Warm weather means outdoor exercising but, for pet lovers who want to bring their pet along, knowledge and diligence about keeping your furry friend safe are of paramount importance. In order to ensure safe exercise and fun for both owner and pooch, Heidi Ganahl, CEO and Founder of Camp Bow Wow, North America’s fastest growing pet care franchise, has put together a series of pet safety tips for ensuring a great time this summer.
Warm Weather Pet Safety Tips from Camp Bow Wow
Pets Need Sunscreen
Just like humans, cats and dogs can get sunburned, especially if they have light-colored fur or hair. Animal sunburns can cause the same problems as those of humans: peeling, redness and even cancer. As skin cancer in pets is a serious concern, purchasing pet-friendly sun screen can go a long way in protecting the health of your pet when the heat kicks in. Places that are easy to forget, but prone to burning are: inside the nostrils, tip of nose, around your dog’s lips and the inside of ears for dogs with standup ears.
Summer Style
Giving your dog a lightweight summer haircut helps prevent overheating. Shave down to a one-inch length, but never to the skin, so your pet still has some protection from the sun. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. (Ed. Note: Some breeds should not be shaved down. My Sophie, a Coton de Tulear is a case in point. Dr. Robert Russell, a natural scientist who introduced the Coton de Tulear to the U.S. from Madagascar says that the Coton has long oil free hair to protect it from the sun. While the hair shaft at the tip of the hair may become warm, the length of the cottony hair protects the skin from becoming warm. Therefore, Dr. Russell does not recommend shaving a Coton.)
Pets Need Extra Water – but don’t let them drink just anything
Give your pet extra water during the summer, but be sure not to leave the water out for too long. Change the water often to prevent your pet from getting sick from bacteria that can grow in hot water. Also, when pets are thirsty, they are bound to drink something they shouldn’t. Puddles of what may look like water on the ground can be mistaken for dangerous chemicals, so keep an eye out when your pet is looking for something to sip on.
Make a Safe Splash
Buy a kiddie or dog swimming pool and fill it with water for your pet. But, do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool – not all pets are good swimmers. Introduce your pet to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. To remove chlorine or salt from the fur, rinse your pet after swimming. Be sure to also keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.
Pets at Outdoor Summer Events
Warm temperatures and outdoor fun go hand-in-hand, but when the temperatures hit record highs, refrain from taking your pet to crowded summer events like concerts or fairs. The loud noises and crowds, combined with the heat, can be stressful and dangerous for pets.
Exercising in the Heat
Pets need exercise even when it is hot, but show extra care to older and overweight pets that are more at risk from high temperatures. Limiting exercise to early morning or evening hours can help. Extra caution should also be taken with short-nosed dogs, and those with thick coats.
Watch for Heatstroke
Dogs can develop heatstroke fairly quickly. Signs of this include excessive panting, staring, anxious facial expressions, warm skin, refusal to obey commands by owner, vomiting, collapse and rapid heartbeat. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from this, lower the animal’s body temperature by applying towels soaked in cool water to the hairless areas of the body. Often the pet will respond after just a few minutes of cooling, only to falter again with his temperature soaring back up or falling to well below what is normal. If this happens, take the dog to the vet immediately – don’t try to solve this yourself.
Tips for Smart Exercising with Pets in the Summer Heat
Walking: Walking is a simple yet beneficial practice for both humans and pets alike. When walking with your pet, try to stay on dirt or grass paths, as too much walking or running on concrete can stress joints and irritate your dog’s foot pads. In warmer temperatures, concrete emanates heat which can increase the body temperature of your pet relatively quickly. Under these conditions, be sure to keep Fido properly hydrated.
Jogging: Jogging is a great form of exercise, but not all dogs are built to jog. If you want to jog with your pet, choose a breed that is suited to distance-running. Your jog with Fido should include five minutes of warm-up, 20 minutes of jogging, and five minutes of cool-down. During the summer, avoid jogging during the hottest times of the day and stop if your dog is lagging behind you. (See running safety tips below).
Swimming: Another good, low stress option for exercise is swimming – it’s a great way to get you and your pup’s body in motion while staying cool in the summer heat. However, safety is a concern here as not all dogs are great swimmers. Even those that are can easily overexert themselves. Be sure to keep an eye out for fatigue at all times. You may also want to consider having your pet wear a doggie life vest.
Frisbee: A game of Frisbee provides a classic canine workout and some outdoor fun for both you and your pup. You can play a game in your own yard or join a “Disc Dog” team. Participating in competitions may give you and your dog greater motivation to practice regularly.
Hiking: If your residence or community offers hiking, take advantage and bring Fido along. Most dogs love to explore the outdoors. Like walking, you’ll need to maintain a brisk enough pace to elevate your and your pet’s heart rate. As always, be sure to keep you and your pet properly hydrated, especially during extended excursions.
Senior Pets: Consider the age of your pet when developing an exercise routine. Senior dogs in particular need adequate exercise, but adjust his or her routine to their abilities. A mere 15 minutes of massaging and stretching every day will raise your dog’s sense of well being. Jogging with your dog may not be appropriate if he or she is arthritic, but swimming and other low-impact activities are great for dogs with joint pain.
Safety Tips for Running with Fido in Summer
Start Slow – If Fido has never been out for a run with you, don’t expect him to be up for a marathon. Start with a combination of running and walking for a short time until you notice that his endurance is increasing. Just as humans are, dogs are susceptible to stress fractures and heat stroke. Dogs’ growth plates are not fully formed until 18 months old, so you should speak with their veterinarian before running with your dog if they are younger than 18 months.
Be Mindful of the Weather – You know how torturous it can be to run on a brutally hot day with high humidity so don’t subject Fido to that as well. Dogs can overheat very quickly which can cause heat stroke. If you absolutely must run that day, go during the early morning hours, between 5 AM and 8 AM, before the sun becomes scorching hot or leave Fido at home.
Wear Proper Accessories – As mentioned before, it’s wise to run during the cooler hours but this often means running before the sun comes up or after it has gone down. If running in the dark, be sure that you and Fido accessorize with some reflective gear so that you are visible to traffic.
Watch Out for Fido’s Feet – Pavement and asphalt get incredibly hot on summer days and can quickly burn your pup’s feet. Gravel can be dangerous as well, as it can puncture Fido’s paws. To be safe, only take Fido running on dirt trails, grass, or sand. Stop periodically during your run to check his paws for burns or cuts.
Hydrate – Make sure Fido has had a chance to drink water and hydrate before you take him out on a run. If you’re going first thing in the morning, wait until he’s had a bowl or two of water. Take a product like a Handi Drink so you can stop and give your pup some water throughout your run.
Keep a Watchful Eye – Dogs are people pleasers and if you want to keep running, dogs will often work to keep up even if they may be in pain. Be sure to check on your dog and make sure he doesn’t look like he’s in pain or suffering from heat exhaustion.
Eating Before or After Running – Make sure that your dog does not eat one hour before or after running. Some dogs are susceptible to bloat and eating too close to exercising can be extremely dangerous.
Use a Specially Formulated Sunscreen
Pool Safety for Your Pup
Make Sure There is Always a Way Out of the Pool for Your Pet. If the stairs are inconvenient or hard for your pet to maneuver, think about installing floating ramps or “doggy ramps” on the stairs for your pet’s safe exit from the water.
NEVER Let Your Dog Drink From the Pool. The chlorine and chemicals can make your pet sick. Always keep a clean bowl of fresh water for their enjoyment nearby.
Install a Barrier Around Your Pool. Self closing and locking gates are best so the area is locked at all times when nobody is around to ensure your pet is safe near the pool.
Get a Pet Life Jacket for all activity in any open body of water for your pet. Just like with people, it’s easy for a dog to develop a cramp in a leg, become exhausted too far from shore, or in the case of rivers or oceans, overwhelmed by tides.
Always give your pet a rinse post-swim to remove chlorine and other pool chemicals, as well as bacteria or dirt he might get on him from a pond or lake. Don’t let your dog sit in a wet collar as hot spots can develop as well.
Do Your Research. While most dogs enjoy the water, some breeds have physical limitations that inhibit them from swimming; others just simply don’t enjoy the water. Read up on your breed and evaluate how your personal pet does with pools and bodies of water.
Install an Alarm. Pool alarms are convenient for all pool safety for pups and humans. Collar alarms are specifically for the pet and pool alarms are made to warn you that the water has been disturbed.
Do Not Force a Dog into Water. Many people playfully toss their dog into the water but do not realize that this can be dangerous and a traumatic experience for the dog.
Be sure to get your dog a Giardia vaccination if they will be swimming in lakes and/or rivers to prevent infections.
My Own Pet Safety Tips
Never leave your pet unattended outside. Besides the above safety concerns, the great outdoors is fraught with dangers for your dog or cat. Wildlife, traffic, pop up storms and yes, as much as we hate to think about it, some people can harm your beloved furry friend.
Don’t Let Your Pet Walk on Other People’s Lawns: Your neighbors’ lawns may have recently been treated with insecticides, fertilizers, weed killers and other chemicals. These are toxic to pets (and wildlife – and you!) Always supervise your pet when out for a walk or during any outdoor activity to watch that he doesn’t decide to sample the greenery.
Don’t Let Your Dog Hang Out of the Window of a Moving Vehicle: Horror stories abound. If your pup loves to feel the wind in his fur, crack the window just enough for him to sniff the wind but still be 100 percent contained within the confines of your car. And don’t allow your dog to sit, untethered, in the back of a pick up truck.
Use Pet Restraints When Driving with your Pet in the Car. For their own safety, cats should be confined in carriers. Dogs should be in carriers or restrained with special seat belts, or pet safety seats.
Have your pets spayed or neutered. If everyone did that, there would be many fewer strays on the streets and in animal shelters.
About Camp Bow Wow
Camp Bow Wow® provides a fun, safe and upscale environment for dogs to play, romp and receive lots of love and attention. Camp Bow Wow provides Doggy Day Camp for clients wishing to drop their dogs off in the morning and pick them up in the evening, as well as overnight boarding for travelers. Overnight Campers play in the Day Camp program during the day and have their own individual cabins at night. Some of our Camps also offer a variety of other services including grooming, training, and an assortment of retail items. To find a Camp Bow Wow near you, visit the website.
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