It’s so important to be especially vigilant with your dogs during hot weather – it’s warmer than you think even here in Northern Ireland. Dogs get over heated, dehydrated and their feet pads can get sore – Carol offers advice to prevent any problems
Family reunions and hot dogs
What a glorious day it was this Bank Holiday weekend. We had my parents, my brother and his partner and their dog round for a meal, all sitting outside on our patio in the lovely weather. Our first family get together in more than a year. I was careful to put a high factor sun screen on as we were outside most of the day.
Gus wandered in and out of the house. When outside he kept mainly to the shade, sensible dog. I made sure he had plenty of water.
My brother‘s dog, Matilda, is a greyhound. She and Gus had a short play then lay down near us while we ate. Matilda got bored and wandered off to explore in the bushes. A few minutes later we heard an anxious “woof” – she had somehow managed to get through or over the fence into the field, something Gus has never done! My brother walked down to the gate and called her. She came charging across the field, thankful to be rescued. We walked back and she lay down, panting, by our feet, but recovered quickly.
Dos and don’t about dogs in the heat!
Please be careful exercising your dogs in hot weather. Everyone knows not to leave dogs in cars when it’s hot, but did you know that most cases of heat stroke in dogs are after exercise?
Dogs can’t sweat like we do. They can only lose heat through their paws or by panting, so they overheat quickly in hot weather if they exert themselves.
Another common problem is heat damage to their pads – it’s easy for dogs to burn their pads on hot roads and pavements. A good test is to place the back of your hand against the surface. If it feels uncomfortable to hold your hand there, then you should not walk your dog on it.
Stick to early mornings or late evenings to walk your dog when it’s hot. Make sure they have plenty of water available at all times as they will need to drink more, just like we do, when it’s hot. And please don’t throw balls for them, or let them charge around too much.
We’ve got a help sheet on summer safety tips on our free stuff page along with many others. Check it out and keep your dog safe in the hot weather.
Enjoy your bank holiday,
Keep training and stay safe,
Carol
