Tips To Keep Your Dog Cool While Walking In Hot Weather

• August 3, 2022
• Posted by Admin
• Dogs, Cuddly Tails, News

Even though it’s deadly hot outside, it’s essential that your dog walks and exercises enough to keep him mentally stimulated and physically fit. However, the risk of heat stroke attached to hot weather walks and exercises is serious and life threatening in some situations. So, it’s a must that you prevent heat strokes and keep your dog cool during walks on a hot day.

These tips will help you in keeping your dog cool while walking in hot weather:

Lack of access to water in hot weather can cause dehydration and adversely affect your dog’s health. While dog walking in hot weather, pet parents should carry fresh cold water and a collapsible bowl with them so that you furry friend can easily drink and remain hydrated throughout the walk.

As a side note, in case you forgot to carry water with you, never allow your dog to drink from ponds, lakes, ocean, or puddles because that water can be infected and cause diseases in your dog.

If you want to keep your dog cool, the best way is to prevent walking in the hottest part of the day – the afternoon. Plan your walks for morning or evening when the weather is slightly bearable or a little chilled and good enough for your dog’s daily walk and exercises.

Additionally, you can select routes that offer more shade. Switching to a shadier route won’t only help your dog remain cool but also provide him with a new experience and increased mental stimulation as he would catch new smells and see new things.

Paved surfaces like cement and asphalt can get really heated and damage your dog’s sensitive paws when he walks on them. Also, even after the sun has gone down, these surfaces can remain warm. So, before going out on a walk with your pooch, check the temperature of the surface with the back of your hand, and if it feels too hot then that’s a sign you should wait more before leaving.

Dogs with white or thin coats or exposed skin are more susceptible to sunburns than other dogs. So, pet parents should apply sunscreen approved for canines on every dog, but take special care for dogs with little or no hair and exposed skin.

PS: Don’t forget to apply sunscreen on yourself, human!

Brushing and grooming your dog’s fur consistently would remove dead or excess hair from their coat and help them cool down effectively. However, never completely shave your dog’s fur as it would expose their skin and make them more prone to sunburns. Instead, try to maintain a healthy volume of hair with the help of regular grooming.

Flat-faced dog breeds like pugs, bulldogs, and boxers experience increased difficulty in breathing in hot weather, decreasing their cooling capacity. Senior dogs share the same condition as flat-faced dogs to an extent and both require special care.

One way to ensure that your flat-faced or senior dog can stay cool during walking is by taking them for short walks and giving them enough breaks to rest in between. Also, you should consult your veterinarian and receive enough advice before walking your flat-faced or senior dog in hot weather.

The symptoms of heat stroke are a clear sign that your dog is overheated and needs a cooler environment. So, you should carefully observe these signs in your dog that might mean your dog is going to have a heat stroke:

• Vomiting
• Excessive Drooling
• Collapsing
• Lethargy
• Bright Red Tongue
• Staggering

If you see these signs in your dog, immediately take them to the vet. Meanwhile, you can try spraying cold water on your dog and shifting him to a cool place.

Don’t have time to walk your dog on summer evenings? Don’t fret because Cuddlytails is here whether you need a dog walker San Francisco or a dog sitter service Seattle, Washington.

Visit www.cuddlytails.com or download the android or iOS app to easily find a dog sitter near me.

Thanks you,