Your Dog In the Heat
After a long winter’s rest and the sedentary comfort of the indoor life, you, your family, and especially your dog will be feeling the fever – spring fever, that is! It’s time to go outdoors and enjoy the sun again. Take advantage of the unpredictable weather and the on-again, off-again activity level of the springtime in order to ease into summertime’s high-gear. Walking, running, swimming, biking, and hiking are all fantastic activities to share with your dog. However, veterinarians strongly suggest exercising your dog moderately at first, gradually working up to longer periods of activity. If you don’t, you could risk your dog’s health. Heat exhaustion is very common for dogs in the summertime.
Start Slow and Work Up
Every athlete knows they won’t win any medals on their first day of training. The same is true for us and for our dogs. Start out with shorter walks and gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts. Watch your dog carefully for signs that he’s reached his limit. Watch yourself too - you may reach your limit before he does! As long as your dog is healthy, it won’t take him long to get back into shape and be able to maintain an active schedule.If you were going to run a marathon, you would not go from your sofa to a twenty mile run would you? Certainly not – you would work up slowly. Things are no different when dealing with your dog. Start out slow, and every day adds time onto your daily trek with your furry friend. Regardless of whether your dog is your special family friend or a hunter, be sure that the exercise that they are getting is in line with their overall health. Watch to make sure that your dog is content, and not overly exercised and gradually increase the activity level. For most dogs, going from low activity to high activity is not a long drawn out process. The more energy they expend, the higher their energy level will be.
Timing
Always be cognizant of the hottest times of the day. Take advantage of the early morning and late evenings when the heat is not intense. Remember that concrete and asphalt get extremely hot and can easily burn your dog’s sensitive paw pads. Planning on when the best times to exercise are will keep you and your pet cooler during your workouts.
Grooming
If you own a dog that requires regular grooming, be sure to brush him daily. Also, ask the groomer to trim your dog shorter for the summer. Long-haired dogs and dogs who have double coats are more susceptible to overheating. Be careful, though, because if you trim it too short, your dog could get sunburned, especially if it has a light-colored coat. Take note of your own comfort level – if you’re uncomfortable, chances are your dog is too.
Cooling Off
Humans perspire in order to cool off. The sweat evaporating from our skin cools us down. Dogs do not have this capability. They have to pant. By moving the air in and out of their mouths and lungs, they cool off from the inside out. Shade, water, and moving air such as from a fan or breeze will all help to cool your dog, but it doesn’t work as quickly on them as it does on us. Keep your dog out of the direct sun whenever possible, and always have water available for him to drink.
Watch For Heat-Related Problems
Owners need to know the signs of heat stroke in dogs:
Labored or deep and uncontrolled breathing or excessive panting with broken rhythm
Tacky and bright red gums
Fatigue, unwillingness to move, or collapse
Immediately get your dog out of the heat when you see him exhibiting the above symptoms. You can wet him down with cool or tepid water, but do not use ice-cold water as it could make the situation worse. Use wet towels to keep your dog wet, but move them constantly so that air can flow over the dog’s body. Do not submerge your dog suddenly or put him in a deep pool. In a state of heat stroke, he cannot swim and could drown.
Your dog should begin to improve shortly after you take these measures. If not, be certain to contact your vet for emergency care. While chances are the dog might be fine by the time you get there it’s better to have them checked out and make sure. This is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.
Remember to pay attention to your comfort level and that of your dog’s. Exercise your bodies and your caution to keep yourself and your dog safe during the summer.
Having a dog is like having a child, they become part of you and your family, with the being said you have to make sure you have the proper training gear as well. There are lots of great brands out there, but my personal favorite is Innotek. They have some great collars out there, some of my favorites are Innotek ADV-1000, Innotek ADV-1002, and Innotek Field Pro Series. Do you research and choose which one is right for you and your dog.
