Top 5 Summer Safety Tips for Your Dog’s Health

Summer tips for dogs ...

Now that the Summer heat is upon us, it’s time to focus on keeping Fido healthy (and cool!) in the sunshine. The warm sun and fresh air are good for human and canine alike, but unless you’ve properly prepared your pet for the rising temps, a fun day can quickly turn into devastation. Keep your herding breed dog healthy, happy, and cool with these top five summer safety tips:

Avoid Shortcuts (Herding Breed Coat Care, Grooming)

It sounds counter intuitive, but when the mercury starts rising, don't cut your herding breed dog’s fur! Having a longer coat in the summer actually helps prevent sun damage, as well as keeping the skin from burning.

In the summer months, make sure you regularly brush your dog to remove dead fur and prevent matts and tangles. Apply a little bit of dog-friendly sunscreen to any areas of skin showing and to their delicate nose and ears.

Protect Paws

Dogs maintain their body heat through their paws, so when the sidewalk or beach gets hot, it can be painful to walk on. When it is just getting too hot, try to walk your dog during the coolest part of the day (usually early evening or late at night). If you can't do that, protect their paws by walking them on the grass, with all-weather boots, or by using paw wax.

H2O

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Make sure that your dog has access to lots of water during the day and that you always pack water for him while on a walk. Having your own water supply not only keeps your dog hydrated, it discourages him from drinking stagnant or sea water at the beach, which can cause dehydration and vomiting.

Check for Ticks

Tick season is upon us and these pesky parasites love nothing better than munching on our precious pooches. Whenever you have a walk in a long grassy area, always do a tick check afterwards. You are looking for small black/brown bumps that you can feel through the fur. If you do find one, remove it safely using a "tick removal kit". Ensure you remove the entire thing as the head of the tick is often very stubborn and if left still under the skin, can cause infection. If Lyme disease is a problem in your area, talk to your local vet (holistic or traditional) for symptoms to watch out for.

Herding Breeds are Stubborn

We all know that sometimes our herding breed dog just won't take no for an answer when it comes to stopping play. Some dogs (especially puppies) are terrible at knowing when to regulate their exercise in hot weather and it is often our job to intervene so they don’t overheat or dehydrate. In these instances, you can swap excessive outdoor exercise in hot weather for inside games instead. Simple games such as "hide the treat" (your dog has to use its nose to find it), or using boredom buster toys such as Kongs or treat dispensing balls, swap lots of physical play for mental exercise, helping to keep your dog cooler inside.

Article By:
Kimberly Freeman