KEEPING DOGS COOL THIS SUMMER

It’s almost mid-summer which means hot weather and hot dogs. We have gathered together the best tips to keep your dog cool this summer along with what to do if you find a dog in a hot car.

Dogs, like most pets, are unable to sweat which makes them feel a lot hotter than humans as they don’t have a supportive Thermoregulation system to cool them down. an average body temperature of a human is 37 degrees Celsius, however, the average body temperature of a dog is two degrees hotter. we all feel the difference between a hot sunny day at 20 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees Celsius which means every degree we feel is felt two degrees hotter by a dog.

Dogs in hot cars

Keeping a dog in a car in the hot weather means that there is no external cooler air for the dog to breathe in when panting so the dog’s breath soon acts as a radiator, heating up the car faster. The surfaces of a car are always soft and absorb heat fast which results in no cool surface for the dog to transfer its body heat to. This is why leaving your dog in a hot car for over 5 minutes (if temperature doesn’t exceed 21 degrees) can be potentially fatal. Any hotter than that and you will need to think about adapting your plans to suit your dog.

Make sure you always put the window down slightly for your dog, even if you are popping out for 2 minutes and try to park in a shady spot.

Plenty of water

If you’re going out for the day with your dog, take a reusable dog water bowl and water bottle and frequently offer it to your dog, especially when they are panting. You can buy special dog water bottles from most pet shops which are designed to allow you to pour the water from the bottle into an attached water bowl for portable use.

Make sure you keep an eye on your dog’s water bowl at home as they tend to drink a lot more when they are warm just like humans and you may not notice they are out of water.

If you are walking your dog at midday when it’s hottest, then try to plan a walk with plenty of shade, for example, woodland, or natural water spots like rivers, lakes and the sea. If they are not water-lovers, entice them into the water with a game of fetch or go into the water with them if you fancy a dip!

Dogs paw pads may look pretty tough but on hot surfaces such as sand and tarmac, it can really hurt your dogs’ paws. Stick to grass and muddy terrain when walking your dog and make sure there is a cold surface available to your dog if you are in your garden.

Keep your dogs safe this summer by keeping them cool.

‘The law states that you have a lawful excuse to commit damage if you believe that the owner of the property that you damage would consent to the damage if they knew the circumstances (section 5(2)(a) Criminal Damage act 1971).’