Summertime Tips to Keep Pooch Happy
Summertime is here and with it comes vacations, sunny days, and lots of activity. Trixie and Agatha want to remind you to be mindful of temps this summer. They also want to remind you to make sure your dog looks fashionable.
Some summertime tips to keep pooch happy & safe:
1. Avoid pavement or asphalt.
These surfaces can be painful for your dog to walk on and burn their paws. Stick to dirt or grass whenever possible. Prolonged exposure to asphalt and granite can cause blisters to form on the dog’s pads.
“Try to keep the dog off of asphalt as much as possible,” Veazie Veterinary Clinic‘s Dr. David Cloutier said, “It’s like running barefoot on pavement. It would probably burn.”
2. Pack water & travel water bowls.
If on a long walk or out on the town, bring water and a travel bowl with you.
3. Avoid the midday sun.
Ever remember being told as a child to avoid the sun between 12 and 2 pm? The same applies to a dog. The sun is at its highest during those hours. It can wreak havoc. Instead, go for excursions after 3-4 pm.
4. Don’t leave your dog alone in the car.
It is dangerous for pets to be left in a car, even for a few minutes. According to RedRover, a Stanford University study showed that on a day where the temperature was 72 degrees outside, the internal temperature of a car climbed to 116 degrees in just one hour.
Similar studies show that cracking a window has little bearing on cooling down the car. Similarly, don’t leave children in a car on a hot day. Don’t believe me? Think, it’ll be okay for just a few minutes? Check out these temp charts. Yikes!
There’s an awesome website that outlines all of the things you need to know about keeping your dog cool called www.mydogiscool.com. Check out the site. Make the pledge that you’ll have a “cool” dog this summertime!
