It’s all fun and games until temps start reaching ‘yikes’ and the summer heat pushes everyone inside with the air conditioning. While relaxing inside is great for you, your pup will be missing out on their energy release and may start to take that out on the inside of the house (rut-roh). Allowing your dog outside time and their exercise is so important to their growth mentally and physically, which is why we want to give you some tips on how to keep it cool even on the hottest of days. Check out five ways to keep your dog (and you) active even during the heat of summer!

1. Become an early bird or a night owl. Staying active in the summer can be hard for you, but keeping your dog active in the summer with you can be trickier. Since the sun is at its highest in the middle of the day, try taking your dog for some exercise early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun isn’t so high up in the sky. This gives you and your pup a little break from the intense heat and your dog will thank you for the slightly cooler temperatures while they can get their play on.

2. Include water play into your activities. Keep your dog active but cool by finding a creek, river, lake or kiddie pool for them to play around in -always with your supervision of course! Play a game of fetch with a ball or toss around a frisbee with your dog in the water to keep them moving and playing. If you go the kiddie pool route, grab some water toys your dog might love and toss them into the pool with them for some splashing fun. You can even play with the hose or grab a sprinkler to let your dog run around in the backyard for some extra water play on those hot days. If you can find a partly shaded walking route that goes by water, you can take a pit stop and let your dog have some fun in the water before continuing on with your walk. If your dog is great at staying with you, you could always try kayaking or canoeing with them to keep them by water for a cooler activity. Just remember to always keep an eye on your dog in and around bodies of water and never leave them alone.

3. Take to the trees for a shady hike: Hiking is a great source of exercise for your pup, so try to find a shady spot for you and your dog to hike under the leaves of trees. Forest trails are a great way to hide from the sun, plus the dirt trails stay cooler, making the hike better on your pup’s paws so they won’t get scorched by the sun. Lancaster County Central Park, Conestoga Greenway Trail and Noel Dorwart Park are some of our favorite pet friendly trails to take when it comes to the outdoors. Remember to always check you and your dog for ticks after hiking in a wooded area. 

4. Wet their bellies and paws to keep them cool. If your only option is to exercise when it’s hot, the belly and paws are great areas to dampen because they are more effective at keeping your dog cooler. Bring along a wet, frozen cloth or a bottle of water as well to keep your dog hydrated and cooler while being out in the sun. You should also bring a lot of extra water for you and your dog - if you need a water break, so does your pup. Another way to keep your pup cool if you have to go out into the heat are cooling bandanas, scarves and vests that will help beat heat stroke. You can check some out on Amazon, Petco and Chewy!  Remember, if you need to be out in the sun you should limit your dog’s time so they don’t get overheated.

5. Go for a walk in an air-conditioned store. A great way to get your dog out of the house on a hot day (without being in the heat) is to take a little field trip and find a store that is pet-friendly for you to walk around. The sights, smells and sounds will help to tire your dog out physically and mentally, plus the car ride itself will get your pup hyped up for what to come, dispensing some energy too! Check out some of our local favorite pet friendly stores: Gus and Ruby’s Pet Outfitters, Home Depot, Woof ‘n Tails, Pet Supplies Plus, That Fish Place and Bassett and Lab.

Although your dog’s exercise is paw-sitively important to their health, you should always be observant of your dog while outside on hot days and know when it’s time to take a break in the air conditioning. Always carry lots of water on you when you take your dog outside on a particularly hot day and be aware of how hot surfaces are for their paws! 

If you’re finding yourself shaking your head while looking out the window during the summer because the thought of walking your dog isn’t appealing - you’re in luck! Going Mutts Pet Services is here for you and your pup this summer with daily dog walking that you don’t have to do yourself - let one of our paw-sitively paw-some dog walkers give your dog the walk they need during the summer. The summer heat and sun won’t stop us and we take extra care to make sure our furry friends are comfortable and shaded as much as possible while walking in the summer months. Check out our website and drop us an email to set up a no-obligation Meet ‘n Greet to see how we can help with your pet care needs!

Sources:

https://www.thewildest.com/dog-lifestyle/summer-dog-exercise-six-ways-keep-fido-cool-and-happy