Who doesn’t love summer? The warmer weather, longer days and just that happy, friendly atmosphere are hard not to love. Do you know who else loves summer? Your cockapoo, that’s who. As great as summer is for both of you, though, it is also a time of year when you need to be careful. In the following post, we are going to look at 10 tips to keep your dog safe this summer.
Keep Things Cool
First and foremost, you need to make sure your dog doesn’t get too hot. Keep things as cool as possible – use air conditioning indoors and keep your dog in the shade when it is particularly hot. You also need to be cautious when walking on concrete and asphalt surfaces as they get extremely hot to touch and can burn your dog’s sensitive footpads.
Use Sunscreen
Although this is a safety tip you probably associate with humans more than dogs and pets, it’s worth remembering that one of the most common types of cancer in dogs is skin cancer. Although their fur provides protection against the sun’s rays, you should still use dog-friendly sunscreen.
Be Safe Around Water
Don’t think that your dog will be safe in the pool just because he knows how to swim. Just because he knows how to get in, doesn’t mean he knows how to get out. Teach your dog how to get out of the pool and consider investing in a pet pool ramp to make it easier.
Protect Against Summertime Bugs and Parasites
Summer is the perfect time of year for a lot of nasty and unpleasant bugs and parasites that can make your dog’s life a misery. Help protect your dog against these miniature monsters by using vet-approved treatments. Harvest mites can be a real problem. In addition to causing red, itchy, and inflamed skin, if not treated properly, their bites can cause a secondary bacterial infection to develop. Ask your vet about harvest mites treatment, to avoid this happening.
Make Sure Your Dog Has Access to Shade and Water
Although we noted it already, it is important to have shaded areas where your dog can sit when it’s too hot. You should also make sure that fresh and clean water is available at all times because besides panting and drinking, dogs can’t keep themselves cool any other way.
Never Leave Your Dog in the Car During Summer
It may seem like a fairly obvious safety tip, but you’d be surprised how many people make the mistake of leaving their dog in the car, even just for a relatively short amount of time, with terrible consequences. Heat strokes and suffocation take very little time to develop.
When Out And About, Keep Him Leashed Up
Your dog may be well-behaved and obedient. However, during summer, it is easy for your dog to get overexcited at all the people, other animals, sights and sounds when you are out and about. Therefore, to stop your dog from running off, always keep him on a leash in unfamiliar places or if you do not have a fence in your garden.
Put a Fence Up
Following nicely from the tip above, if you have a garden that doesn’t have a fence, and want to get more enjoyment out of summer spent with your pooch, you need to put a fence up.
Use Window Screens
Again, this tip may seem a little obvious, but it’s still worth noting. During summer, you want to keep the windows and doors open on the hottest days, don’t you? But you don’t want your dog to run away. So, use window and door screens, to allow fresh and cooling air to flow through without making it easy for your dog to escape.
Plant Dog-Friendly Plants
If you like to fill your garden with pretty flowers, you need to make sure you only choose species that are safe for dogs. Some of even the most common and popular plants and flowers can be dangerous to dogs if they are curious and take a nibble.
Mike is the proud owner of a 7-year-old Cockapoo named Luna. He loves to share stories, tips and information about owning a Cockapoo. With over7 years of experience as an owner, Mike is passionate about helping others own and care for their dog.
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