Mercy! I'm melting .....

Not to state the obvious, but it is sweltering today. 

You know it's going to be a rough ride when it's nearly 90 degrees at 8:30 in the morning :(

Apart from making everything feel like a punishing task, when the weather is like this it is downright dangerous - - especially for your dog. They have "internal thermostats" that respond very quickly to intense heat or cold, very similar to a young child. And just like a young child, a dog needs help regulating that internal thermostat when the weather is extreme.


So, I thought I would offer a few easy, inexpensive ways to keep your dog cool when the mercury rises to these ridiculous heights - and here I go stating the obvious again: these tips work great for ALL dogs, not just our beloved Cockapoos:

- Keep your dog's walks to 10 minutes and increase the frequency of them. Multiple, short walks rather than one or two really long walks will help keep things interesting, allow the necessary "elimination" time, and reduce the risk of anyone getting over-heated. 
IF your dog is older or even a little bit overweight, 10 minutes in this heat may be too long a walk, so WATCH carefully for any signs of labored breathing, slowing pace, etc...and if you have any questions or concerns, ask your VET!



- Get yourself a cheap little plastic kiddie pool at your local hardware store (10 dollars here at Ace). Grab an old towel. Place the pool and the towel near the door you'll use coming home from your walks. Put 3-4 inches of cool water in the pool, and lay the towel on the ground beside it. When you come home from your walks (or any time the dog seems hot), place your dog's feet in the pool and - - speaking in a nice soothing way - - move the water back and forth with your hands for a minute or two to encourage your dog's standing in the pool for a quick cool-down. (Having the cool water on your hands feels great for you, too!) If your dog seems really over-heated, encourage him to sit or lay in the pool. Use the towel exactly as you think you would :)


- Ice cube trays are versatile little items that come with the cube compartment in various shapes and sizes. Get a tray with smaller-sized cube compartments, and fill it with a tasty mixture for your dog. Put a combination of filtered water and low-sodium natural broth in the tray, freeze it, and give your dog a bowl of tasty little ice cubes to crunch, play with, and lick.

- Freeze some of your dog's favorite fruit/vegetable treats (remember: no grapes or raisins!). My dogs love apples, watermelon, and carrots, so using those as an example, cut them in chunks big enough to prevent choking and stick them in the freezer. Provide a few as a cooling treat - and always be present when your dog eats them.

- Stuff a Kong - or other such toy - with a spoonful of your dog's favorite canned food or similarly squishy treat and stick it in the freezer. Pull it out on hot days for a treat that will both cool and occupy your dog.

Those are easy, inexpensive ways to help your dog stay cool. There are also products you can purchase if you don't mind paying a little extra for them: dog beds you can fill with cold water, vests and bandannas made with internal "cooling elements" like gel packs, fans that run on batteries for 100 minutes if you crate your dog while you're away from the house. 

And perhaps that begs a question or two: should you crate your dog on very hot days when you are going to be gone from the house? Is it dangerous to confine them in a space as small as a crate? What happens if there is a power failure (not uncommon in heat waves) or a fuse blows and the air conditioning in your home shuts off?



Even if you usually crate your dog when you are gone from the house, you may want to consider not crating on days when the heat index is like it is today. 
A few suggestions for preparing a safe, cool indoor space for your dog:


Designate a room - or part of a room - in your house as  "the cool room" for your dog on days when it is really hot and you must be away from home for several hours. If there is an area rug in the room, roll up at least part of it so that the dog will have a cool floor to lay on and you'll have less worries about an accident ruining the rug. Partition off the area in which you will allow your dog.


Make the room nice and cool before you leave by running the a/c, rolling up that area rug, and closing the drapes to prevent letting in too much hot sunshine.

Provide your dog with a large bowl of fresh water AND a bowl of frozen water (use a stainless steel bowl - - not a plastic one) or the tasty broth/water cubes you made. Put both of the bowls on a non-skid surface on the floor (a rubber-backed place-mat does the trick), but do not place the two bowls next to each other. If your dog decides to play with the bowl of frozen water, you don't want him accidentally overturning and emptying the bowl containing room temperature water. Provide your dog with the Kong you stuffed and froze with his favorite canned food. Leave some music or the TV on for "company".

Now the room is cool and darkened, the dog has sources of amusement, noise for comfort, and two sources of hydration. If there was a power failure and the A/C failed - - or you were simply detained getting home - - you wouldn't worry as much that your dog was at risk because the room was well prepared before you left the house.