When the weather gets better, it becomes the perfect time to head out and spend some long lazy days with your furry friend. Walking in the snow and rain is fun, as is anything with your best friend, but the summer sun? Unreal. It opens up so many more opportunities to go out and explore. But the care that you need to provide your four-legged friend changes when the heat cranks up. So what can you do to make sure that your dog is going to live his best summer life? Read on to find out more:

Car:

This should go without saying, but people are still leaving their dogs in hot cars. There have been plenty of videos where people have locked themselves in a hot car to demonstrate the issue… and yet it is still happening. It can take just ten minutes for a dog to get heatstroke and then die. Many people simply don’t know how hot a car gets when left in the sun, even for a few minutes. If you need to run some errands but have your dog with you, take the dog home first. Alternatively, make sure you have enough water and take the dog out of the car when you get out, too.

Protection:

In the summer, you are much more likely to have a dog rubbing noses with new friends and shaking that mane in the grass. It is time to step up protection to include things like heart-worm, Lyme disease, fleas, and tick prevention for dogs. All of which can put a damper on your summer fun!

Cool It:

Asphalt, heck, even earth gets baked and soaks in a lot of heat. If you wouldn’t walk on it barefoot, then don’t make your dog walk on it, either. It will burn their paws, so make sure there are shady spots in the garden and try to head out early in the morning or late in the evening when it isn’t too hot. If you have a cool truck that your furry buddy likes to travel in, remember how hot that metal base is going to be before your pup hops in.

Sunburn:

Dogs get sunburn just like we do. Make sure that you apply a high factor of cream to ears, nose, and any other exposed skin. You’re going to need to check with your vet about the best cream to use, just because it is excellent for us humans, doesn’t mean it is going to work for your pooch.

Water:

In the summer you can never have enough water ready for your dog. They carry around a fur coat all of the time – imagine if that was you! Have a big bowl of fresh water in the house that is topped up all day long. And, when you go for your walks, take a pop-up bowl and a giant bottle of water. Most dog-friendly parks also have taps that have fresh drinking water, too. Dogs can’t simply cool down, they need to pant and drink water. Speaking of water, get a children’s swimming pool and fill it up and let them go wild for a few hours. It really helps them burn energy and relax. But remember that all-important sun cream!

Weight:

Over the winter months, we all have a tendency to put on a little weight – your dog included. The summer is the perfect time to shed those pounds by getting out there and exploring together. Just like humans, it isn’t healthy for dogs to carry too much weight as it puts a lot of strain on their joints. Increasing your levels of activity slowly over the space of a week or two will help you tackle those more adventurous days with ease. On average, you should be looking to walk your pooch for around 30+ minutes per day. If they are a little overweight, then you are going to have to ease them into it.

Fans:

If you know it’s going to be really warm, then get a fan in the room your dog spends the most time in. Leave the fan running for as long as you can during the day. It is better that you have a fan that is safe to use when you aren’t at home, too. But a simple oscillating fan will do wonders to bring down the temperature.

Dogs and humans aren’t too dissimilar when it comes to what they need in the summer. We are both more likely to get bitten by an insect, both need a lot more water, and enjoy splashing around in a pool. Treat your dog the way you treat yourself over the summer months!

Featured Image By: Andrew Pons on Unsplash