Here Comes The Sun.... Ten Tips to Get you Dog Ready for Summer

Since we are getting ready to move to Florida I think this is an opportune time to discuss taking care of your dog in the warmer weather.

1.  Walk or run dogs during cooler morning or evening hours. If possible, let your dog walk on grass rather than on hot concrete.  You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve seen dog owners walking their dogs in the hottest part of the day.  Remember your best friend can’t tell you that the hot sidewalk is burning his paws!

2.  Don’t leave your pet in the car.  Even with the window cracked the temperature in the car can reach lethal lvls in less than 10 minutes.

3. Going to give your buddy a bath or just spray him off to cool him down make sure you flush out the hose before you spray your buddy.  The water sitting in the hose can get very hot.

4. Light-skinned dogs can get sunburned — using a dab of pet-safe sunscreen can help.

5. Don’t leave darker-colored dogs in direct sunlight because they absorb heat.

6. Don’t leave dogs such as Huskies out in the heat of the day.  These are dogs breed to withstand extreme cold temperatures and will overheat quickly.

7. Don’t leave your dog outside on extremely humid days.  Remember they keep cool by panting, as the moisture on their tongues evaporates it cools their blood just like sweating does to us.  If it’s too humid they can’t cool off.

8. If you must leave you best friend outside consider providing an outdoor kiddie pool or water mister.

9. Provide a well-ventilated area with plenty of water and shade.

10. Flea and Tick season is getting ready to blast into full swing.  If you haven’t done it already start the battle now.