In our country, more and more households have a dog as one more member of the family. Although it is difficult to know exactly the number of canine population, the Affinity Foundation estimates that it is around 6.1 million individuals, and if we look at the General Media Study for 2017, one out of every four Spanish families lives a dog . One more fact: in the city of Madrid the number of dogs already doubles the number of children under the age of five.
In short, there are millions of Spaniards who have chosen to put a hound in their lives. But this choice, in addition to the multiple proven benefits of living with a dog, also entails a series of responsibilities and attentions that, if possible, increase in summer.
The first critical moment comes when we decide where we are going to spend our vacations. Fortunately, there are more and more pet-friendly establishments, so we can find a hotel, apartment or camping where we can also take our dog to enjoy the beach or the mountain together.
It is great to see how they spend playing on the beaches enabled for them, but beware, the intake of salt water can harm them, so it is not advisable to abuse throwing sticks or balls in the water so that they can pick them up because they can drink excessively and then have kidney, heart or hypertension problems. It is always advisable to shower them on the way out, to remove the salt from their fur, and give them plenty of water to drink in the later hours.
We can also go with them to terraces and restaurants . In Spain, 1 in 100 restaurants already allows the entry of animals, and some of them even offer a special menu for dogs. At Snau we have prepared the ‘Dogfriendly’ Restaurant Guide for Barcelona and Madrid , where we collect the premises that, in our opinion, meet the best conditions so that they and we can enjoy a pleasant and pleasant leisure time.
But for our dog to be in this and other types of public establishments behaving appropriately, we must educate it . A few sessions with a professional trainer can be very valuable for us to learn to communicate with him effectively and for him to learn to obey a set of behavioral rules.
There are trainers who perform this service at home, in a pet-friendly environment, where they feel comfortable and confident, so that the best results are obtained. Our platform has a network of professional trainers throughout the country that will make you feel proud of their behavior.
Tips against the heat
Excessive heat is a risk factor for our pets too. Therefore, in summer it is convenient to take into account a series of aspects that guarantee your well-being. First of all, adapt the hours of the walks to the moments when the temperatures are not so high , avoiding the central hours of the day and also the asphalt, to prevent burning the foot pads.
It is very important to control their hydration, so it is advisable that they drink more water, as well as carry with us a bottle or utensil with which they can drink during the walk. And never, never, leave them inside the car when it’s parked .
In summer it is not convenient to shave them, but it is possible to lighten the lushness of their hair
Dogs’ fur protects them from the sun’s rays, but an excessively long coat also increases their sensation of heat. Therefore, in summer it is not advisable to shave them, but it is possible to lighten the lushness of their hair. For this, it is possible to contract online the services of a professional canine groomer at home to advise us on the most appropriate cut, and even to take care of washing and brushing to leave you fresh and soft.
But, let’s go back to that critical moment when we decided on our vacation destination. What happens if the place we are going to does not allow pets, or if it is an unsuitable type of trip to go with a dog? In that case, the first option is usually to resort to family or friends who take care of it, but this is not always achieved. The possibility of taking him to some kind of kennel sometimes sometimes leads to mistrust of a certain charge of conscience.
An alternative is the accommodation of the pet in homes of other families that will take care of him in a personalized way and will treat him as you would. In this way, the owners can enjoy their holidays in peace while receiving daily messages on their mobile phones in which the caretaker tells them how their pet is, and even sends them photos of what will undoubtedly be a friendly and friendly stay. where you will feel at home.
