11 Ways to Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer

Summer has finally hit where I live, but the temps have long been climbing in lots of places across the country. And with an average body temp of around 101 degrees... trust me, your dog is feeling it.

If you’ve got A/C, that’s awesome — your dog probably thinks so, too! If you aren’t ready to chill your whole house yet, you can close the vents in other rooms so that the A/C is only running where your dog spends most of their time. Make sure the vent nearest to your thermostat is also open, so you don’t mess up your system.

No A/C? No problem — that’s what life at my house is like! Here’s 11 things you can do to help keep your dog cool... and lots of these tips get two paws up from my own dog!

Create a cool environment inside

1. Get a cooling mat to refrigerate or freeze. If opting for the latter, wrap the mat in a blanket or towel so your dog doesn’t get freezer-burn. If you’re using this in their crate and your dog loves shredding blankets, place it underneath the crate tray.
2. Put a big bowl of ice cubes in front of a fan, so it blows cooler air on your dog’s crate or favorite place to rest.
3. Tile and stone are naturally cool materials! Replace their crate tray with a marble slab or ceramic tiles. If you don’t use a crate for your dog, you can make a “place” for them in their most common area of the house.
4. Speaking of fans — use them for cross-ventilation! Have one fan facing INWARD from north-facing windows, or the coolest, most shady side of your home. Place another facing OUTWARD at west-ward, sun-filled windows.
5. Keep blinds, curtains, and even the windows themselves closed during the hottest times of the day. When it cools off at night, open them back up for some fresh air!

Drinking and cronching and swimming, oh my!

6. Keep your dog’s water bowl fresh and cool! Change the bowls out a few times a day and add ice cubes on days where it’s particularly hot. Bowls, plural? Yup! Along with my dog’s main water bowl, I keep a bowl on our porch, one in the kitchen, and one in our backyard where she plays the most!
7. After I saw how much my dog loves to cronch on plain water ice cubes, I decided to look up DIY frozen treats. Broth is quick and easy in a pinch, and a frozen blend of berries and xylitol-free peanut butter has been my dog’s favorite.
8. Let your dog play in the water, too! If you don’t live near dog beaches on lakes or the ocean, get dog swimming pool for your backyard. You can set up sprinklers for your pal to paw at and run through, too!

And don’t forget these important tips!

9. Bring sun protection! If you don’t have umbrellas for trips to the beach or picnics in the park, you can get a UV shirt for your dog. Most of them you’ll find are lightweight, waterproof, and offer 40+ to 50+ SPF protection.

10. This chart doesn’t lie: concrete gets heckin’ HOT in the summer. We’ve begun taking our dog for walks earlier in the morning and later in the evening when the sidewalks are cooler. Still, you should run the “7 second test” with the back of your hand on the concrete to make sure the walk will be safe. For extra protection in the summer, I treat my dog’s paws with bag balm every couple days. In a pinch, a thin coat of Vaseline will work the same.
11. Lastly, and most importantly, never leave your dog alone in your car! Even the windows are cracked, and even if it’s just going to be a quick, 20-minute errand, the inside of a car can reach 100° in 70° weather. Make sure you’re aware of the laws in your area.

On days you feel like you can’t beat the heat, remember that it’s even more uncomfortable for your dog. All these tips are great on their own, but when you combine as many as possible you’ll have a dog who’s genuinely happy and cool!

This article was written to expound on our Summer Tips infographic we published on Facebook in June. If there’s something you do for your dog to keep them cool that you don’t see here, let us know. We love creating new content by connecting with our readers!