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Tips for cooling down your dog!
To make the summer heat more bearable for our dogs, we have summarised a few practical tips. Because hot days are also a test of endurance for our four-legged friends.
Cooling waistcoats for dogs
Cooling waistcoats are a great way to help your dog regulate its body temperature. But: How does a cooling waistcoat cool the dog actually? Quite simply: the Cooling effect is created by the evaporative cooling. To do this, the waistcoat must be briefly placed in cold water or doused with it, wrung out and put on the dog. The great advantage of a cooling waistcoat is that the dog wears it on its body and therefore also has the cooling effect when moving.
Tip: To allow the dog the greatest possible freedom of movement and comfort, the cooling waistcoat must fit perfectly.
Cooling mats for dogs
Many dogs love to lie on the cold tiled floor in summer, for example. However, if you don't have tiles in your home, you can use a cooling mat to give your dog a pleasantly cool surface and thus offer him a cool retreat for hot days for hot days. Cooling mats with gel are particularly practical. There is no need to cool or moisten the mat, as the special gel reacts to pressure with a cooling effect. The advantage of a cooling mat is that the dog can Dog can decide for itself can decide whether and for how long he lies on it.
The quick solution if no cooling mat is available: a wet towel on the floor can also cool the dog down. However, some dogs do not like lying on a wet surface.
Dog ice cream to cool off
Dog ice cream is becoming increasingly popular in summer. Ice cream for four-legged friends is now available in a in a wide variety of flavours and flavours. From ready-made products straight from the chiller cabinet, to ready-made mixes to freeze yourself, to trendy recipes to make yourself and matching ice cream moulds.
The advantages of dog ice cream are impressive: the frozen treats provide effective cooling. At the same time, the ice cream provides the dog with additional liquid, which is extremely important in summer. Would you like to treat your pet to homemade dog ice cream?
Cooling off in the water
A dip in the cool water is of course the ultimate pleasure for water lovers ultimate pleasure on hot days. For even more fun in the water are suitable floating toyswhich do not sink but float on the surface and therefore cannot get lost. For additional Safety on and in the water it is advisable to give the dog a Life jacket on your dog.
Dog pool - Party
Since not all of us have a lake, river or other body of water in the immediate vicinity, dog pools in the Dog pools in the garden or even on the balcony for Fun and cooling and cool off. Useful tips for choosing the right swimming pool for your dog:
Size of the dog paddling pool: |
Material of the dog pool: |
The perfect place: A shady spot is recommended for the dog pool. Even though most pools are UV-resistant, a shady spot increases their longevity. It also has the advantage that the water stays fresh for longer. Additives such as chlorine or similar have no place in a dog pool. |
One last pro tip for a successful pool party: Don't forget sun protection! There are now also very high-quality products for dogs that reliably protect them from the strong UV rays.
More tips for real dog days:
- Go forwalks in the cool morning or evening hours.
- Avoidtarmac roads as much as possible. Hot tarmac can be painful for dogs' paws and, in the worst case, can even lead to burns. Asphalt test: Press the back of your hand onto the road for 7 seconds. If it's too hot for you, it's too hot for the dog! Cool paws and legs with cold water after the walk.
- No physical exertion! Be especially careful if dogs like to romp, play and run with others.
- Airy summer hairstyle! Dogs with long coats can be relieved by a shorter cut . However, as this is not suitable for all coat types, it is best to consult a professional dog groomer. Otherwise,: regular brushing ensures that more air can reach the skin .
Dogs do not sweat
Unlike us humans, dogs cannot regulate their body temperature by sweating. They do have sweat glands on their paws, but these are primarily used for marking. Otherwise, they regulate their body temperature by panting. The comfortable temperature for most dogs is around 15° - 18° C. Most dogs find temperatures above 25° - 27° C very stressful.
If the dog can no longer dissipate body heat by panting, this can lead to life-threatening overheating. Older dogs or breeds with thick coats in particular need to be watched closely in hot weather. However, the following applies to all dogs in hot temperatures: make sure they cool down.
How much water should a dog drink in summer?
In hot weather, it is also important to ensure that dogs drink enough fluids. As a guide: at an outside temperature of approx. 20 degrees, normal physical exertion and fed dry food, a dog should drink 40 - 100ml of water per kg of body weight per kg of body weight. The requirement increases accordingly at temperatures above 30 degrees up to 200 ml.
It is therefore particularly important in summer to provide your dog with sufficient fresh water. The bowl should be deep enough so that the dog can easily drink the water. If necessary, it may be necessary to "refresh" the water several times a day in summer.
How much water should a dog drink in summer?
In hot weather, it is also important to ensure that dogs drink enough fluids. As a guide: at an outside temperature of approx. 20 degrees, normal physical exertion and fed dry food, a dog should consume 40 - 100ml of water per kg of body weight. Accordingly, the requirement increases to up to 200 ml at temperatures above 30 degrees.
It is therefore particularly important in summer to provide your dog with sufficient fresh water. The bowl should be deep enough so that the dog can easily drink the water. If necessary, it may be necessary to "refresh" the water several times a day in summer.
SO YOUR DOG DRINKS MORE IN THE HEAT!
Smoothies
You can make the additional fluid intake tasty for your dog. Dog smoothies are an excellent option. These are available in different flavours, so you can find the right one for every preference or individual requirement.
Soups & broths
One option is homemade broths or soups. However, care must be taken here not to use any spices or ingredients such as onions or garlic, as these are poisonous to dogs. Caution: do not use ready-made soups, as the ingredients are not suitable for dogs!
Dog ice cream
Dog ice cream with a high water content can also cover the additional water requirement well. It is particularly easy to add extra water to homemade dog ice cream.
How do I recognise heatstroke in dogs?
When dogs overheat, it becomes life-threatening for them. Signs of heatstroke are:
- Rapid and shallow breathing
- Listlessness
- unsteady gait, loss of balance
- Vomiting
- Mucous membranes and tongue turn pink to dark purple in colour
- Red eyes
- absent, glazed look
- Fever (normal dog temperature: 38 - 39°C)
First aid if the dog overheats
- Move dog quickly to a cool place
- Slowly cool the dog down: start cooling paws and legs
- Cool down with the help of a damp cloth
- Caution: Please do not simply spray the dog with cold water. This could lead to shock.
- Take the dog to the vet