How do you keep your dog cool during summer?

[Kimmikins]

Dogs don't sweat or keep cool the way humans do; they cool down by panting and lose heat through their tummies and feet. Also, did you know that shaving a dog for the summer doesn't necessarily mean keeping them cool? A lot of breeds have coats that, while they look thick and "warm", actually adapt to keep them cool in warm weather?

Laying down a damp, cooling towel gives them somewhere to lay down and lose some of that heat through their tummy. I know that when it's warm, Scrumpy often avoids being in the lounge (carpeted) for too long and will tend to chill out in the hallway or kitchen, which are tiled...if you've got underfloor heating like we have remember to turn it off for the summer!

We also make doggy ice cubes out of chicken or vegetable stock, and add bits of apple, chicken, ham etc. for them to nibble at - keeps them cool and they think it's a yummy treat! A frozen Kong filled with yoghurt, mashed up banana or frozen stock also makes a great cooling treat.

[Jordan]

Domino hates it when i banish him to the shady side of the garden when were sitting out. Hes always at my feet no matter where we are. He gets soo hot but refuses to go in the shade unless i do too! He does like an ice cream when i have one.

[Kimmikins]

I'd forgotten about ice cream! Both Sara and SJ love it when we go to the beach, because they get to finish off our ice creams

[Adrianne]

I love snapping the bottom off a cornet and scooping in some ice cream - make a tiny little con all of there own...but then it drips through the hole in the bottom in your own!

[Kimmikins]

We tend to eat the ice cream until there's the little bit left at the bottom with ice cream in it. That way we don't have drippy ice cream and the goggies get their own little bit at the end.

[Kimmikins]

Another thing to remember is to heck the temperature before you go for a walk - feel the pavement with your hand. If it's too warm for your hand, it's too warm for their feet! Just think how uncomfortable it is when you have to try and fly over really hot sand in bare feet. We tend to leave walking until later in the evening when it's as warm as it has been. If we have to go (out in the evening for example) then we keep it short and sweet and make sure to go a route that has lots of grass for them to walk on.

Last week Sara went 2 days without a walk because it was still too hot really late in the evening - Tim came home from work at 3am and tried to take her for one and she was having none of it! She was perfectly content to carry on snoozing, and refused to even acknowledge his daft walks idea

[Adrianne]

My tip for keeping cool in the summer - move to Scotland!

[Kimmikins]

I was in Prestwick over the weekend and made the foolish error of thinking I'd only need a light jacket. Apparently the weather had been fine until I rocked up, when the wind and rain came to say hello!

[Adrianne]

ah, the great Scottish Summer! it was a tad breezy over the weekend.!