July is a time for backyard barbecues, poolside hangouts, and… endless days of summer heat. Warmer weather means spending more time under the sun with your favorite furry friend, and while there’s almost nothing better than that, it’s important that you take certain precautions to make sure that your pup stays comfortable in the hot weather. Read below for our top tips on how to beat the summer heat!
Hot Weather Pet Safety Tips:
Pets can become dehydrated very quickly!
- To avoid this, give your pup plenty of fresh water, do not over-exercise them, and make sure that they have constant access to shaded areas so that they are able to take breaks from the sun.
Recognize the symptoms of overheating in pets.
- It is also important to recognize the symptoms of overheating in pets. Some common symptoms include heavy panting and breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, and weakness or fatigue. More severe symptoms can include collapse, seizures, diarrhea and vomit, and elevated body temperatures.
- Quick Tip: Animals with flat faces (pugs, bulldogs, etc.) are more susceptible to the heat as they cannot pant as effectively as other breeds. Therefore, make sure that you take extra care and pay very close attention if you have one of these pups!
Be smart about your summer style.
- While summer cuts are always a good idea, it is not recommended that you shave your dog completely as their fur actually helps protect them from sun exposure! Shed less treatments and regular brushing are also great ways to keep your dog comfortable in the heat.
- Quick Tip: Animals with short hair (or no hair at all!) are significantly more sensitive to sun exposure. Putting sunscreen on these breeds is a good preventative measure, but always make sure that the ingredients are safe and animal-friendly before you do so.
Avoid hot asphalt.
- Since pets are closer to the ground, their bodies will heat up more quickly from a hot surface (such as asphalt that has been baking in the sun for hours) than we will. Moreover, since dogs do not have the protection of shoes, hot surfaces can be damaging to their sensitive paw pads. Stick to the sidewalks this summer season!
Visit the vet!
- Regular check-ups are always a good idea, but they are especially important in the spring and early summer so your pet can get tested for heart-worm and other parasites.
At Barkefellers, we also take several of our own precautions to beat the summer heat! For example…
We’re all about sun safety!
- We put up sun blockers in all of our outdoor daycare groups so the dogs have constant access to shady areas where they are able to take a break from the sun. We also offer the option to put animal-safe sunscreen on pets with their owner’s approval!
Hydration is a must!
- During our hottest months, we have pools filled with cool water in all of our outdoor daycare groups that give our guests a refreshing break from all that play. We also offer plenty of clean, fresh water to our daycare pups all year long.
Little breaks from the hot weather make all the difference.
- When temperatures reach over 80 degrees, we rotate daycare groups between our indoor and outdoor play areas to ensure that pups do not overheat from being outside for too long. We do the same thing with our patio doors to the Indoor / Outdoor suites, rotating between leaving them open and and closed.
Power up the fans!
- In our luxury and presidential suites, we always make sure that the fans are running on high so your pet stays comfortable.
Styling for summer.
- In our grooming salons, we offer summer cuts and shed less treatments to ensure that your pup is comfortable and weather-ready all summer long.
