Dogs and heat: How to cool down your dog in summer

1. Avoid midday heat for your dog

Reschedule your walks to early morning or late evening to keep your dog away from the hot times when the sun burns most. During the day, short walks are recommended, which cost your pet less energy. During these walks, please avoid open fields with direct sunlight, cobblestones and asphalt. Also during excursions you should always make sure that there is enough shade. For example, a shady space at the lake would be an advantage, or the cool ground in the densely overgrown forest.

2. Cooling products like cooling mats for dogs

Especially dogs with dark or even black fur can quickly overheat in very warm temperatures. Products such as cooling mats or cooling vests for dogs automatically produce a cooling effect through body contact with the four-legged friend. A very practical and always handy alternative for a quick remedy against heat are also wet cloths or T-shirts, which you can simply put on your dog. A towel soaked in cold water, for example, is available almost everywhere and can be created in just a few easy steps to give your dog a pleasant cooling effect in the summer heat.

3. For water lovers: Dog pools, garden hose and more

Summer walks with your dog should always be combined with a detour to an easily accessible bathing area. Even if not every dog likes to swim in the lake, the short stopover is ideal for a drink or to cool off its paws quickly. If the water is very strange to the dog, it can help to accompany him into the water. This way, you create more confidence for the situation. If you have a garden, a small dog paddling pool and careful games with the garden hose or a spray bottle filled with water can also be refreshing solutions. It is only important that you slowly get your dog used to the water, so that cooling him down is a positive experience. By the way, the refreshment becomes even more effective if you massage the cool water into the fur up to the skin.

4. Tips for thick dog fur in summer

Those four-legged friends with long, thick fur have it particularly hard on hot summer days with temperatures over 30 degrees. In order to let as much air as possible to the skin, experts recommend daily brushing to get rid of excess fur in hot weather. Depending on the length of the coat, a shorter haircut or a professional coat thinning may also be advisable.

5. Cool snacks and homemade ice cream for dogs

For example, homemade dog ice cream made from natural yoghurt or quark provides cooling from the inside. Probably the simplest recipe is to fill the mixture into ice cube moulds and serve it frozen, either straight or refined with berries or liver sausage. Many rubber dog toys can also be filled with yoghurt and frozen in the freezer. This is a particularly playful way to combine enjoyment and refreshment. In general, the dog’s food portions should be divided into several morsels fed over the day so that the body is not too busy with digestive activities when it’s hot.

6. Never leave the dog waiting in the car

Please never leave your dog waiting in the car in summer. Because even with the windows open, there can quickly be life-threatening heat build-up inside - even in the shade. The danger in the car is too big at high temperatures, as the sunlight can change within a few minutes and your four-legged friend can suffer heat stroke after only a short time.

7. Drink enough water

As all year round, your dog should have sufficient water available at all times of the day, especially on hot summer days. A foldable water bowl or a small water bottle including a drinking bowl is also essential when you are out and about, so that you can supply your four-legged friend with water all the time in hot weather. If your furry nose is rather lazy when it comes to drinking, you can throw a treat into the water bowl from time to time and then have your friend take it out again. This makes water drinking inevitable for your dog.