How to Cool Down Your Dog in Hot Weather

Your dog depends on you to keep it safe and healthy. That means helping it to stay cool when it’s hot outside.

As we head into summer, and hopefully warmer temperatures where you live, here are some important tips to keep your dog cool in the summer heat.

How to know your dog is overheating

Dogs can’t tell us they’re too hot, but they do have certain tells.

Bring your dog inside

If you notice your dog is showing signs of overheating, bring them indoors as soon as possible. If you can bring them somewhere with air conditioning, that’s the fastest way to cool them down. If not, find a fan that they can sit by.

Hydrate your dog

Once you bring your dog out of the heat, give them a cool drink of water. Overheating can cause dehydration, so keeping your dog hydrated is very important. Just be sure they don’t drink too fast either, because they can ingest excessive amounts of air, which can cause bloating and additional health problems.

If you need to slow your dogs' drinking, try getting a slow feeder or add large objects (too large to swallow) to their bowl to encourage them to slow down.

Give cold/frozen treats

Ice cream or a frozen treat help cool us down from the inside out when we get too hot. It can also give your dog some cooling relief to have a cold or icy treat to eat when they get hot. Try freezing one of their favorite toys or freezing their wet dog food (like the Go! Solutions wet food recipes for dogs) in ice cube trays.

Provide shade

Dogs are smart and, if given the option, will usually seek out shady areas before they overheat too much in the sun. If your dog is spending time outdoors, provide them with shady areas to use when they get too hot. This could be the shade of a tree or bush or an umbrella.

Also, be sure they have cooler surfaces to walk or lay on too. Pavement and rocks can get very hot and burn your dog's paws. Have some grassy or dirt-covered areas for them to seek refuge in the heat.

GO! SOLUTIONS Pet Food

Let them play in the water

Your dog might enjoy playing in the water to get cool. If you live near a lake or pool (and your dog is a good swimmer), let them go for a dip to cool off on a warm day. Taking them to the beach can also be a fun way to cool off. A sprinkler hose in the yard can also work. If you have kids, let them run around the sprinkler with the dog.

Keeping your dog cool

You can do many things to keep your dog cool in warm weather. Always remember to keep them hydrated and out of the direct sun as much as possible, especially during the hottest parts of the day.

The best wet dog food to feed your pet in the summer is the Go! Solutions wet food recipes for dogs. They can be portioned and frozen into ice cube trays for a cool, healthy treat or meal on a hot summer day.