How to Safely Jog With Your Dog in the Summer Heat?
Just like with human beings, the prevalence of obesity is increasing in the dog world as well. A routine jog with your dog is essential for your canine pal not only to relieve their bladder and bowel but also to provide them with exercise to combat weight gain and keep them healthy, and it also provides them with essential mental stimulation by relieving their stress. Exercising with your dog, known as man’s best friend, is a great way to create a bond and stay active with your dog. Your dog can be your best workout partner.
They never complain about how long or short the run is, about the weather, that they are tired, or any other complaints like a human companion; they are ready to go any time of the day and will run as long as they are with you.
Since summer is just around the corner and the temperature will rise significantly, you may have to make certain adjustments in the ways of providing care for keeping dogs cool in the summer. Your pet will stay safe and comfortable in the hottest season of the year. Our animals aren’t necessarily as well equipped as us to deal with the rising temperature; not changing the way of caring when the temperature changes drastically might put their health or even life at risk.
Dogs are the most lovable and obedient creatures; they will be by your side at all times of the jog and might show their displeasure when you are not around while stopping to have a chat with someone. The energy of your pet will always encourage you and won’t let you skip the jog.
He might be the best companion to navigate the world of canine exercise during the summer, but you just need to be careful when you take the dog for a jog during summer. Fortunately, there are few things that can be taken care of to reduce the risk associated with heat. Below are the top ways to keep your dog cool in the summer.
Safely Jog With Your Dog
1. Plan your walk times carefully: Since the temperature is at its peak during the middle and later part of the day, you must always schedule your jog for the early morning or late evening when it’s comparatively more relaxed as excess heat might be very harsh for your pet, it might burn them down. Jogging during these times might also mean that the ground will get enough time to cool down; hence, it is now comfortable for your pets. You know that dogs are obedient until death and will never even complain of anything; they just keep walking to accompany you until the drop.
Hence, it is your responsibility to take care of them, which can be done by selecting the most suitable time period when they will be comfortable and keep looking at them during the entire jog.
2. Check the ground temperature before you go: Before heading outside, you must test the ground temperature with the back of your hand. If you are not able to hold your hand still on the ground for five seconds, it is too hot for your canine pals to place their paws on it and might burn them down. So you must wait for the ground to cool before heading out for a jog, or instead, you can make your pet run on the treadmill, which will protect them from harsh weather and maintain their health.
3. Adjust your walking routine: You must adjust your walking routine in terms of how far and where you walk. The sidewalks are made of cement, which gets heated too fast and becomes really hot. Hence, be very careful of the sidewalks and always ensure that it’s cool as hot sidewalks might burn down the paw pads of your dogs in the summer heat, and there is not even a proper solution to it. You would never want to see your pet in that devastating situation, so it is better to keep your dogs away from the sidewalks by sticking to a shaded area or grass.
When it’s scorching hot, you must reduce the intensity of exercise and stick to shorter walks with less intensity. Also, allow them to rest for some time after every 10 minutes of the walk so that their paw pads cool down.
4. Go well equipped: If you are walking some far, you must take some provisions with you, which includes a water bottle and pet bandanna. Since it’s very warm, your pet might get dehydrated too easily, so packing a bottle of fresh, cold water might help, as you can offer your dog a drink at regular intervals.
A pet bandanna is also an excellent option for a quick cool down and might provide some comfort to your dogs during the summer; hence, you must prefer using it and soaking it in cold water just before hitting the road and keep soaking it again and again whenever it gets hot dog during the jog.
5. Look for signs of overheating and heat stroke: Though your pet won’t say anything and won’t ever stop running, they might exhibit some signs of overheating or heat stroke. So, you must look for those signs, which include increased panting, fast heart rate, increased drooling, lethargy, and lagging behind. If any of these signs are evident, give your pet a rest and call your veterinarian right away.
6. Don’t forget to check your dog’s paw pad after you complete the jog with your dog in order to ensure that no cuts or sores have developed.
7. Weather conditions are generally handled by different breeds of dogs in a different manner. Breeds with short noses are going to experience a hard time breathing in the heat, whereas breeds with thicker coats of hair are going to experience faster heating. So, you must understand the limitations of your dog very well.
8. Is it too hot to jog my dog? When you should take your pet for a jog is one of the many considerations that you need to make during the summer. You can always take your canine pal for a jog up to the temperature of 68 F; anything above 77 F can be hazardous for them as dogs are much more vulnerable to heatstroke and might develop one even at temperatures as low as 70 F. Whether or not you should take your dog out is not only dependent on temperature but also on humidity and breeze.
You must note that the heat tolerance levels of different breeds and dogs of different sizes are different. You must keep an eye on large, obese, flat-faced, young dogs and those with any health problems at temperatures of 68 F and above.
For more tips on walking your dog during the summer and ways to keep your dog cool in the summer, feel free to get in touch with our expert veterinary team at pawnanny.com, one of the outstanding pet care services. We would be happy to help.
