is your doggy bowl too small? Find a bigger one or purchase a second one to use over the summer. After all, you want to make sure your baby is safe and comfortable all summer long.
Your doggy’s health is essential!
2. LEAVE AN ICE PACK OR A WET TOWEL FOR THEM TO LAY ON.
The summer heat may be too absolutely miserable for them to endure. Leave them an ice pack or a wet towel - or both - to help alleviate the discomfort. Worried about leaks or puddles of water? Set it up on the tiled floor in either kitchen or bathroom.
3. ADD ICE CUBES TO THEIR WATER DISH.
Ice cubes are not that hard to make. Add a few to your pupper’s dish before you leave to keep it cool all day long.
4. GIVE YOUR DOG SOME HOMEMADE FROZEN TREATS.
Pinterest is full of ideas. Dog-style popsicles might be just the thing to keep your furbaby happy and content all summer long. Mix together two ripe bananas and two tablespoons of butter and freeze - these make for sweet treats for your pupper to eat!
5. PROVIDE A COOL SPACE FOR THEM TO LAY DOWN.
You gravitate toward the air conditioning in the summer - your doggo just wants a similar relief! Clear off a space on your bathroom or kitchen tile to give them a cooler flooring for relief.
6. KEEP THEM COOL WITH COOLING MATS.
Don’t want your furbaby in the kitchen and/or bathroom? Consider an inexpensive gel mat from Amazon or Ebay to give your pet some relief. After all, don’t they deserve comfort too?
7. AIR VENTS AND FANS!
Similar to Point #5 - your doggy needs a cool place to rest. If you don’t have air vents close to the ground for them to recline by, consider putting a box fan on the ground to provide some air circulation.
CARING FOR THEM AT THE BACKYARD
8. KEEP A BOWL OF WATER OUT IN THE SHADE.
If you haven’t noticed already, water = essential. Make sure your doggy has access to water outside as well as inside. Remember, they don’t want to deal with dehydration or heatstroke any more than you do!
9. MAKE SOME SHADE.
If your backyard doesn’t naturally have a lot of shade, you need to provide it for your furbaby. Consider setting up a roof adjacent to your house, or extending the dog house’s roof.
10. STAY OUT OF THE DOG HOUSE.
Speaking of doghouses - they don’t allow for much ventilation. Try to keep your dog out of the doghouse as much as possible.
11. ALLOW YOUR DOG INTO THE COOLER PARTS OF THE HOUSE AND/OR YARD.
I’m referring to basements, garages, and sheds. Anywhere your doggy can get some relief from the heat!
12. SPRINKLERS!
You have never seen anything quite like the look of joy a dog gives when playing with the sprinklers. Kill two birds with one stone - water your lawn and keep your pup cool and hydrated in the summer heat. Turn those sprinklers on!
13. PUPSICLES.
The frozen treats aren’t just for inside! Make your pup some pupsicles - see what we did there? - to enjoy over the summer. Other recipe ideas:
1/2 cup blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries and two 5-ounce containers plain yogurt
2 ripe bananas and 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
14. SET UP A BACKYARD POOL.
Kiddie pools aren’t just for kids! Set one up for your furbaby to play in too.
CARING FOR THEM DURING WALKS
15. BRING A WATER BOTTLE.
Better yet, bring two - one for you and one for your furbaby. Keep in mind that while human water bottles may do the job in a pinch, they aren’t the best for carrying your dog’s water. They are made for human mouths, not dogs! Consider purchasing a water bottle expressly made for your furbaby, for ease of drinking.
16.BEWARE OF HOT SURFACES.
Hot asphalt or sand can burn your doggy’s paws. Avoid these surfaces at all costs.
17. CONSIDER TIMING + WEATHER.
Be smart! Avoid the hotter times of day, from midday to midafternoon. Morning or evening walks are safest for both you and your dog.
18. AVOID TOO MUCH EXERCISE ON HOT DAYS.
You wouldn’t run a marathon in 100-degree weather - don’t make your doggy!
19. STOP IN THE SHADE.
You both need a break every so often - stop where your doggy can get some shade and a much-needed rest.
20. NEVER - EVER! - LEAVE THEM ALONE IN THE CAR.
Did you know your car’s temperature can get up to 100 degrees in just 20 minutes? Yeah. Don’t subject your dog to that. Never leave them alone in the car during the summer months.
21. PACE YOURSELF.
You are hurting both yourself and your puppy if you force yourself to go too far too fast during the hot, humid summer days. Pace yourself. You’re not depriving yourself of the exercise, but rather making sure that the two of you make it home safe and sound.
CARING FOR THEM AT THE BEACH
22. PROTECT HIM/HER AGAINST SUNBURN.
There are sunscreens made specifically for our furry friends. Don’t subject them to the pain of sunburn - buy sunscreen. Protect them too, not just yourself.
23. RINSE!
Don’t forget to rinse your pupper off at the end of each day! All the salt, sand, and minerals in the ocean water can harm them over the long term.
24. CHECK LOCAL ORDINANCES.
Sad to say, some beaches don’t allow dogs, or they limit the amount of time that they can be on the beach. Save yourself from disappointment - check out all the local ordinances before you leave the house to ensure that you have the best time possible.
25. NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG UNATTENDED IN THE WATER.
You wouldn’t leave a child - don’t leave your dog. Some dogs aren’t the best of swimmers, and you don’t want to risk them being taken out by the undertow.
26. DON’T LET YOUR DOGGY OVERDO IT!
Beach visits are fun and exciting, and it’s very easy to overdo it. Don’t let your doggy wear himself out!
27. LIFE VESTS = NECESSARY.
Just like we said in Point #25 - some dogs aren’t the best of swimmers! Take care of your doggy. Make sure they wear a bright-colored life vest anytime you’re near the water, for their safety and your own ease of mind.
28. SHADE, SHADE, SHADE!
You both need it, especially with the sand, glare, and heat on the beach! Find a nice spot with some shade to leave your towel, and to return with your furbaby.
BONUS TIP:
29. DON’T SHAVE YOUR DOG’S COAT!
As much as their fur coat insulates them in the winter, it also keeps them cool in the summer! While it might be fun to shave portions of their fur during the rest of the year, protect your baby during the summer. Both of you will be better off because of it.
There we go, our top twenty-nine tips to keep your dog cool during the summer. They deserve to be cared for and kept cool as much as you do - be sure to provide shade, water, and cool resting places, no matter what your location this summer.
What about you? What have you done to keep your furbaby cool over the summer?
(sourced from: https://fluffytools.com/blogs/blog/29-ways-to-keep-your-dog-cool-this-summer-the-complete-list-2019)
