It is this time of year when we look forward to some much needed sun and we enjoy spending time out in it, however it is also important in keeping your dog cool in summer.
Heatstroke in dogs can happen very quickly, much quicker than it would take for a human to get heatstroke. When us humans get hot, we have an effective method of cooling down, known as 'sweating', dogs do not have such an effective way of cooling down, they cool themselves down by 'panting', this creates air flow inside their mouth and on their tongue, which cools blood vessels down in the dogs head and ultimately reduces their temperature.
To avoid your dog from getting heatstroke and to help a dog in hot weather, follow the below advice to ensure that your are keeping your dog a happy and cool dog:
* Avoid walking with your dog in the hottest time of day. (between 12pm and 3pm)
* Always take some water out on hot days for your dog, a convenient object to dispense this in, is a travel bowl for dogs, we have a wide range of these in different colours, styles and most have the added benefit of being fold-able or collapsible.
* If you are out with your dog, take plenty of breaks out of the sun and let your dog sit/lie in the shaded areas.
* If you are at home, make sure your dog has access to a continuous supply of water, we have many water fountains for dogs, which made an ideal solution to ensuring your dog always has a supply of fresh water, especially if you may be out during the day and these are available in a broad range of styles and colours, they each hold varied amounts of water, starting from as small as 1.5 litres of water, to our largest design which holds around 8.5 litres of water.
* Let your dog cool off by letting him/her go in the sea, river, lake and pools.
* Getting your dog groomed just before it gets to hot, to shorten the hair, this will make your dog more comfortable, especially if he/she is of a long haired or large breed.
* Lastly you can buy your dog a cooling coat for dogs, these come in a variety of colours, brands and sizes to suit all kinds of dogs.
All these above tips and hints should help your dog to stay healthy and safe in the hot weather.
