With Memorial Day Weekend being the unofficial start to summer, we wanted to reach out to our friends with a few quick reminders on how to keep your dog safe in hot weather. We are sure that as dog owners, you wouldn’t let anything bad happen to your furry friend, but it can never hurt to pass along a reminder about the risks involved with hot weather and how it may cause your dog a series of injuries or illnesses.
- Keep your pup off hot surfaces like asphalt or cement. Being in contact with such a warm surface will rapidly raise their body temperature and can injure their paw pads. One of the many reasons we love our outdoor dog turf!
- Giving your dog a lightweight trim can help prevent overheating, but never shave completely as an inch of fur protects the dog’s skin against sunburn. Let us know if you need help!
- If temperatures soar, try and keep exercise and activity indoors. Something comparable to our dog daycare with an indoor, climate controlled playground.
- Provide access to fresh water at all times!
- We all know this one, but NEVER leave a dog in a hot car, even for a few minutes! According to an article by the PETA, “Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes.”
- Lastly, many dogs enjoy a swim, a splash in a wading pool or a sprinkler mist to quickly cool down your dog’s body temperature may be beneficial for hot days.
We hope this information came in handy. From all of us at Playful Pack, have a great summer full of fun activities with your furry best friend. Be safe and keep your dog safe as well.