Beating the Heat with Your Dog
By Arlo the Hound with help from Honor Tarpenning
I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful summer. The days are long, the sun is shining bright, and it’s the perfect time of year to get out and enjoy the weather with your favorite dog. You have to be careful
though; remember that we pooches have fur coats on all year-round, and
this heat can be pretty dangerous. Fortunately though, Next Day Pets is
choc-full of gear to help you and your pooch beat the heat.
Goin for a Ride in the Car
First of all, you must understand how scary, dangerous, and deadly it is for us dogs when you leave us alone in the car. In pleasant, 78°F weather, a car’s interior can reach 90°F in as little as five minutes! If it is 70°F outside, in 30 minutes your car’s interior temperature can reach 120°F. On a hot day, a car is little more than an oven, and thus a death sentence for your fur-covered friend. So, clearly, as summertime temperatures can reach into the 100s, there is absolutely no reason to ever, ever leave us in the car. If your dog can’t go inside with you, leave him at home!
Since it’s vacation season, I should mention that when you’re on the road with your pooch it can get too hot as well, even if you’ve got the AC blowing. One of the best ways to travel with your dog in the car is to keep him safe and secure in a kennel in the back. That way, he can’t cause an accident, and in the event of an accident he’s significantly more protected than if he were just roaming around the car. But, on long road trips it can get quite warm in the car, especially if the sun’s beating down. You can help your dog to be more comfortable with the K9 Portable fan. This fan clips to any crate, carrier, or kennel and gives your dog a nice, cool breeze. It runs on 2 Alkaline D batteries, on which it can operate for up to 100 hours. Since you don’t have to worry about power hook-ups, you can use this fan in any vehicle, any time. The K9 Portable Fan can definitely make your pooch more comfortable, but it is still not an excuse to leave your dog in the car unattended. No amount of blowing fans can provide relief in a closed-up car with the temperature climbing to over 100°.
Gettin Out in the Summer Sunshine
This is the absolute best time of year to take your pooch out to play. You can frolic together on the beach, go for a swim, hike in the nice, shady woods, or go adventuring on a boat. With all this fun to be had, it’s important to keep your pooch’s safety in mind so nothing ruins the good time.
When you’re out and about with your dog, especially if you’re getting a lot of exercise in the sunshine, you might want to think about outfitting your dog with a cooling jacket. The Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler is my favorite. It’s really comfortable and looks great on me, and I don’t even like wearing other clothes! I just know it keeps me cool and comfy, but they tell me it repels heat, uses evaporative cooling, and reflects sunlight to keep me safe from harmful UV rays. It has three layers—the top, air mesh layer generates evaporation and releases heat, the middle layer absorbs and stores cooling water, and the bottom layer cools your dog’s skin. Every outdoorsy dog deserves this awesome jacket.
You also have to make sure your dog stays hydrated in this blazing heat. One thing about us dogs is that we’re so gung ho to get out and play with you that we don’t let anything get us down, not even heatstroke. By the time we show you that we are too hot, we are already in the danger zone. Anytime you’re outside playing with your dog for extended amounts of time, make sure you take plenty of breaks for water. You can carry a portable water bowl, which is really handy because you can fold them up and put them in your pocket. Another way to make sure you always have dog accessible water is a Porta Le Bistro Waterer. This waterer is a dispenser and water bottle in one. The water pours out of the water bottle into a doggy-mouth-friendly well so your pooch can get the water he needs and you don’t have to search out a hose or other water source.
If your dog isn’t the best swimmer, if you’re about to take him out for his first time, or if you just like to do a lot of boating, you should consider a doggy life jacket. Our life jackets are specially made to help your dog float in a natural canine swimming position so he’ll be perfectly comfortable as he practices his doggy paddle. A life jacket will definitely offer you some extra peace of mind while you’re out on the water.
Hangin around at Home
Sometimes it’s just too hot to go out and play. In fact, sometimes it’s just too hot to do anything but lay around and try not to move at all. This time of the summer there are lots of days where luxuriating at home seems like only viable option. Help your dog stay cool while you’re both lounging around with a cooling bed. The Cosmo Cool Bed and the Summer Crate Bed are both made with comfy, breathable material that dissipates heat and draws it away from your resting dog’s body. They also have the added benefit of antimicrobial protection which keeps them from developing that gross dog bed smell
There is an anytime water solution for your outdoor dogs too. The Water Dog Auto Drinking Fountain senses your dog’s presence (up to 3 feet away) and automatically dispenses fresh water. It works with four C-Cell batteries and easily connects to any outdoor faucet. It even includes a flow-through connector that works with your garden hose. The Water Dog is fantastic because you don’t have to worry about your dog knocking his water over and having to go without when you’re away from the house.
Well everyone, here’s hoping you’re enjoying your summer as much as I am. Stay tuned for my next article on vacationing with your dog.
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