Beat the Heat: Summer Safety Tips for Your Dog

Dog Keeping Cool With FanWe humans may love the summer sun, but our four-legged friends can have a tough time staying cool – could you imagine wearing a fur coat on the beach? Hot or intensely humid weather can be dangerous for our dogs, and there are some particular hazards that we need to keep our pups safe from when the weather gets warm.

Beat the Heat

  • Hot paws! Asphalt heats up very quickly in the sun, and can cause painful burns to your dog’s pads. Walk your dog on grass instead of pavement, put protective boots on, or even carry them when needed.
  • Exercise your furry friend during the cooler times of day, like early mornings or evenings, and keep in mind that they may need more breaks for water and rest than usual.
  • Don’t forget the sunscreen. Light colored or thinly-haired dogs can easily become sunburnt – ask your vet about dog-friendly sunscreen to use on your pup’s skin.
  • Very senior dogs, overweight pooches and short-nosed Pugs and Bulldogs can very easily become distressed in the heat and might even have problems breathing well. In extreme temperatures, these pups are best kept safely inside where it’s cool.
  • Leave your dog at home when you’re running errands. The inside of a car can reach dangerous temperatures in just a few minutes, even with the windows cracked on a mild day. Hot cars kill pets.

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Keep Your Dog Safe During July 4th Celebrations

4th of July DogYour July 4th celebrations are a time to look forward to every year. Fireworks, grilling outdoors in the summer warmth and family gatherings can be an exciting and wonderful thing for us humans. Your dog, however, may not be so thrilled. Most dogs fear the loud booms of firework displays and time and time again humans are told to ignore their dog’s fears. Vets, trainers and other owners will all tell us that coddling our scared dog will only encourage his fear. This is very unfortunate, as it is a complete lie. Fear is an emotion, not a behavior, and thus cannot be reinforced. Just like a scared child, dogs often find some comfort in a soothing cuddle from their human, but if you follow these tips your dog has a higher chance of handling the July 4th hubbub with dignity.

  1. Keep him indoors. Your dog will not enjoy the fireworks as much as you will, and he will feel safer inside his own home. You can offer him the ability to stay in his crate by leaving the door open, or confining him to a place he feels safest in. Perhaps you have a room in your home that blocks out more sounds from the outside than another and can help to muffle the bangs of fireworks. Provide his bed or a soft blanket to lay on and a special chew toy or treat that he can work on during the event to take his mind off the scary stuff.
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