Permanent Fur Coats

Do you notice the four beautiful canines in the profile pic?  Do you notice what they have in common?  What all four dogs have in common are that they all have fur coats and they all have their tongues hanging out.  What does this mean to you non-canines who may be reading this blog?  This means that we were in a situation where we were trying to cool down.

Depending on the breed and type of canine, we can get very hot very quickly.  With thick fur coats that cannot be removed (maybe shaved/trimmed down, but not removed) coupled with the fact that dogs have a higher normal body temperature, the need to cool off may arise at a much faster pace than our human counterparts.  Our tongues hang out because that is how we sweat/cool down instead of through the skin like human beings cool their bodies.

Why is bringing up our body temperature/cooling techniques important today?  Because depending on where you reside, the temperature may be steadily increasing to the point of where it becomes uncomfortable for a canine.  Whether it's running, walking, working, or just sitting around the house, temperatures over 75 degrees can make life for a dog a little hot around their collar.  If the dog has a dark/black coat (such as Desi and Rocky), the sun attracts more heat to the dog's coat, causing body temperatures to rise.

How can you fix this as responsible dog owners?  The answer is simple.  Just make sure you leave fresh water out for your dog at all times, whether it's in the house or outside in a shaded area.  If your dog stays outside for an extended period of time, make sure they have plenty of shade to rest and relax under.  If you're really looking to please your dog, you can cool them off before/during/after long walks by pouring water on their coats (our owners turn on the outside faucet and use running water to cool us off....just don't turn the sprayer on 'full' or 'high' or 'blast' because that scares us....'mist' or 'shower' works just fine).

A few other treats for your dog during hot days include ice cubes (some dogs really love them, some dogs hate them) as well as Frosty Paws frozen dogs treats (we've never seen a dog who didn't like these treats!)

All of these options are fine choices and no matter how you choose to cool your dog down, just do something to make sure they stay cool.  Your dog will be thankful and will really think that it's 'cool' that you're such a great owner for watching out for them!