Summer is the time to enjoy warm weather and the bright outdoors! And who can enjoy all of that better than a dog? But if you want your dog to be able to enjoy this summer and many more to come, then you’ll need to make sure to keep them safe. Here are some tips on How to Keep Your Dog Safe this Summer!
How to Keep Your Dog Safe this Summer
1. Watch the Temperatures
If you want to keep your dog safe this summer, then you need to be wary of high temperature days! Dogs, like humans, are susceptible to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. Dogs with heavy coats and/or short muzzles (Pugs, Pekingese, etc.) are even more susceptible to heat-related health issues. On top of that, dogs as a species are just silly. If they’re having fun, many dogs won’t stop their fun to drink water or lay in the shade. So watch your dog, and if they start panting heavily, bring them inside and make them drink water and cool down.
2. Use Preventatives
Summer is the season where your dog is most likely to be at danger from fleas, ticks, heartworms, and other parasites. Since you can’t keep every mosquito or flea-ridden squirrel away from your pet, to keep your dog safe this summer your best bet will be to make sure to give them their monthly flea, tick, and intestinal parasite preventatives. The alternative could be deadly, or at least expensive!
3. Check for Ticks
Even if your dog takes flea and tick prevention, you’ll want to check them for ticks. This is especially true if you have a heavily wooded backyard, or if you take your dog hiking. Luckily, checking your dog for ticks is easy. Just comb your fingers slowly through their fur, feeling close to the skin, making sure to check behind the ears, in-between toes, and under armpits.
4. Stay Away from Puddles
When it gets closer to late summer, you’ll want to make sure to steer your dog away from random puddles on the sidewalk or trail. Leptospirosis, a bacteria, may be lurking in the water. It is transferred via urine, meaning that if an infected wild animal urinated in the puddle, then the bacteria could be present. The bacteria could also travel in water flowing after a heavy rain or period of flooding. If your dog decides to drink from an infected puddle, then they could become infected, and possibly even infect you!
5. Keep an Eye Out for Loose Dogs
Summertime is when some people feel it’s okay to let their dogs roam the neighborhood freely, like outdoor cats. While this is unsafe for those dogs, it’s also unsafe for your own dog. If you’re walking your dog or have your dog on a tie-out in the front yard with you, be wary of any loose dogs that may wander by. You don’t know these dogs’ temperaments, and they may choose to attack your dog. If necessary, take your walk onto a different road, or put your dog inside until the threat has passed.
6. Check the Gate
Between working out in the yard and hosting parties, it’s easy to forget to shut the fence gate during the summer. But if you want to keep your dog safe this summer, you may want to become a little OCD about checking that the gate is shut and latched. Better safe than sorry! On top of that, ensure that your dog always wears their collar, and to be extra-safe, make sure they are wearing pet identification and get them microchipped.
What precautions do you take in the summer for your dog?
Mr. N has a lifejacket that he wears. He doesn’t like to get wet though so it’s more of a precaution than anything. Also I’ve been checking him for foxtails and ticks.
Great reminders. And the puddles, I’ve never really thought about that before. But here in Southern California we sadly don’t have many puddles since we don’t get rain a lot. But still good to know!
Great article and reminder, when out with Layla I always have water and bowl for her and make sure we are in places with shade 🙂
You have some great tips! We have Pawz for the boys paws so the concrete doesn’t burn them. We also make sure to carry extra water on all of our walks.
Great post on keeping your dog safe with this crazy summer heat we have been having here in AZ any new tips are always welcome.
Loose dogs are such a huge problem for us year-round. One of them is actually a good friend to the girls, but twice Cow has been attacked on walks. So scary, but she wasn’t injured, luckily. I carry a walking stick or pretend to throw gravel at any oncoming attackers. I never have to hit them, they just need to know not to mess with us!
Good reminders for Summer! This weekend we had friend’s over. One of them forgot to lock the back gate at the same time I let my Husky out into the yard. Thankfully I noticed it quickly, put her in a sit & quickly closed the gate. Crisis averted!
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Great recommendations. I never thought about avoiding puddles!
These are excellent suggestions for cats too! In the summer, I try to be very conscious of the temperature in my apartment even if I’m planning on going out. My cats stay there all day and I want them to be safe and comfortable. I also make sure I have plenty of water out for them so that they can stay hydrated.
Great tips! I usually try to avoid puddles because I don’t want to deal with wet dog afterward, but I never stopped to think about the bacteria looming in them. Thanks for the reminder. My only other tip would be to make sure not to leave your pets in the car during the warm weather. It’s been on the news so much lately, but it’s always good to remind everyone that a cracked open window does not make a hot car safe for pets.
So true!!!
These are all wonderful tips! Another one could be watching out for wildlife like snakes that come out in the summer. My mom’s dog was bit last week. Luckily it wasn’t poisonous!
i also give my girls the once over when coming back in to check for ticks and other things. some are so small, like the size of a pin head. my girls only go out in the early am and evening. they can go out on the covered deck which is big, if they like but not stay too long.
I know my Rusty is always tempted to drink from random puddles. He just loves his water so much. Great tips!