Is your puppy have a hot pup summer? Here’s how to keep your best friend cool and safe all summer long!

Days are starting to warm up and we are all looking forward to some sunshine with our pup best friends! But hot weather can pose certain risks to your puppy’s well-being such as heat exhaustion, heatstroke, even paw pad burns if you are not prepared!

The number one thing to remember for hot weather safety for your puppy is prevention! Although our puppies love to spend their days with us in the sun, heatstroke is a serious health hazard that needs immediate attention. Unlike us, pups can’t sweat so they need to pant in order to exchange cool outside air and regulate their body temperature. Here are a few key things to remember around hot weather safety for your puppy to ensure they have a safe and fun-filled summer!

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1. Make Sure Your Puppy Stays Hydrated!

It’s a no-brainer, having plenty of water is a must on a summer day for humans and pups alike. So if you’re planning to take your puppy out for a walk in the town or a hike, make sure that you bring along fresh and cool water for your puppy as they can become easily dehydrated and need to replenish when it’s hot outside or humid indoors. But even if you aren’t going for an adventure, simply being outdoors in the yard, your puppy can become overheated and needs to easy access to water and shade in order to cool down!

2. Sidewalks, Streets, and Other Surfaces Can Become Extremely Hot!

Okay, not really but asphalt over the summer can sure feel like lava for puppies! Their paw pads are sensitive and can easily get burned on the hot surface over the summer or on hot temperature days. Also, being so close to the ground, it can actually cause your puppy to heat up quicker! If you regularly walk your puppy during the day, consider switching up the time to early morning before the temperature rises, or later in the evening when the sun has gone down and it’s a bit cooler out!

3. Know the Signs of Heatstroke

Puppies can overheat in a matter of minutes. There are several tells that you can look out for if you’ve been outside on a hot day with your puppy. Keep an eye out for excessive panting, difficulty breathing, drooling, mild weakness, increased heart, and respiratory rates. If you happen to notice any of these symptoms, get your puppy somewhere cool as soon as possible, and take your puppy to get veterinarian care.

Breeds like pugs or other flat-faced pups are more susceptible to heatstroke as they have a hard time panting and cannot regulate their body temperature as effectively.

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4. Never Leave Your Puppy in a Parked Car!

It’s unfortunate fact that in the past many dogs have lost their lives from simply being left in a parked car. We can’t stress enough, never leave your puppy alone in a parked car with the hot temperatures outside! The temperature inside a vehicle can increase to lethal heights that are dangerous for humans, too. It can lead to a fatal heatstroke and is also illegal in several states. Rolling down your windows simply won’t cut it. If you think that your errand may run long and you possibly can’t bring your puppy inside with you, it’s probably best to leave them at home with someone or drop them off at daycare if possible!

5. Backyard Safety

If you planned to have your puppy outside a lot during the summer, think about what you are using to care for your lawns. Opt for pet-friendly fertilizer and lawn care methods whenever possible, and remember to keep any potentially dangerous items like weed killers and pesticides securely stored out of reach from your puppy. These items can be harmful to your puppy if ingested! If you want to know more about hazardous indoor and outdoor plants and other household items, visit our useful resource with tips on poison prevention for your pup!

For those puppy owners with pools, not all puppies are great natural swimmers! Gradually introduce them to swimming and even consider getting them floaties, a vest, or floating mat. Never leave your young puppy around or in the pool unsupervised and make sure they know where and how to get out of the pool easily. Remember to give your puppy a good rinse after swimming to remove any chlorine or salt from their coat!

6. Outdoor Parties Safety at Home

As the days get warmer, so will the BBQs! Whether you are hosting a BBQ or attending, it’s important to remember that not all foods, alcoholic drinks, and snacks at BBQs are safe for puppies. Keep alcoholic drinks away from your pup and make sure to supervise your puppy around food. Pups can be sneaky and try to surf for scraps. Certain foods can be poisonous so take some time to check out our list of foods! If you do plan to have your puppy with you at a BBQ, you might want to consider keeping them in a playpen with plenty of water and in the shade.

7. Grooming Helps with Deshedding Over the Summer

A great way to make sure that your pup is ready to stay cool during the summer is a good fur trim! Shedding off some of that excess fur, especially for long hair breeds or breeds with thick winter undercoats, will help alleviate the heat. It’s okay to get your pup’s fur trimmed but never shaved as some layers of their fur actually help against exposure to the sun, prevent sunburn, and act as an insulator to help regulate your pup's body temperature.

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8. Keep Your Puppy Safe Indoors at Home

When in doubt leave your puppy at home! With proper supervision of course! Even if you really want them to tag along for a quick shopping errand or to go to a friend's backyard party, if you’re not 100% sure that you can’t provide your puppy with the proper hot weather safety, it’s best to leave them cool and comfy at home!

Check out these related blogs on puppy training and more!

Puppyhood Made Easy for New Owners: Socializing Your Puppy to Dogs and People!

Puppyhood Made Easy for New Owners: Grooming Essentials!

Puppyhood Made Easy for New Owners: Grooming Basics for Puppies!