Summer is here  and we are starting to feel the heat.  During the summer, we love to take our dogs with us whether it’s to the park, beach or just for a drive. Remember that dogs don’t do well in hot weather. Even though sometimes they are better off at home in the cool air conditioning, sometimes this is not practical.

Here are a few things to remember. Dogs build up heat as a function of volume and lose it as a function of surface area. (What’s all this jibberish?) This means that larger dogs with rounder bodies have less surface area for their size and build up heat faster. Dogs lose heat through their nasal passages and their tongue. They don’t sweat. Dogs with flat faces are less able to lose heat. The bigger the dog and the flatter their face is, means that they are more prone to over heating. Overweight and older dogs are even at greater risk.

Fur coats does block the suns rays but it also prevents heat from escaping. Don’t shave your dog in an effort to keep him cooler. He will then be more vulnerable to sunburn which will cause more problems.

Don’t exercise your dog when it’s warm and never keep him in a parked car. We spoke about this many times. He could die in a matter of minutes. As the warmer weather approaches, keep these things in mind and have a great summer with your dog. Give him a few dog treats for me!

Remember, your pets count!

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