Although this will mean fun in the sun for humans, dogs are easily affected by heat and these rising temperatures bring risk of dehydration and heatstroke.
So, it’s important we give our pets extra TLC this summer with careful preparation and forward planning.Caroline Spencer, animal behaviourist with online pet food providers Bella & Duke, has shared her top 10 tips below for keeping your furry friend safe and cool in the sun.
Caroline explained: “Summer provides great opportunities for an array of bonding activities, but it is important that amongst all the fun, we take the necessary precautions to ensure our pets safety first, particularly when life-threatening scenarios are at risk.
“Like humans you can never be too prepared when getting our companions ready for summer fun, set aside plenty of time to plan your journeys so you and your pet can enjoy the warm weather to the fullest potential.”
Here’s her advice.
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1. Water, water, everywhere
Like humans, dogs sweat and lose water, mainly through the glands in their paws. They can lose up to one litre of water per day and the more water they lose, the higher the chances of overheating. Have multiple water stations spread equally around your home during summer to safeguard your dog from overheating and dehydration. Switch their food to wet dog food to ensure extra water intake, carry a water bottle for them when going outside or for a walk. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. Stick to the shade
Heat stroke can easily be induced by direct sunlight, so if you are in outside areas, make sure your dog can sit in the shade. Most dogs will naturally orientate to shadier spots, but it’s good to keep an eye on your dog to make sure they have not gone astray into the sun. Signs of heat stroke to look out for are excessive panting, drooling, reddened gums, dullness or loss of consciousness. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. A cool appetiser
Humans are not the only creatures that like cool food in warm weather. Keep your dog food and treats in the fridge for chilled serving and/or feed them wet food. A cool dish of raw meat is the perfect summer supper, while bone broth lollies are great summer snacks. Pop your bone broth into some ice cube or lolly moulds, leave in the freezer for a few hours and serve. You can even use a pizzle as the lolly stick. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
4. Leave the car at home
There is no safe time to leave a dog alone in the car, but particularly in the summer months, the temperature in your car rises above what the temperature outside is. In a car, dogs can develop heatstroke in just 15 minutes. Even with water and open windows, cars are not a safe space for dogs in the summer. Photo: Canva/Getty Images