Hints on how to keep your dog cool in the summer
Dogs regulate their body temperature differently from the way we do it. It's important to know when your dog is too hot and here are some ways to keep him cool in the summer.
We humans regulate our body temperature by sweating. However, our best friends can’t use this tool, like us. They regulate their temperature mostly by panting and releasing heat through their paw pads. How do we know, then, if they are too hot? If your dog is breathing very fast and panting, has his tongue hanging out all the time and is salivating a lot, there’s no question: these are some of the signals that tell us when a dog needs to cool down. If he is suffering from a heat stroke, which can occur, according to the Real Sociedad Canina de España (RSCE), when his body temperature rises above 41 degrees, but there is no evidence of any illness that could account for it, he may lose his balance and coordination and could even have convulsions and lose consciousness.
Some dogs are less tolerant to heat
If you have a pug, bulldog, boxer, shar pei, or any other of the brachycephalic breeds, that is, with flat faces, you probably already know that regulating their body temperature is more difficult for them than for others. Also dogs with short, dark coats, very fat or very old are more sensitive to heat. So are puppies, or dogs with some kind of serious heart condition. Is yours included in any of these conditions? If so, you need to be even more careful and ready to cool your dog down as soon as you notice that he needs it.
Advice on how to cool your dog
Give him cool, clean water, but don't try to make him drink.
A dog pants to lose heat and this may cause him to become dehydrated. So make sure that he has access to cool, fresh water whenever he wants it, but don’t insist on his drinking because it might make him feel ill. The same applies if you give him water that’s too cold: you may like it in the hot summer, but it can be damaging for your dog.
Check on the temperature of paving in the street
The dog’s paw pads are more resistant than the soles of our feet. However, they are much more sensitive to temperature. When the pavement is too hot, they can suffer serious damage. The Civil Guard invented the 5-second rule so that you can know whether it’s safe to take your dog out for a walk. To try it, place the back of your hand on the pavement and see if you can last for more than five seconds. If you can’t bear it, then neither can your dog. He might come home with his feet really injured.
Although the best option always is to change the time you go for walks, an alternative could be getting protective boots specially made for dogs, useful for walking on hot pavements and also for sand on the beach, where it can also be burning hot in summer.
Choose a suitable muzzle.
If your dog has to wear a muzzle, make sure that it allows him to open his mouth and pant comfortably to cool down. Nylon muzzles get in the way, so the Civil Guard don’t recommend them when the heat is beating down.
Change the timing of your outings
Avoid going for walks in the hottest hours. When you get home, you could damp him down with cool water (not iced),above all for the neck, head, armpits, abdomen and between his pads. These are the parts most susceptible to changes in temperature. If you cool your dog with a damp towel, don’t wrap him in it as that would actually preserve the heat.
Clip his coat, yes or no?
Some people believe that the shorter the coat, the cooler, but the dog’s coat is a blanket that protects him from the sun and helps him to regulate his temperature. Each breed has its individual characteristics and needs specific care, but, in general, to cool your dog in the summer it is better to brush him every day. This removes dead hair that can accumulate on the body before it forms a barrier that prevents heat from being lost.
Shedding hair in the spring is a mechanism of thermoregulation and helps some breeds. For example, Labradors, huskies, German shepherds and Golden retrievers, all of which produce a new finer coat in preparation for the summer. Dalmatians, boxers and pugs also moult in spite of being short coated. However, breeds with curly coats, like the poodle, keep the same coat all year round.
In summer you can clip your dog’s coat, but not too short and never shave it: the skin could get sunburned and the dog will be more exposed to insect bites. The best way to cool him down is to shed excessive undercoat, paying special attention to the areas of the face, ears, belly and groin. In any case, to avoid his coat from becoming unprotected, don’t forget to use special solar protection for dogs.
Never leave him alone in the car
Not even if you think it will be just for a moment. There are still people who think that if the windows are open just a bit, the vehicle will be ventilated for that short time and there will be no problem. That’s a mistake and there could be a tragedy, because the temperature inside the car can sometimes rise at tremendous speed.