How to Take Care of Dogs in the Summer Season

Hiking, camping, swimming, outdoor concerts and festivals— the summer season is filled with fun and adventure.

The fun you have during summers increases tenfold if you are accompanied by your beloved pooch.

However, in many places around the world, temperatures tend to soar pretty high in the summer season.

Hence, you need to know how to take care of your dog in the summer season.

Stated below are tips that tell you how to take care of dogs in the summer season.

1. Grooming your dog.

Bathing, brushing, nail-cutting and fur-trimming (if needed) are essential parts of grooming a dog.

Bathing your dog in short periods of time is incredibly important as it helps them keep cool in the summer.

If you live in a humid place, then you might have noticed that ticks and fleas thrive in the summer season.

Bathing your dog regularly during the summers would help in getting rid of the tick and flea infestations.

When your beloved pooch is free from ticks and fleas, he or she would not face any health issues that are caused by these pests.

Brushing your dog’s fur regularly would help them in shedding their winter coat. This aids in regulating their body temperature during the hot summer months.

When it comes to basic summer care for dogs, grooming is something that just can’t be skipped.

2. Exercising your dog.

An adequate amount of exercise is important for your dog in any season. The summer season is no different.

However, the way your dog exercises during summers matters. And it is one of the keys of how to take care of dogs in hot weather.

There are numerous precautions you need to take in order to ensure that your pupper remains safe while exercising in the summer.

In order to avoid over-exposure to the sun, it is advisable that you take your dog for a walk early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is not that strong.

If it tends to get too hot where you live and there’s no grassy area for a walk, then you can place your palm firmly on the pavement or sand to check the temperature.

If it’s too hot for your palm, then it’s too hot for your dog’s paws as well. Also, bring your dog home immediately if he or she is panting more than usual.

In case your city is experiencing a particularly hot day, then avoid taking your dog out for a walk. Instead, you can play some indoor games to keep your dog active.

You can run around in the house chasing each other or play a game of fetch.

If you have a pool, you and your furbaby can spend some time swimming and cooling off.

It would not only help your dog get the necessary exercise but also make the pooch happier. It would make your bond stronger as well.

If you must take your pooch out for a walk, keep the duration of the walk as short as possible.

3. Feeding your dog.

When it comes to feeding your dog, it is not just about the quantity of the food but also about what you are feeding them.

During summers, due to decreased activity levels and heatwaves, your pooch may eat or drink less than usual.

There’s no reason to be alarmed yet.

You can feed them seasonal foods such as watermelon and cucumber in order to increase their water intake.

Make sure that you de-seed these fruits first.

If your pooch does not like fruits, then you can decrease their intake of eggs and red meat.

An important element of a healthy summer dog diet is keeping it balanced. Don’t feed your pupper the same food in excess.

Make sure that he or she gets all the necessary nutrition from different food sources.

If you like to feed your dog commercial dog food, do your research on the best ones that don't harm your dog and provide all the important vitamins & minerals at the same time.

4. Keeping your dog cool.

It is vital that you do everything you can to keep your dog cool in the summer season. It is an essential part of summer dog care.

One of the most important things you can do is make sure that they always have access to cool and clean drinking water.

If you have an outdoor dog, ensure that he or she has shade and a cool place to sit under.

Dog houses are a big no-no in the summer season as they tend to trap heat and make your dog hotter. It could lead to various health complications.

It is best if you keep your dog inside during the hotter days. If you must keep your dog outside, fill up a shallow kiddie pool where your pooch can cool off.

Keep the pool in a shaded area so that the water does not get heated from the sun.

If you have a short-nosed dog, then it is vital that you keep them inside as they cannot pant as efficiently as long-nosed dogs.

Which means that it is harder for them to regulate their body temperature.

Another important point to remember— never ever leave your dog alone in a car. Even if it is parked in the shade. Even if for a few minutes.

With the AC off, temperatures inside a car tend to rise pretty quickly to dangerous levels. Your dog could die in just a few minutes.

So, make sure that you never leave your dog alone in the car during the summer season.

5. Travelling with your dog.

Travelling with a dog can be a lot of fun.

Seeing new sights, meeting new people and doggos, tasting different cuisines with your pupper is an experience like no other.

If you plan to travel with your dog in the summer season, there are a number of precautions that you must take.

While travelling in a car with your dog, use sun shades in the windows.

If you don’t like to keep the AC on at all times, then make sure that you use a cooling pad or ice packs under their bed or mat to keep your pet cool.

That is an important answer to the question of how to keep a dog cool in summer without ac?

Bring a water bowl and give him/her cool fresh water to drink every hour or so. Give them water more frequently if the weather is too hot that day.

Carry a spray water bottle with you to spritz some water on your dog in case he or she gets too hot.

Bring along tents or tarps if you plan to go camping or for a day at the beach. It is important that your pooch sits in a shaded area while under the sun.

If you plan to travel by air, then check out the pet-travel guidelines of the airlines properly.

Some airlines do not allow pets to travel in the summer season.

Some airlines only allow pet travel in the morning and evening flights so that the canines don’t get overheated during their travel.

Taking care of dogs in the summer season may get a bit complicated when you are travelling with them.

So, along with these tips, you need to carry out further research before embarking on a trip with your dog.

You can also speak to your dog’s vet for advice.

6. Outdoor activities with your dog.

Other than going on walks, there are tons of other outdoor activities that your dog would have fun doing.

That includes playing fetch outside, swimming in a pool and going to the beach.

As exciting as these activities might be, you need to make sure that your pooch is protected from the high temperatures and does not get overheated.

Dogs tend to get much more thirsty than us in hot weather.

So, when you plan to have some fun under the sun with your dog, it is best to carry bottles of cool water, wet towels and ice packs.

These tend to be very helpful when it comes to preventing a heat stroke in dogs.

Also, you need to be extra careful with senior dogs and dog breeds that are more at risk of a heat stroke.

It is an important point of the answer when the question is how to take care of pets in summer.

7. Watch out for signs of heat stroke.

During the summer months, in many parts of the planet, mercury rises pretty high. Fans, coolers and air conditioners play a vital role at such places.

If your dog likes to play outside in such a hot place, then you need to look out for the signs of a heat stroke in your dog.

A heat stroke is one of the most common dog problems in summer.

Signs of heat stroke in dogs include excessive drooling, heavy panting, dry mucous membranes, rapid breathing, rise in body temperature that can be felt with your hand, bright red gums & tongue, and a heart rate that is higher than usual.  

Whether you are a new dog pawrent or even a seasoned one, go through the above-mentioned summer dog care tips and have the time of your lives this summer.