Today I’m sharing some tips about keeping your pup hydrated this summer. Just like humans, the summer heat can make us really thirsty but there are things to think about when giving your dog water.
If the weather is going to be really hot and or humid, do your walking in the early morning or later in the evening. A lot of us dogs are shorter than humans and that makes us closer to the ground. All that heat from the ground and asphalt hits out body pretty hard and hot. Don’t expect your dog to be out in the heat exercising just because you are.
Keep an eye on your dog if she is doing sports or playing. Like small humans, we may play and play and not want to take the time to stop and get water, or water may not be available. Limit outdoor playtime and sports in the heat. Like walking, early morning, evenings, or shaded yards are the best bets.
There are some things to consider when giving your dog water:
- Make sure and clean the water bowl every time you fill it. Bacteria can quickly develop and grow in the heat. Even dogs appreciate a clean bowl, especially in a multi dog home.
- If you are keeping your pup hydrated while outdoors, remember to not use a metal bowl. The metal will get hot pretty fast and it will heat the water.
- Water doesn’t have to be cold, temperate water is just fine for us pups.
- Monitor how much water your dog is drinking. Just as we can develop bloat from eating too much and getting wild, the same applies to a belly full of water.
- One way to get your pup more fluid is to add water to their food, making a gravy like dish at mealtime.
What are some signs of dehydration:
- Throwing up
- Excessive panting
- Lack of energy
- Dry gums and nose
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
Summertime heat and humidity are hard on us furry ones, but if you keep us hydrated, safely, we will be fine and can enjoy some outdoor time each day despite the weather.
We are joining our friends at Living Laughing and Barking in Our Backyard is for their Nature Friday blog hop.
We walk around 7am every morning and find that’s the coolest time of the day for us. Mom is always checking and refilling my water dish. My dishes get washed twice a day and they have my name on them and they’re ceramic!
Stay cool in this awful heat!
The real heat is moving in today for about five days and it will be humid too. We are not looking forward to it, but are thankful for A/C. Stay cool!
All good advice. I give clover watermelon and cucumbers. Filled with water and she does not like to drink
Those are good watery things to eat. We all like to drink water, except in the car, there we pretty much refuse. Mom brings water from home, but we are not interested.
What excellent tips for keeping hydrated. Everybuddy love fresh cool refreshing water.
Lately I’m enjoing Bubly (sparkling water) strawberry flavored.
Hugs
Cecilia
Mom bought some Bubly but she doesn’t like it. She’s a plain, out of the tap kind of water girl.
Those are all excellent tips and it’s way to hot here!
It’s heating up here now, so we are drinking more water.
You doggies look very cool ~ informative post about taking care of our fur persons in the warm weather ~ great photos too ~ hugs,
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
People don’t always think about all the things that go along with water.
What’s “summer heat”????
Here in Scotland we had a high of 50F, plus rain and 18 mph winds yesterday.
But Gail says this is all excellent advice should she ever decide to take me somewhere warmer…
Happy Friday.
Toodle-oo!
Nobby.
It was cool here for our summer until now. It is a heatwave with temps close to 100F coming this weekend. We don’t like it, Mom doesn’t like it, but we can’t change it.
What great tips. Mama sets a timer when she let’s me out, because I would stay out in the sun all day long if she let me and Mama says that isn’t smart, especially for a dark haired girl like me
Sunny is more of an “inside in the A/C” girl.
xoxo,
Rosy
Nelson has started laying on a/c vents, LOL! Madison likes to lay in the sun until she is almost dead at which point Mom makes her come inside.
We have had super hot days here, and we have a couple of water bowls around the house. Sometimes we get ice in the one in the kitchen.
Keep cool in this awful heat!
We don’t like to chew on ice or have it in our bowls. Plain water for us is perfect.
Very timely advice!
Yep, our heatwave has arrived.
We all need to watch our hydration levels. Great advice!
We drink lots of water here, Mom loves plain water too.
We’re right there with you. Today it was 102ºF and we saw some bonehead walking their mostly black dog at noon. What the dawg?! 😵💫 People like that don’t deserve to have a dog.
We walk and run as much in the summer as other times of the year, but we are always done by 8am and we take short walks after 5. Some people just don’t get it.