Thursday, June 9, 2011

Let's talk about how to keep your dog(s) cool in the summertime

Yesterday’s post about the stupidity of owners leaving dogs to suffer in blazing hot cars really hit home for a lot of people. I heard through the grapevine (aka Facebook) that a few people in Vermont are picking up the baton and will be leaving flyers and calling the authorities when they see a dog left in a hot car. I really couldn’t hope for more than that from my little blog rant!

Today I wanted to point you to some excellent tips to keep your dog(s) cool in the summertime, some from me and some from actual experts!

Angelina, this is *not* cool.

How we keep our dogs cool in the summer:

While we are at work we leave the air-conditioner on an energy saver setting and keep all the blinds closed to keep out the blazing sun. Yesterday when I got home from work, the outdoor temperature was about 90 degrees, which is a scorcher for Vermont. Indoors it was a much cooler 75 degrees. As always we have fresh water for the dogs and cats, but in the hot summer months, we add ice to the water before we leave them for the day. As the day progresses as the ice melts it keeps the bowl full of cool water.

What the experts say about keeping the pooches cool:

I read a recent blog post from one of my favorite dog supply companies: Doctors Foster and Smith, titled; How to Keep Your Pets Safe During Hot Weather! This blog post has really good information for all dog owners; including, ways to cool your dog in hot weather, what to do if your dog is experiencing heat stroke, and how to prevent dehydration.

Another resource I will point you to is www.mydogiscool.com. They have a great summer tips section, but my favorite thing on their site is a tool that allows you to put in your zip code, and it will give you the five day forecast (via The Weather Channel) plus it will alert you if the temperature is dangerously hot, so you know when to leave your dog at home.

I'd love to hear more about how you all keep your dogs out of the heat. I am seriously considering a kiddie pool for the backyard, what do you guys think?
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 9, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    Absolutely!!!!!Most Definitely!!!! Kiddie Pool is the best. It can save a dogs life!!!!

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  2. Two Pitties in the CityJune 9, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    This is so important to remember. A kiddie pool does sound quite fun!

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  3. Ellen B.June 10, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    Thank you so much for including us in your post!

    Personally, my dogs love to munch on a few ice cubes. When we walk, I give them water breaks every mile or so - before they get too thirsty. It really helps keep their energy level up. And, if I didn't live on a lake, I would definitely get a kiddie pool! Thanks again for the great post!

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I'd love to know what you think! Thanks.

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