Dog tips for the summer

SUMMER IS HERE!

Just a few tips for the summer months to help you and your best friend get through any hot days we may get!

Whilst in the car,  please do not let your dog hang his head out of the window - he could be seriously hurt by insects getting into his eyes, by anything that could come off of the car in front, a branch from a tree that’s sticking out, or even suffer whiplash from a car or lorry going the other way.  You may think he’s enjoying it and getting lots of fresh air, but it’s you that’s going to have to pay for it.

Try not to walk your dog between the hours of eleven and three as they are the hottest hours.  Early in the morning and once the sun has gone down in the evening are the best times.

Try to keep him off the road as tar is very hot when it melts at high temperatures and the pads of a dog can burn very easily.

Don’t let your dog drink out of a bowl that’s been left outside a shop or someone's house.  Although it’s a very kind thought, the dog that had a drink from it previously could have kennel cough, or some other virus.  Also, the water could have been left out all night and been used by foxes or the local rat population.  If you are going to go for a walk, take a bottle of water with you and a collapsible water bowl.

If you're going on a car journey with your dog make sure you have plenty of water on board.  Fill a plastic bottle up to about three quarter's full and put it in the freezer the night before, then in the morning put it in the car and by the time you need it, it should be defrosted but still nice and cold for your dog.  Plan your journey and see if you can make it earlier or later instead of through the hottest hours.  Can you do the journey without the dog?  Would he be better off at home with someone coming in to check on him throughout the day?

Whatever you do, please do not leave your dog in the car on his own, even with a window open.  If you’re hot, then he’s four times hotter.

If your dog does get overheated, the golden rule is to lower his temperature as quickly and safely as possible.  This can be done by running a hose pipe of cold water over the dog mainly along the belly, under the back legs and along the inside of the ear flaps (making sure no water goes into the ears).  Get some ice cubes if you can and run them along the tongue of the dog and even in their mouth, but make sure they aren't swallowed.  Do not cover the dog with a wet cloth as this acts as a heat shield to the body and will make the dog even hotter.  All the time this is going on, the Vet should have been informed.  As soon as it is safe to move the dog, get him to the Vet as soon as you can.  Remember,  prevention is better than cure.

DRIVE SAFELY

Taking your dog out in the car can be a wonderful experience or a total disaster.  Here are a few tips to help.

With regard to puppies, ask your breeder if the puppy has ever been in a car.  If the answer is no, then ask if you can pick him up in the morning.  That way you have the morning to get back home and will have all afternoon and some of the evening for him to go out in your garden for all his toilet needs before it’s dark.

When you go to the breeder to choose your puppy, which will be before it is eight weeks old (usually about five to six weeks), take a clean, old t-shirt with you and ask the breeder if they will rub mum and siblings with this t-shirt and leave it there.  When it is time to pick up your puppy and bring him home, take a large box (puppy will feel safer in there than on your lap), line the bottom with paper and put in the t-shirt that the breeder has been rubbing over mum and the puppy's bothers and sisters.  Put the box in the back of the car either on the back seat or on the floor, and have someone sit there by the side of it whilst you drive home.  With puppy safely in the box and the smell of his mum and siblings with him, this should keep the puppy calm, and, hopefully, cut down the chances of sickness.

Get pup used to a cage in the back of your car as soon as you can.  This way he will feel safe and you will be safe - there has been many a car accident caused through dogs jumping around in cars.  Also, if an accident does happen, the dog could be very frightened and either guard you and therefore hinder anyone trying to help you, or he could jump out of the car when the door is opened and he’s gone.

For the older dog that is being car sick, it’s a different story.  Start by taking him on short runs,  taking him out for a lovely walk, then back to the car and home.  Dogs do everything by association, so by giving the dog a pleasurable experience at the end of the journey with a walk or a game of ball, the happier the dog will be about getting into the car the next time.  It may take some time, but you'll get there in the end.

Also, try not to get your dog to associate a car ride with a trip to the vets!  Even if you live in the countryside and have the most wonderful walks on your doorstep, it's worth taking them on trips in the car for other reasons than trips to the vet so that they don't make that association.  And remember never feed a dog or puppy before taking it out in the car.  If you have to feed, make sure it’s at least two hours before the car journey.

Any good vet would help you through this period if you ask.