4 ways to keep your dog cool

A staffy wearing goggles, in the sidecar of a motorbike.

With Summer just around the Dog Street corner, here are 4 tips to keep the puppers cooler, and that doesn’t mean popping on a pair of shades and leaning on a Harley. The summers are getting hotter here in Oz so read up and take note.

1) Pick the cool parts of the day for your walks

Avoid the hottest part of the day and walk in the morning, or maybe a stroll later in the evening, this will help to prevent heat stress for your doggo. You know that the hot pavement and roads can burn the paws of your 4-legged friend. RSPCA recommend the 5 second rule, place the back of your hand on the surface and if it is too hot for you then it is too hot for your furry friend.

2) Hot days, cars and dogs don’t mix

So, you parked your car in the shade and the windows are down, think it is cool enough in the car? A study has shown that even with a mild outside temperature of 22 degrees, the temperature inside a car can reach over 45 degrees in an hour. If your doggo rides in the back of the ute, have you ever leant on the tailgate on a hot day? Just like the burn of the seatbelt right. The tray can get pretty hot, and as most tray liners are black, they are efficient solar heaters. Never leave your best friend in a car, always take him with you when you go to the café, if you can’t then he might be best being left at home.

3) Shade and fresh water

On hot days put out plenty of fresh water and make sure it's in the shade, so it doesn’t heat up. Place a few bowls of water around in different places just in case one gets knocked over. See if you can get a shaded area for most of the day, some puppers even like to have a shallow kiddies pool in the shade to have a cooling dip when they feel the urge.

4) Sometimes its best to be inside

On those really hot and humid days and it’s a lot cooler in the house, then your best mate will love to keep you company inside. If you don’t have air conditioning, then a cool mat in front of a fan can be a favourite spot for dear doggo. Don’t have a cool mat then just use a damp towel. Stay cool!