Dog and summer heat - how to protect your dog on hot summer days

Dog days - the term alone can sometimes bring drops of sweat to our foreheads. Dog days, that is a series of particularly hot days in the summer, and generally meant the period from July 23 to August 23. However, the name of these days has nothing to do with our four-legged friends. The name is derived from the constellation of the Great Dog (Canis Major), which gradually appears in the sky during this period and becomes visible as a complete entity after 30 days - if you know where the Great Dog is hiding in the firmament and possibly behind clouds. Already the old Romans knew the hot dog days, which were called with them nobly "Dies Caniculares".

During the heat, your dog has an increased need for water

However, for us dog owners, every day is a dog day, even if not a hot one. But when the sun really burns from the sky, we have to take care of our fur noses more than usual, so that they do not have to suffer from the heat. Each of us knows it: The dog needs fresh water! Always! But on hot summer days, it's even more important than usual that your faithful pal can drink whenever he feels like it. So: Better check the water bowl once more often and refill with cold water.

Cooling from below for your four-legged friend

Dogs can only cool down by panting. They have only a few sweat glands on the paws and nose. If the panting becomes more intense, it's a warning signal. Get the dog out of the sun and offer him a cool place in the shade or even on cool tiles or stone floors. Cooling mats and cooling pads on which your dog can lie down can also help. For on the road, so-called Aqua Coolkeeper are suitable. The jacket absorbs the body heat of the animal and releases it via an evaporation mechanism back to the outside. Your four-legged friend is cooled down directly and permanently. In no case put a wet cloth on the animal, because under it accumulates heat. Always cool from below!

Siesta para el perro - nap for your dog

Why all dogs are actually secret Spanish? Because they avoid the midday heat and prefer to take a siesta in the shade, the traditional Spanish midday nap. On dog days, it's best to go for walks in the morning or late evening. Go for short walks in the shade of the woods rather than in the open countryside, preferably by a stream or even a lake. And remember: Your dog does not wear shoes, avoid routes on hot cobblestones and asphalt roads.

Many dogs love the game with the water jet from the garden hose, again and again with run-up and pike in. Again, do not overdo it on hot days, because romping with a cold jet of water puts enormous strain on the heart and circulation of an overheated dog.

DIY dog ice

To cool from the inside can contribute homemade dog ice cream from yogurt or curd. You might think, but be careful: as with humans, ice-cold water or even ice cream puts additional strain on the digestive tract in the heat. Therefore, feed the delicious dog ice cream only in small quantities. We have summarized the tastiest dog ice cream recipes in our blog post "#wwrecipes - William Walker's DIY dog ice cream" for you. A natural rubber Kong filled with treats can be a cool down from the fridge for stomach-churning dogs, but it shouldn't come out of the freezer frozen.

And this probably doesn't need to be pointed out to any loving dog owner: Never leave your dog in the car on hot summer days!