How to Help Keep Dogs Cool and Content During Summer

Forums: Dogs, Dogsicles, Pets
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I am looking for ideas to help keep my pooches happy and healthy during the hot summer months. There has been a recent heat wave where I live and my two girls are suffering. I can't afford a decent ac unit, though do have fans going non-stop throughout my house. Of course I make sure they have lots of fresh cool water, keep them out of the sun, limit their activity, and have put car rides on hold, but they still look so miserable Sad

My mutts and I would love to hear of any other ideas people may have. One idea I can contribute is to make "dogsicles". The recipe is adaptable, but I used ground beef hearts, liver, carrots, and beef broth - cooked a big batch and poured into popsicle moulds. My dogs love them.

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Type: Discussion • Score: 5 • Views: 1,466 • Replies: 3

[+3] - aidan - 07/13/2010I used to put a baby pool full of water out under the trees in my yard for my dog. That way, especially if I was going to be gone all day on a hot day, I knew he'd never run out of water (to...

@soozalooza,

but of course, take them swimming anywhere available.

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@soozalooza,

I also make "dogsicles" that I call "bonesicles", I use soup bones from the butcher and first boil them and then freeze them. They last a long time. You can also give them ice cubes to chew on and chase.

Dogs have lived for thousands of years in the hot climates of the middle east and asia, they have adapted and thrive. Don't be too concerned about hot weather, especially if they have shade and plenty of water. Fans don't do much for them because they don't have sweat glands. I agree that a good swim, or even a sprinkler, is a great way for them to cool off naturally. A/C just makes everyone more susceptible to feeling heat, so have no regrets about not having it.

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@Philis,

I used to put a baby pool full of water out under the trees in my yard for my dog. That way, especially if I was going to be gone all day on a hot day, I knew he'd never run out of water (to drink either). I also used to get him shaved for the summer.

He was a malamute/golden retriever mix and not bred for hot weather, so when we moved from Maine to North Carolina - he experienced quite a shock to his system and it took him a while to acclimatize. Hell, it took ME a while to acclimatize, and I wasn't covered with fur.

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How to Help Keep Dogs Cool and Content During Summer

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