To many families, dogs are an important part of the family. Much love and dog care is given to these animals. And protecting them from the summer heat is one important care that dog owners shouldn’t forget. This is very essential to keep her healthy and happy.
Make sure that your dog is kept hydrated always. Like humans, your dog may dehydrate easily under the summer heat, especially if she has thick and long fur. So to keep her well-hydrated, keep her doggy bowl filled with water all the time. See to it that your dog knows where her bowl is and that it is accessible to her. In the past I have used a device placed on an outdoor faucet; my dog was able to get an unlimited amount of water whenever she needed it just by licking the attachment. These devices may still be available at a pet store near you. Also, if you take her to a walk around the park or just around the neighborhood, bring with you a doggy bottle and let your dog drink some water every now and then.
If it’s extremely hot outside, you should consider limiting your time for walks with your dog. Although she needs to get enough exercise every day, you have to protect her from the dangers of the summer heat. However, what you can do -- to give your dog her daily work out -- is to take her for walks in the early morning or early evening hours, when it’s not very hot outside. Or you can have it in two divided sessions so that neither of you will be exposed in the sun for too long.
When you go on walks, stay close to your home or the neighborhood where other people can see you and help you out in any bad situation -- compared to taking a hike in the woods where other people won’t find you easily.
If your dog is already old, you have to take [even more] care of her more. She will need more hydration than the younger dogs. During times of extreme heat, you may have to stay indoors to be safe. Give your dog a lot of water to drink and make sure to have sufficient ventilation inside your house.
Check her body for ticks also. They are very common during the warm seasons. You may also want to keep your dog away from the woods where plenty of ticks may be. If you find some in your dog’s fur, take them away gently using tweezers. You may want to educate yourself on a kind of tick known as the deer tick. They cause Lyme disease -- not only in dogs, but also in humans. You have to see your vet immediately if you find a deer tick on your dog.
Don’t make the mistake of leaving your dog inside the car, either. You may think this is fine as long as your car has a little opening just enough for air to enter. Remember, a car is like an oven that can become as hot as a hundred degrees -- or more -- in just a small span of time. And this can be very, very bad -- even deadly -- to your dog.
On hot seasons like this, you just have to use your common sense in order for you and your dog not to get into any bad situation. Take these simple dog care tips so that you’ll both enjoy the rest of your summer.
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