Below, we list various ways to potentially keep your dog cool in the heat, or in the summer months.
These tips apply to the home, and also outside, such as on walks, or even in the car.
(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)
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1. Make Sure Your Dog Always Has Access To Water To Drink
At home, you want to make sure your dog always has access to water to drink.
This is usually in the form of a water bowl that you re-fill regularly.
On walks in hotter weather, you may also use taps or fountains to give your dog some water. Bringing a water bottle to do this may also help.
2. Leave Your Dog Inside Instead Of Outside When You Leave The House
In hotter weather, it can be much cooler inside the house compared to outside.
When going to work or leaving the house for longer periods, it may help keep your dog cool to leave them inside the house.
3. Make Sure There Is Shade & Cool Areas For Your Dog To Sit Or Lay Outside At Home
Where dogs are spending time outside in hotter weather, make sure there is adequate shade and cool areas for your dog to sit or lay.
This includes areas that are covered from direct sun exposure, and also surfaces that are cool enough (and not too hot) for your dog to sit or lay on.
4. Walk Or Exercise Your Dog Later In The Day, Or When The Sun Goes Down
In summer, it can be much cooler later in the day when the sun has gone and the temperature has dropped.
Going for walks later in the day as opposed to the middle of the day may help keep dogs cool on walks.
5. Be Mindful Of Too Much Exercise, Or Too Intensive Exercise On Hotter Days
Additionally, keeping walks shorter or less intensive on hotter weather may help some types of dogs, such as dogs with thicker fur/coats, or dogs with breathing challenges, to keep cooler and not overheat.
6. Cool Your Dog’s Body Down With Water, Or Let Your Dog Play In Water
There’s various potential ways to do this:
– Put a bucket or two of water on your dog at home
– Gently and briefly hose your dog’s coat at home
– Go to a local lake or river (as long as it’s clean and safe) and let your dog play or swim in it
– Go to the local beach, and let your dog play or swim in it
– If you have an in-ground pool at home, let your dog swim or bathe in it
– Consider a foldable dog pool, and other similar harder wearing portable dog pools
Several types of portable dog pools have taken the place of inflatable dog pools in recent years
Foldable dog pools are one type of portable dog pool, with a few examples being:
- Jasonwell Foldable/Collapsible Dog Pool (on Amazon) (a foldable and collapsible dog pool made of thick PVC material – no need to inflate this pool – it sets up and collapses without inflating)
- FrontPet Foldable Dog Pool (on Amazon) (also made of PVC material, and can be set up and collapse down without inflation)
There’s also other dog pools made of other materials:
- One Dog One Bone Bone Shaped Pool, Blue Color (on Amazon)(made of heavy duty truck bed liner material)
- One Dog One Bone Paw Shaped Pool, Blue, Pink or Sand Color (on Amazon)
One Dog One Bone dog pools are a little bit different to some of the other portable dog pools on the market.
They are perhaps a bit more heavy duty as they are made of strong material that is the same material that truck bed liner is made of.
This is in comparison to say the foldable or inflatable PVC dog pools.
They also come in unique bone shaped and paw shaped pools.
7. Consider A Dog Cooling Mat
Cooling mats are one type of cooling product available for dogs.
A dog can lay on the mat, which is supposed to be designed to provide a cooling effect.
There’s several brands of cooling mats available from different retailers.
One example is the The Green Pet Shop Dog Cooling Mat (on Amazon)
These mats are designed to provide pressure activated cooling and chilled relief to pets for a short period of time.
8. Consider A Dog Cooling Vest
Cooling vests are another type of cooling product for dogs.
A dog wears the vest, which is designed to provide cooling to the dog’s body.
A few examples are the:
The way these vests work is …
You soak the vest in water, wring it out, put in on your dog, and go for a walk, hike, run or other activity.
Some people even put the vest in a fridge or freezer prior to walking to further cool the vest.
The cooling works with the same principle as human sweating – the vest has an evaporative effect that cools the dog.
The Swamp Cooler might be better for longer walks and it also holds and retains more water, whereas the Jet Stream is better for shorter or faster paced walks and doesn’t hold as much water.
The Jet Stream is slightly more lighter and allows for slightly better movement.
Despite this, the Swamp cooler is still very lightweight and allows for good movement.
The Swamp Cooler also has what in our opinion are much easier and quicker to use side fastening and release buckles, whereas the Jet Stream has a zippered closure that can be trickier for thicker and bulkier dogs.
For the very small price difference, the Swamp Cooler might be better.
Some people get one of each – and use the Jet Stream in the morning for a lighter quicker walk before work, and the Swamp Cooler after work or on weekends for longer walks.
Both are compatible with the Ruffwear Front Range Harness (on Amazon).
9. Don’t Leave Your Dog Inside Your Car Alone
Leaving your dog alone in a car on a hot day for any period of time can put them at risk.
When travelling in the car on a hot day with your dog, make sure it’s cool enough for them, and don’t leave them in the hot car when you get to your destination and park the car.
10. Other Miscellaneous Ways Of Cooling Your Dog
There might be other miscellaneous ways of cooling a dog down in hotter weather.
One example might be making sure a dog’s dog house is cool to sleep in or lay in.
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