The intense heat of summer affects a dog’s health. As it happens with people, high temperatures can reduce the desire of dogs to move and their appetite. They can even suffer much more serious consequences such as the dreaded heat stroke . Therefore, it is important to protect them from the suffocating heat and to know the best way to cool them down.
Taking care of your dog entails a series of inescapable obligations such as food, hygiene, daily walks, physical exercise, education and affection. In summer, it is essential to take extreme precautions about your health in the heat and refreshing it will help regulate your body temperature. To discover how to cool down a dog and the best methods to achieve it, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
You may also be interested in: Do dogs sweat?
Index
- protect it from the sun
- keep it well hydrated
- refresh the atmosphere
- Prepare homemade ice cream
- Adapt your bed
- wet your body with water
- brush it
- cut his hair
- Feed him in cool hours
- Avoid physical activities in the hottest hours
protect it from the sun
Protecting your furry little one from solar radiation is essential so that it does not suffer the consequences of high temperatures. In this sense, make sure that you have a cool resting place at home and that it is protected from the sun, especially during the hottest hours of the day.
These measures apply whether you live in an interior house, without a garden or balcony, or if you live in a house with an outdoor area.
We recommend this other article from OneHOWTO about sunscreen for dogs: is it necessary to use it?
keep it well hydrated
Hydration is one of the most effective ways to cool down your dog. Therefore, it is important that you leave fresh and clean water in its drinker 24 hours a day. Frequently, you should check that there is water left in the drinker and that it is not exposed to the sun, since this way in summer it is easier for the water to evaporate or heat up and your dog stops drinking.
Another way to ensure that your dog stays well hydrated is to place more water bowls at home during the summer, especially near the area where he usually rests. Thus, even if he does not feel like moving, he will always have a very close drinking fountain. Water is important everywhere, not just at home: take a bottle and a portable drinker when you go for a walk , go on an excursion or take a trip with your furry little one in the car.
refresh the atmosphere
Air conditioning , one of the great allies of the human being in summer to combat high temperatures and maintain a cool environment, also helps to cool down your dog. This is a good measure to lower the ambient temperature a few degrees.
If you do not have air conditioning, opt for the use of the fan, ensuring that it is not very close to your dog so that the noise does not bother him or be dangerous for his physical integrity.
We recommend this other article on How to cool the house without air conditioning .
Prepare homemade ice cream
Putting an ice cube in his bowl can be a good way to chill your dog’s water and keep him cool when he drinks it. Ice is not harmful to dogs and, in case the water gets too cold for your furry friend, leave another drinker without any cubes at his disposal so that he can choose the water he wants.
In addition, with the ice you can prepare homemade toys : you only need an ice cream mold or a plastic container, water and feed. Mix the feed with the water and, once the water freezes, take out the ice block and pass it under the water to prevent its tongue from getting caught. Thus, you can now give it to your dog.
If you want to know more about preparing homemade ice cream, you may be interested in this other article on How to make ice cream for dogs .
Adapt your bed
Many dogs choose to rest on the ground during the summer. This could be because your bed is too hot and not suitable for the heat. In the market, you will find a wide variety of beds made to favor heat dispersion , as is the case with beds raised from the ground or those made with breathable material.
There are also cooling mats that will help your dog maintain a good body temperature. The most important thing is that, by resorting to mats, your furry little one will always be able to choose where to lie down to rest.
wet your body with water
Get your dog’s head and trunk wet to cool down. It’s a good way to get her body temperature down . Dogs do not sweat like humans: the water with which their body is wet, when it evaporates, causes an effect similar to sweat.
Placing a dog pool in the garden is also a good alternative to cool off your furry friend.
brush it
Brushing your dog frequently is a good way to promote shedding and to remove the undercoat , that is, a more woolly and fine hair on the coat that serves to provide warmth during the winter. Depending on your dog’s coat, the way to brush it will be one way or another.
- Short hair: brush twice in the direction of the hair to remove possible tangles and once against the grain to remove dead cells. You can brush one last time in the direction of the hair so that a well-groomed coat is left.
- Medium hair: you must first pass a comb to undo tangles before continuing with the brushing. This will prevent possible jerks. For brushing, brushes with longer bristles are recommended.
- Long hair: remove the knots with a comb and wet its coat before continuing with the brushing. In these cases it is advisable to brush it with a long bristle brush and in small sections.
- Curly hair: in this case you should use a comb with blunt and separated spikes to avoid pulling. Finish with a brush in the direction of the hair so that it is well combed.
cut his hair
It is not necessary to shave the hair, but it is necessary to trim it if it is very long, especially on the belly to promote better regulation of body temperature. When you cut your dog’s hair, try to leave it between 2 and 3 centimeters long because the hair partly serves to protect it from sunburn and heat.
To avoid problems with your pet’s coat, you can choose to go to a dog groomer . The professionals at these centers will know how to advise you and, if they recommend a haircut, they will be able to do so without endangering the health of the animal.
Feed him in cool hours
On days when your dog has less appetite due to the heat, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you give him food in the coolest hours, such as at night or first thing in the morning. You can also choose to feed him more wet food, such as pâtés or canned food. Plus, you can pop it in the freezer to make easy dog ice creams.
If you like to give human food as a reward, we recommend this other article on can dogs eat watermelon?
Avoid physical activities in the hottest hours
Go for a walk with your dog in the least warm time slots. In this way you avoid exposure to intense solar radiation . Also, pay attention to your furry little one to avoid intense exercise. You also have to take into account where you take your pet for a walk: one possibility is to go to shopping centers or spaces with air conditioning. If you prefer nature, keep in mind that they are shaded spaces, if there is still sun, and have access to drinking water.