Summer temperatures can be very stressful for dogs when they are outside, so there are a few things to keep in mind to protect your dog from the heat, and from heatstroke. First, remember that small breed dogs should live inside. They should only go outside to potty or play and should not be left outside for long periods of time, especially during times of extreme temperatures. Also, you should never leave any dog outside for long periods during summer months without plenty of shade and fresh cool water.
Keep in mind that watching the temperatures is not enough. Humidity contributes to the heat index, and it is the heat index that determines the experience that we have outside. The temperature may be only 85 degrees, but on a humid day, the heat index can be near 100 degrees. To us, and to our dogs, it feels more like 100 than 85 when we go outside. So, the heat index is the "effective" temperature, and that is what you should monitor. The Weather Channel's app does not give the heat index, but the Weather Bug app lists the temperature and the heat index hourly, so it is an excellent app for monitoring the weather for both you and your dog.
Next, I wish I didn't have to say this, but unfortunately, it keeps happening. Please DO NOT leave your dog in a car with windows up and no A/C during the summer. A car with the windows rolled up amplifies heat, so it can be over 90 degrees inside the car even when the outside temperature is only 75. Imagine how hot it gets in that car when the outside temperature is in the 90's. Leaving your dog in the car during the summer, even for just a few minutes, can cause heatstroke and death! Please don't do it! If you have a key fob, you can leave the car running with the A/C on and the doors locked, but be careful even doing that. In my area, people have broken car windows to let dogs out because they didn't realize the car was running. For a new car that runs very quietly, apparently, it isn't as easy to hear the car running as you might think. So, if you plan to leave your dog in the car with the car running and the A/C on, you might consider taping a note to that effect to one of the windows!
Here's another one that I wish I didn't have to say, but I know people do it every day, because I just saw several examples of it at our city's Independence Day celebration. Please remember that cement and asphalt gets VERY hot during the summer. It gets hot enough to burn sensitive paw pads very quickly. Burned and blistered paw pads is an extremely painful condition for a dog and it can take weeks to heal properly. If you took your shoes off on these surfaces, I promise, you would put them right back on, so keep in mind that your dog's feet need some protection too. Please be mindful of where your dog is walking when you take him for walks. If you walk on the sidewalk or on a roadway, please buy your dog some shoes to protect his feet or switch up your walking routine during the summer and walk your dog in grassy areas.
Keep in mind that the hottest part of the day is generally between 3 and 6 pm, but during the summer, it can be too hot for your dog to stay outside by 10 am in some areas. Limit outside time during the heat of the day to 30 minutes or less. Early mornings before 10 am and evenings after 6 pm are ideal times to take your dog outside for longer periods.
Keeping your dog cool during the summer may seem a bit of a challenge, but I have some tips to help with that. First, ensure that your dog has plenty of shade and fresh cool drinking water when outside.
Next, many dogs love wading pools. We use hard plastic kiddie pools for our dogs, but you can also buy pools designed for dogs. If your dog will be outside for a longer period of time, you will want to keep his wading pool in a shaded area because the sun can heat that water up quickly. Also, during the hottest parts of summer, we will throw some ice cubes in the pool. Some of our dogs like to bob for ice cubes, so it encourages them to spend some time in the water to stay cool, and and it can be a fun activity for them, as well as keeping the pool water nice and cool.
In addition to wading pools, I have seen doggie splash pads on the market now. These are inflatable plastic mats that hook to water hoses and spray water upwards and back down onto the plastic. If you want to conserve water, there is another product on the market that may be right up your alley. It is techincally a drinking fountain, but when a dog learns to paw at the pedal on it, it squirts water up and would be ideal way to let your dog cool himself off without constantly running water all over your yard....unless, of course, your dog loves the thing and learns that he can stand on the pedal and keep the water coming!
You can also use frozen things (other than ice cubes) to help keep your dog cool. There are many toys on the market designed to be frozen. Frozen chew toys will help to keep Fido cool. Plus, you can freeze treats, especially carrots, snap peas and apple slices, to help cool your dog off during the summer. And, some dogs love to eat ice cubes too, so if your dog is one of them, be generous with his ice cube treats during the summer. If he doesn't like plain ice cube, I bet he would eat organic chicken broth frozen into cubes, so try that for a healthy, protein packed cool down treat for your dog.
Now for the less pleasant information. As a dog owner, you should be able to recognize the symptoms of heatstroke in your dog, because should it happen, your quick action could be the difference between life an death for your dog. Symptoms include very heavy or exaggerated panting, lethargy, weakness, drooling, vomiting, rapid heart rate, warm dry skin and more. See the attachment for more information on heatstroke.
Most importantly, just keep in mind that dogs need protection from the heat as much as people do. If you are mindful of that and take precautions to keep your dog cool and comfortable during the summer, you will have a happy pup!
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