How to keep your dog healthy during summer

Summer is a really important season to focus on when it comes to your dog's health. Not only is the heat often too much for our furry friends, but there are other things like fleas and fitness to consider too. Aside from the obvious tips for keeping your dog safe in summer, the following tips are to help you ensure your dog is healthy and ha[[y during the warmer summer months. 

Fighting Fleas

Fleas are small, fast-moving creatures that like to nestle into dogs hair and lay their eggs. They are often more active during the summer months, due to the warmer climate, so it’s really important to be aware of this before summer properly sets in. Fleas aren’t just a risk to your dog, but once in the home they can cling to furniture, soft fabrics and even irritate humans, so you don’t want to risk them making a move into the house. To prevent and fight the fleas, you need to invest in the right flea treatments to treat your dog. Take a look at this useful guide from Petwell to find out the facts about fleas, how to tackle them and how to avoid them! 

Time for a Trim

During the summer-long hair can get a little irritating, but luckily for us humans, we can sweep our hair back when it gets too much. Our playful pooches, on the other hand, can’t control their fur, so the longer it is during the summer the more they’re going to suffer. The best thing to do is to get in touch with your groomer and book your dog in for a trim in advance. Don’t leave it until the summer hits, as you don't know how booked up they may be, try to get their trim done during the spring to ensure they’re cool and feel lighter for the hot weather. If you’re not sure which groomer to use, you can look on Yell to find local groomers to give a call. 

Staying Hydrated

Just like humans, dogs need lots and lots of water to stay hydrated. To avoid heatstroke, you need to ensure your dog has access to water at all times. If you’re planning on heading out for a nice family walk, then invest in a dog water bottle to make sure they can have a drink throughout the walk. If you stop off at the local pub, ask them for a bowl of water, as these are the best times for your dog to refresh and hydrate. Another thing to keep in mind is to only walk your dog when the temperature is lower, so often morning and evening walks are best during those hotter summer days. 

A Fully Belly

Your dog may be experiencing more exercise during the summer due to the nice weather, meaning longer walks, longer playtime and so on. This will result in your dog burning more energy and therefore they require a little more to eat than normal. If you take your dog on a long walk during the summer, be sure to pack plenty of treats and nibbles for them to snack on during the trip, as this will help to keep their energy levels up. Similarly, you want to ensure they’re eating and drinking enough at mealtimes too, as they need the energy to stay active on the hotter days.