What to do with your dog in extreme heat?
Question by : What to do with your dog in extreme heat?
We are having extrema heat here right now and I don't want to give my dog heat stroke or over exhaustion by being outside in the blazing sun and smog for too long. SO what can I do with my dog inside to keep him good and exercised or other things. We don't have a pool or beach really close to us but we are planning on getting a kiddie pool for him to play in.
Best answer:
Answer by Alejandro
Just make sure your dog drinks plenty of water and he will be fine.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
The kiddie pool is a good answer if your dog likes being in water, but most dogs will use the pool as a giant drinking bowl. Since we have extreme heat here as well, I play with my dog for short periods of time outside keeping a close eye on her. Inside we play a modified form of fetch with a tennis ball, and while it takes longer to wear her out, it is safer for her in the long run.
Take a long walk early in the morning and later in the evening when it isn’t so bad. Take a short one mid day if necessary, and keep hydrated. (you and the dog)
Inside the house is much cooler for your dog, but much more boring too. I suggest you buy something new to play with. I recently bought those toy tunnels that children play with and let my dogs investigate and run through them in the house and outside.
Some long haired dogs surprisingly cope better than short haired dogs in heat, as their fur provides ventilation for them, and stops sun hitting their skin and heating them up. But still, even fluffy dogs have trouble coping. They can be outside, but not lying in direct sun for prolonged periods. A kiddie pool is a wonderful idea, as is a sprinkler etc. Also keep them inside at mid-day, when there is little to no shade. Walk them early in the morning or the evening.
If your dog does show signs of heatstroke, then take them into a cool, airy room and put a towel that has been dampened with cool water over them, and leave water out for them at all times.
I have an Australian Cattle dog… so heat yes is an issue but not as much as say my mom’s Golden.
My dog is outside when I’m gone to work, so for about 9 hours a day. It too is a heat wave here right now, has been is in 100s for over a week & isn’t going to let up for another week, heat indexes are in the 115 range.
So… my dog is outside but she runs free, so she has: lots of shade, cool dirt, & a pool (shallow horse tank) filled with cool, fresh water everyday.. it’s deep enough when she lays down her whole body is under but her head. Then when I get home I put her in the A/C for about a 1/2 hour before I feed her, then let her rest for a hour, let her back out to do her duty for about a hour, then she stays in for the night.
For exercises, I throw her ball, she’s obsessed! She knows when she gets too hot because she drops the ball, goes around the house, gets in her pool, then comes back for more. I throw it off & on while I’m outside @ night doing stuff, usually 1-2 hours a night.
I have a Mastiff and they are know for overheating easy. One activity we do with her on hot days is turn the sprinklers on and/or get the hose out. She loves running around in it and she stays cool.