Tips to Cool your Dog this Summer

With summer in full swing and temperatures still reaching over 40 degrees, UAE pet owners must take special care of their four-legged friends to ensure the summer heat isn’t getting them down.

In order to avoid heat-related health problems, we need to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen. Our dogs need our help to stay healthy and happy in the summer heat. While the obvious tricks, like carrying a collapsible water bowl or having a pooch paddling pool in the backyard work, there are a lot of other fun things you can do to make sure your canine stays cool.

Invest in a cooling dog bed: We can sleep in the same bed all year round. As temperatures rise, we may change our thick blankets to some cooler linen and adjust the AC, but dogs can’t sweat it out like us. The added warmth from lying on a traditional padded dog bed is doing them no favors during the summer months. Luckily, there is a lot of choice when it comes to cooling dog beds and pads if your pup seems to be restless at night or is resorting to sleeping on the cool kitchen tiles.

Keep exercise to a minimum: The hottest months of the year are not the ideal time to be having intense fetch marathons. Exercise on warm days should be limited to short periods of time and ideally during the coolest times of day, in the early morning or after sunset. Pet owners should keep walks to a gentle pace and ensure there is plenty of cool water available. For those who like to run or bike with their pet, it’s important to watch for signs of overheating.

Find a dog-friendly sunscreen: Despite their furry coats, dogs can still be exposed to and damaged by UV rays. Coating their fur and skin in pet-safe UV protectant sunblock will help prevent burns and keep them healthy. Make sure you pick the right one and avoid products that use zinc oxide, as it’s toxic to dogs. Since almost every human sunscreen contains zinc oxide, definitely do not use human sunscreen on your dogs.

(Credit: Dr. Sara Elliott, Director of Veterinary Services at British Veterinary Hospital)