Three Essential Summer Tips For Dogs
It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy, but summer fun also brings some inherent dangers to be aware of.
Dog owners need to take extra responsibility to make sure their pup is safe when temperatures heat up and outdoor activity beckons. I found some great tips from the AKC website to help keep our pups safe and out of harm’s way this summer.
Everyone knows you should never leave a dog in a hot car, but it’s also important to be aware that your pup can get heatstroke while they’re outside.
If your dog is outside on a hot day, make sure he has a shady spot to rest in. Doghouses are not good shelter during the summer as they can trap heat. You may want to fill a child’s wading pool with fresh water for your dog to cool off in.
Never leave your dog in a closed vehicle on a hot day. The temperature inside a car can rise to over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes.
Always provide plenty of cool, fresh water.
Avoid strenuous exercise on extremely hot days. Take walks in the early mornings or evenings, when the sun’s heat is less intense.
Try to avoid prolonged exposure to hot asphalt or sand, which can burn your dog’s paws.
Dogs that are brachycephalic (short-faced), such as Bulldogs, Boxers, Japanese Chins, and Pekingese, have an especially hard time in the heat because they do not pant as efficiently as longer-faced dogs. Keep your brachycephalic dog inside with air-conditioning.
Lisa and I just got back from visiting our friends in Wilmington, N.C. where we were lucky enough to spend a few glorious days boating and going to the beach. You would be amazed at how many boating dogs there were, it seemed everywhere I looked there was a dog on a boat.
While on the beach an endless number of dogs were running, playing, and splashing around. So, next I thought it would be a good idea to go over some safety tips for those planning on taking Fido to the beach.
Make sure your dog has a shady spot to rest in and plenty of fresh water.
Dogs, especially those with short hair, white fur, and pink skin, can sunburn. Limit your dog’s exposure during the day and apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before going outside.
Check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions. Dogs are easy targets for sea lice and jellyfish.
Running on the sand is strenuous exercise. A dog that is out of shape can easily pull a tendon or ligament, so keep a check on your dog’s activity.
Do not let your dog drink seawater; the salt will make him sick.
Salt and other minerals in ocean water can damage your dog’s coat, so rinse him off at the end of the day.
Not all beaches permit dogs; check local ordinances before heading out.
Since we’re talking about the beach this naturally leads us to our final tip, water safety. Remember, while you may enjoy swimming, your dog may not. For those that do, it’s important they are not allowed to swim without supervision. It sounds obvious, but every year dogs drown due to owner negligence.
Most dogs enjoy swimming, but some cannot swim, and others may hate the water. Be conscious of your dog’s preferences and skills before trying to make him swim.
If you’re swimming for the first time with your dog, start in shallow water and coax him in by calling his name. Encourage him with toys or treats. Or, let him follow another experienced dog he is friendly with.
Never throw your dog into the water.
If your dog begins to paddle with his front legs, lift his hind legs and help him float. He should quickly catch on and keep his back end up.
Don’t let your dog overdo it; swimming is very hard work and he may tire quickly.
If swimming at the ocean, be careful of strong tides.
If you have your own pool, make sure your dog knows where the stairs or ladder are located. Be sure that pool covers are firmly in place; dogs have been known to slip in under openings in the covers and drown.
Never leave your dog unattended in water.
Summer is the time when ticks and fleas are out in full force, it’s important that your pets be treated. If you’re not sure about what to use contact your veterinarian for advice. Dogs can also have more allergies in the summer so you need to be aware of the signs so you can seek proper treatment. Lastly, with more outdoor activities comes more accidents. Knowing how to care for your dog in case of an emergency can potentially save his or her life.
Luckily for Dogsters all the information on caring for and treating your dog can be found in their online Dog Care Guide Book.
* Pic of Ollivander and pup pal playing at the beach.
Thank you for putting this up- it is very important for dog owners to know when too much is too much. Sometimes it’s on accident, like leaving you dog outside when it’s too hot. We always walk Koda in the evening because she’s an Akita so her hair is very thick and so it’s a lot hotter to her than it is to us. And thanks for the swimming tips, I’ve been trying to find a good and safe swimming spot to teach Koda how to swim.
Thank you! I make alot of my dogs stuff for them for the summer! If you want ANY other summer tips you can ask me! Just type in specky at the top of the dogster search and he is probably going to be the first dog to pop up!
These are great tips!
I have a boxer. He is an inside dog and we walk and run in the early morning . We are goind camping to a very hot area. I was wondering if I should buy a cooling collier. What do you think of them?
Human sunblock is poisionous to dogs. Do not Use Human Sunblock on Your Dogs! There is doggie sunblock on the market, so don’t be frugal- and keep your dog happy and safe!
Something that annoys me; no it infuriates me when those who take their dogs with them for rides during the hottest summer days, do not bring water with them.
For 17 years, my mixed NORTHERN breed dog, with a thick undercoat and his guard coat to boot, hated being in the sun when in the car. When we’d drive our 1280 miles to Florida, I’d always be certain of two things:
1) I ALWAYS had iced water in those plastic 16 ounce cups. They fit beautifully inside most cars cup holders. Put a paper towel under the cup so when you make a turn, not too much water would spill on leather or fabric seats. A little spilled water won’t hurt a thing. But a dog who has heat stroke due to lack of water WiLL HURT and can kill your dog in short order.
2) ALWAYS allow your dog (esp. if it’s got a double coat) to have a place to completely AVOID direct sunlight when in the car. And it does not matter if you have the AC on, dogs need to be kept much, much cooler than we do. Give the dog the whole back & front seat if necessary. Or get those temporary suction cups shades to protect from direct sunlight.
3) This GOES WITHOUT SAYING BUT TOO MANY PEOPLE STILL IGNORE IT. My husband’s a cop in FL and without a second’s thought, will break a car’s windows if anyone reports a dog is left in a car >5 minutes, whether the windows are “cracked opened” or not.. Dog can sustain brain damage, sun stroke or heat prostration leading to brain damage in a matter of a few minutes. NEVER LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A CAR WITHOUT ALL THE WINDOWS DOWN. I’d rather lose a “stuff” if it’s stolen, than harm my dogs’ mentation.
But most importantly, winter or summer your dog needs WATER!
My dog loves to swim, but he’s a Westie so he has to really work at it. I take him for short swims at a local pond where few other dogs or animals go.
We walk every evening, rain or shine, and he loves it. There is a dog paw balm on the market that’s awesome for keeping their little pads from cracking
My Dog Mushu is 5 years old, and he will NOT learn to walk off-leash! for all of those dog owners who has thier dogs off leash, please tell me some tips for helping him walk with me off-leash, please e-mail me at
LilShawty_908@hotmail.com
Thank you For Reading This!
i Hope you can help me!
-Avery
2 more tips from experience…1)when hiking near the beach watch out for patches of fire ants..Fire ants are nasty on the paws..and 2)if you hike with your dog, off-leash, become familiar with what poisonous mushrooms look like. We almost lost one of our dogs due to these last summer.
We’re swimming almost every day and finding our usually wonderful flea topical medicine isn’t holding up to that – what do you suggest?
Yea, were dogs. We love what everybody has said about what wonderful dog owners they are and there have been some very helpful tips.
Lets keep our eyes and ears open for those dogs who have less than good owners,and help those doggies out. We see so many fellow pups out there that do not have owners as good as you!
Lisa- My dogs swim everyday, we had same problem . Try Comfortis, it is a pill and it is amzaing. Never have seen a flea the entire time they have been on it.
My dogs run with me while I mountain bike. Usually about 5-7 miles. I take a collapsable water bowl to provide them with plenty of water stops. I also found that spraying water out of my camel back on their bellies help cool them down. They love the feel of the water evaporating off their bellies. It cools them down and lifts their spirts on those hot days.
We take juice bottles (plastic) Add water and freeze! The dogs love to lay down on top of them and keeps them cool!
great read and info.
Actually, kittymao, Baby Sunblock is perfectly safe for dogs.
I use Neutrogena for Babies (with helioplex – blocks both UVA and UVB rays) on my 3 dogs’ nose and ears with no problems.
It was recommended by my vet.
I have 3 Corgis and with their thick fur they overheat quickly. We walk in the evening but during the day they do go out for short periods but I have a kiddie pool for them to cool off in and a bucket of ice cubes!! We also have a human swimming pool which they LOVE !! They always wear their life jackets. Who know Corgis liked swimming!!
To Avery, most public places have leash laws. If you are walking your dog near any road you could be putting your dog in danger of being killed at any time. I do not understand why people do that when a dog can simply bolt at any time. I would feel awful if my dogs were killed or injured because I did not keep them on a leash that could have kept them out of harms way. When walking our dogs we come across many people who have their dogs that are not on a leash. The most common reply is ” oh they are friendly or don’t worry they wont hurt anybody ” Unless you are out in the sticks somewhere, obey the law and be responsible. Keep your dog on a leash. Thanks.
My dog licks off sunblock off of me how the heck could I possible keep it on her without her licking it off? She lays upside down and spread eagle out and tans her belly. I do worry about sun damage she loves to tan herself. In the winter her belly is pink today it is brown! She is a chocolate lab, I can’t even keep her from licking my deoderant and lotions. crazy…
Great reminders! One I’d like to add is that if you’re taking your furry friend on a boat, or if you’re floating a river, be sure to have a life vest for him/her!
I don’t think that you can use human sunblock on animals. It might be poisinous to them. If you take your dog to a dog park, and you didn’t bring water, try to find a water fountain with a pump thats low to the ground. So you and fido can have a drink!
i just love your advice thank you.. i’m a new pet owner.. so i take it all in , thank u
Perfect timing to post this!! I was about to go on a long tedious search on the internet for safety tips for swimming with dogs.
Thanks a Million!!!!
We have started to do outdoor summer agility trials. Besides the cooling mats, and plenty of water, what advice do you have for wetting down a dog? At a recent trial, someone said you should not put water on the dog’s back, only on their pulse points. She stated that when you put water on the dog’s back, the moisture actually heated the dog up, and they would feel like they were being “steamed” when the sun hit the fur and water. Any comments/suggestions?