7 Ways to Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer

Summer is a time for fun in the sun, swimming, taking lazy naps in the shade, and going for road trips, but it is also the time of year that your dog is likely to be most uncomfortable. If you’re too hot in shorts and a tank-top, imagine how your dog feels with all that extra fur!

Because dogs don’t sweat all over their bodies like people do and primarily artool down by panting and sweating through their paws, it’s important for them to have access to plenty of water and shade. Remember that, while a gentle breeze will help bring your temperature down, it isn’t doing the same for your four-legged friend. To keep your dog comfortable this summer, try some of these fun ways to keep cool!

1. Fill a big tub or kiddie pool with water and ice

If you have a dog that has a hard time staying cool in the summer heat (especially big, long-haired dogs that like to run around and play in the sun all day), it’s a great idea to get a large outdoor tub or hard plastic kiddie swimming pool that you can fill with cool water and ice cubes. Because dogs don’t sweat throughout most of their body, it’s important not the assume that a comfortable temperature for you will be comfortable for your dog. Dogs cool down primarily by panting, but they can also cool down by standing or lying in cold water; cooling down a dog’s paws can help cool down the rest of their body. Besides, many dogs love to splash around and play with ice cubes—just make sure to always supervise your dog so that they don’t hurt their teeth on the ice, or, and this especially goes for smaller dogs, don’t choke on a piece.

2. Ventilate your dog’s sleeping spaces

During the winter, your dog might appreciate sleeping by a heater or near the furnace, but that’s certainly not the case in the summer. Check your dog’s sleeping spaces and make sure that your four-legged friend’s bedroom has good, constant air-flow, access to the outdoors (if possible), a bowl with plenty of water, and is in a place that remains shaded throughout the day.

3. Take your dog to a doggie water parks, pond, or rivers for a swim

Swimming can be an excellent way for dogs to cool down. My dog, Diego, is a collie who overheats easily, and (thankfully) loves to swim. Because I live near a lake and often visit the beach, I take Diego with me when I go out for a day of fun in the water. He loves to lie in the ocean, and drink from the (clean and dog-friendly) rivers, streams, and lakes we visit together. And because it takes long-haired dogs a very long time to dry off, a quick dip in the lake can help keep your dog cool long after they return to dry land.

4. Make sure your yard has plenty of shade

Many yards, especially small yards, have limited amounts of shade during the midday hours. Setting up an umbrella, planting a shade-giving tree, or putting a bed out on a covered porch for your dog to lay in are all wonderful ways of providing a cooler, more comfortable place for your pet to take a noon nap.

5. Set up a sprinkler, hose, or spray bottle for your dog to play with

I’ve known a lot of dogs that absolutely adore playing in sprinklers, or chasing the spray from a hose. For smaller dogs, as an alternative to the hose, you can fill up a plastic spray bottle and gently mist your pet to keep them cool. Keep in mind that many dogs don’t like water, or don’t appreciate being misted even when it’s very hot out. Just be aware of your dog’s reaction to water and water-related games, and don’t do anything to make your pet uncomfortable.

6. Get a self-cooling bed or pad for your dog

This is especially useful if your dog is older, has just had surgery, or is otherwise unable to move around to cool off. However, a self-cooling dog bed or pad can be great for any dog, or any pet, for that matter. Amazon sells an easy-to-clean, non-electric, weight-activated cooling pad that comes in a broad range of sizes; however, according to one customer review, pet owners should be wary of buying this for any dog that might chew up their new bed, as consuming the materials inside the pad may cause problems for some animals.

7. Freeze your dog’s toys or give them frozen marrow bones

Putting a favorite chew toy, stuffed animal, or piece of rope in the freezer for an hour or two can turn a normal toy into a frozen cool-down aid. Dogs love to chew on frozen things, but always remember that some dogs might get too enthusiastic and damage their teeth if they bite a frozen toy too hard. Frozen bones with marrow in the middle can be another great treat on a hot day. If you want to give your dog a frozen marrow bone, make sure to give them the bone as soon as you take it out of the freezer, and monitor them while they chew on it. Just as in the case of frozen toys, or ice cubes, there is always the possibility that a dog might damage their teeth while chewing too hard on a frozen bone.

Do you live somewhere that gets hot during the summer? What did you do to keep your pets comfortably cool? Leave a comment and let us know!