High temperatures are not only hard on you, but also on your four-legged friend. To ensure that your faithful companion keeps a clear head and stays healthy in the heat, we have a few tips for you that every dog lover can implement easily and without much effort. Find out how you can cool down your dog in the heat here.
Content: Cooling down dogs in hot weather
- Cooling down your dog - At home
- Cooling down the dog - while walking
- Nutrition
- Care
- What to do in an emergency?
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Cooling down your dog - At home
First of all, you need to make your own four walls heat-proof. After all, a pleasantly cool environment in midsummer is also of interest to us humans.
Ventilate properly
In order to avoid heating up your apartment even more than it already is, you need to ventilate cleverly. It is a good idea to air the room thoroughly early in the morning after you get up and in the evening or at night as soon as the sun has set.
At these times of day, the air outside is at its coolest. Open all the windows and ensure there is plenty of air flow! The resulting draft will refresh you and at the same time get the stale warm air outside as quickly as possible.
Leave the sun outside
Direct sunlight heats up the rooms. That's why you should especially darken the windows on the south side of your home. It would be perfect to simply pull down the shutters, but not everyone has this option.
Alternatively, you can pull your curtains open (there are even special curtains that really block out the light!) or you can put up a parasol. The last method is best used on a balcony or terrace.
Change of place
You may have noticed that your dog tends to avoid the basket when it's hot and prefers to lie on the cooler floor instead.
You should encourage this and set up a new place for him to lie down in a suitable location. Of course, without direct sunlight.
Cooling support
You can buy cooling dog mats from specialist retailers. Perfect for setting up a new resting place for your darling. You can also fill a hot water bottle with very cold water and leave it ready for cuddling.
Cooling down the dog - while walking
No matter how hot it is outside, you can't avoid going for a walk . Here's what you should pay attention to:
Sun
Avoid direct sunlight and choose a shady running route. That means instead of running around the field, take a walk through the woods or park.
Another advantage of these places is that the ground doesn't heat up as much. Scorching hot asphalt in the city center is not good for sensitive dog paws!
time
Just like with airing, it is recommended to use the early morning or late evening for the walk, because this is when the temperatures are most pleasant.
By the way, it is a false assumption that it is hottest at midday! In fact, in our latitudes the temperature peaks only in the afternoon. Keep that in mind.
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Bathe
If you pass a lake on your walk, let him frolic in the water (if it is allowed and he enjoys it!).
Quiet
Give your dog more rest than usual. Heat is exhausting and needs to be dealt with. Even if your four-legged friend is used to going on bike rides with you, you should postpone these activities for the time being.
Nutrition
Feed
Don't you often crave smaller portions in the summer and treat yourself to a little more in the winter? Your dog feels the same way! Reduce his portion sizes so that his digestion isn't overtaxed in the heat.
Water
On sweltering hot days, you should offer your dog more water than usual. Check his bowl regularly and refill it if necessary. However, you don't have to use ice water - quite the opposite! Bringing ice-cold water up to body temperature drains the body of energy, which it ultimately needs more than usual.
Care
fur
Your dog's coat needs extra care in the summer when temperatures are high. First of all, it's a good idea to comb it more often. This will naturally thin it out a bit, which can have a positive effect on heat regulation.
Combing also ventilates the skin at the same time. Of course, you can also visit a dog salon. There, the fur can be professionally thinned or cut shorter.
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Refresh
It all depends on what your dog can handle and doesn't find annoying. One option is to carefully pour water over him or spray him with a garden hose. But since not everyone likes that, you can also try the softer option. Here you spray a fine mist of water from a spray bottle onto his fur.
In any case, it is important to rub the water properly into the fur afterwards so that it does not simply drip off and fall to the ground without having any noticeable effect. When the water evaporates, a nice cooling effect is created, which humans can bring about themselves by secreting sweat. Since they are unable to do this, dogs pant instead.
Two more general notes
Wet towels as a base are only partially suitable for cooling the dog.
This is because the cloth heats up over time and the animal is no longer just in a warm environment, but now also in a damp one, and that is not good. If you still want to work with a wet pad, make sure to change it regularly or use a cooling dog mat instead.
Yes, dogs can also get sunburned.
This particularly affects hairless breeds such as the Peruvian Hairless Dog , but also breeds with light fur. It is therefore advisable to protect the sensitive skin around the nose and ears or even the entire body with suitable sunscreen.
What to do in an emergency?
Dog in the car - acute heat stroke threatens!
You may have heard of these sad cases where dogs were locked in a car because their owner wanted to go to the supermarket alone for a "short" time and the dog unfortunately did not survive. Many people underestimate how quickly the temperature in a car can rise. Even a slightly open window does not change this. That is why you should NEVER leave your dog alone in the car. No matter how fast you think you are.
Your dog is not feeling well
The worst case scenario has occurred and your dog is clearly not feeling well despite all precautions. You should take these first aid measures immediately:
- Take him into the shade immediately.
- Cool his body with water, e.g. with a wet cloth.
- Offer him cool, but not ice-cold, water to drink.
- Off to the vet! Even if your four-legged friend seems to be feeling better, a visit to a specialist is essential. The condition can change at any time and the attack of weakness could have consequences that you, as a non-expert, unfortunately cannot estimate.
With the right measures you will be prepared for the next hot days.
Conclusion
Even though dogs instinctively act correctly in many situations to help themselves, they are still in urgent need of our help. As you have learned, many tips also provide us humans with relief during periods of extreme heat.
Sufficient water, refreshments, shade and enough rest are not only very inexpensive but also very simple measures that you can take and implement for the well-being of your dog. With these tips you will be prepared for the next record temperatures. Summer can come!
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