Dog days of summer

How to best care for your pet when it’s sweltering

By KEREN PREISKEL
English Bulldog looking up at viewer from tub of bath water (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
English Bulldog looking up at viewer from tub of bath water
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
The summer is in full swing and with it, parties, trips to the beach and all the enjoyable activities we associate with the good weather. Yet alongside the fun and games, the temperatures can be scorching, which can be potentially dangerous if we spend too much time in the sun or don’t drink enough.
This is even more applicable for dogs (and other pets), which are much more susceptible to the heat than us – as they don’t sweat, have thick coats of fur, and are completely dependent on their owners for their basic needs and where they spend their days.
Here are a few pointers to keep your four-legged friends happy and healthy this sunny season. While some of these tips may be obvious, others may not have occurred to you. Hopefully they will help you and your dogs have a brilliant summer! Just as we don’t like to be outside in the blazing heat of the day, neither do our dogs, and it is even more dangerous for them with their inability to sweat and the fact that they overheat much more quickly than humans. Thus, it is best (wherever possible) to restrict your walks to mornings and evenings, when it is much cooler and more pleasant for them.
In addition, check whether the pavement is too hot for them by placing your hand on it for five seconds. If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for them; and if you remember that searing heat when you step on the blistering tiles after climbing out of a swimming pool in the summer, it is not a pleasant feeling.
Even more importantly, never leave your dog in the car – even for a few minutes with the window open. A vehicle on a hot summer’s day is a pressure cooker for humans and animals alike, and they can overheat in minutes. There have been too many avoidable incidents of children – and dogs – who were left in cars overheating.
If you can’t take your pooch with you, it is better to leave it behind in the coolness and safety of your own home.
If your dog spends the majority of its time outdoors, it is imperative to provide it with shelter such as a doghouse and/or access to your house, where it can escape from the heat. As most dogs don’t know how to turn on the tap, it is also vital to ensure that your pet has enough water to last it while you are at work or out of the house.
If your dog spends the majority of time indoors, keep in mind that just as people can find it too hot inside, so can your dog. It is best to leave a window open or a fan or air-conditioning on if it is really uncomfortable, so that it can have some relief. I leave the air-conditioning on for my dogs if the temperature rises above 30º, but that is my choice.
While the summer can require taking more precautions with your pets, it can also be an opportunity to have a lot of fun with them and spend time with them outdoors – which is great for both of you. So follow these few simple tips to keep Fido happy and healthy, and enjoy the rest of the summer!