How to Keep Your Dog Safe this Summer

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 when your dog is most likely to be in 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 the armpits.

4. Stay Away from Puddles

When it gets closer to late summer, you’ll want 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 the bacteria could be present if an infected wild animal urinated in the puddle.

The bacteria could also travel in water flowing after heavy rain or a 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?