Warm Weather Safety for Your Pup

At the Ranch, we take extra precautions and safety measures to make sure pups are safe and comfortable such as playing with the sprinklers, using professional sports misters and having play time during the coolest parts of the day. But since not everyone can do these things, here are steps that everyone can consider doing.

The two key things every pet owner needs to do is to take steps to keep your dog cool and keep a watchful eye to notice any warnings of overheating. Prevention is your best protection against overheating. To keep your dog safely cool, here are the best steps to take:

Never, ever, ever leave your dog in a hot car, even with your windows open. A car in warm weather is literally like an oven and the temperate can raise to a lethal height in a matter of minutes. It is simply not worth risking it!
To get the most play in the safest way possible, use cooling items such as dog cooling vests or cooling mats to stay safe.
Take your dog out to play during the cooler parts of the day such as early morning or late evening.
When your dog is out in the heat, make sure there are plenty of shady spots for your dog to rest.
Cement and asphalt can burn your dog's feet so help your dog by giving them cool green grass to walk or play on. Remember that it is not safe for them to walk on any surface that you would not want to walk barefoot on.
Ensure there is plenty of water for them to drink at all times.

Even if you have taken big steps to keep your dog cool, you still need to keep a close eye on them just in case they still are overheating. Remind yourself of the warning signs below each time they go out to play in the hot days.

Excessive panting. Dogs pant all of the time, so you will need to be extra watchful to determine if your dog's panting is more than usual.
Pale or dry gums: Lift your dogs lips so you can clearly see if your dog's gums are a healthy pink color.
Increased drooling: Like panting, only you can tell if your dog's drool is more than normal.
Rapid breathing

If you are worried that your dog is overheated, act immediately as it is extremely dangerous for your dog to get too hot.

Here are your steps to take:

Bring your dog into air conditioning or put him in front of a fan.
Put your dog's paws into water and pour water over his neck. Do not soak your dog entirely with water as cooling him too much or too quickly can cause him to go into shock.
Rush your dog to the veterinarian.