How To Cool Dogs Safely

How To Cool a Dog: Top Tips To Cool Down Your Hot Dog

Does your pooch often get too warm and pant too much in the summer months? Or maybe they seem to be running a temperature and you worry about their health? Read on for our guide on how to cool your dog down.

How To Cool an Overheated Dog? Why Is It So Important?

It’s surprisingly easy for dogs to become overheated, which can pose serious health risks. Unfortunately, your pooch can’t just remove a layer of clothing to cool down.

Dogs cannot regulate heat as efficiently as humans. They primarily cool themselves through panting and sweating through their paws, but these methods are often insufficient in extreme heat. 

Overheating can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, or even organ failure, making it critical to know how to cool your dog down safely.

Recognizing the Signs of Overheating in Dogs

Before diving into cooling methods, it’s important to recognize when your dog may be too hot. Look out for:

• Excessive panting — even when at rest.
• Collapse.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Bright red gums.
• Lethargy.
• Inability to get comfortable.
• Seeking out cooler surfaces — such as tiles.

Overheating can lead to several complications, some of which are fatal. Heatstroke is pretty common among dogs, and some dogs are more at risk — particularly dogs that are:

• Overweight.
• Flat-faced or brachycephalic breeds.
• High-energy dogs.
• Senior dogs.
• Larger dogs, especially those over 50 kilos.
• Dogs with longer or thicker fur.
• Dogs with known health conditions — including heart or respiratory issues.

Hence, it’s crucial to learn how to cool down your dog during more extreme weather or serious cases of heatstroke.

How To Cool Dogs Down Quickly

While you must call a vet immediately if you suspect your pup has heatstroke, you must also take measures to cool your dog down as quickly as possible — it could be the difference between whether they survive or not!

Tips for helping a dog with heatstroke include:

• Get them out of the sun immediately and into the shade, or take them indoors.
• Lay your pup on a cool floor — such as tiles. Cooling mats, like the Arf Pets Self Cooling Bed or the Cool Pet Pad from The Green Pet Shop, can also be effective for cooling a dog quickly — they start to cool your pup’s body as soon as their paws hit the mat.
• Offer your pup small amounts of water to drink.
• Water can also be sprayed over your dog’s body to cool them down, or use a sponge if your water is limited in supply. Pay special attention to areas such as their neck, around their inner thighs, paws and their tummy.
• Move your pup to an air-conditioned area — inside the house or a car if possible, or use a fan like the battery-operated JISULIFE Desk Fan, it’s portability makes it ideal for providing a stream of cool air whether at home or on the road. Note: The impact of a fan or air conditioning will be more immediate if your pooch is already wet.

How To Cool Your Dog Down in the Summer: General Tips

Summer can be a stressful time for many dogs as they struggle to keep themselves cool in the soaring temperatures. When you find yourself asking, “How do I cool my dog down in this heat?” — some of the following tips may help you keep your pup cool.

1. Provide Cold Spots

A dog will better regulate their body temperature when they lie on a cool surface like a tiled or concrete floor, shaded areas of grass, or even a cooling mat strategically placed around the home.

How To Use Cooling Pads for Dogs

Cooling pads or mats can be a godsend for dog owners in the hotter summer months. They don’t require freezing or electricity, it’s all down to the materials within that have the ability to absorb heat. Lightweight and portable cooling beds, like the Arf Pets, can be used indoors or outdoors.

Activated by weight and pressure, as soon as your dog lays down, a cooling pad starts working. 

For a greener option, the K&H Pet Products Cooling Mat doesn’t use any toxic gels but rather a polyvinyl material that wicks away the heat from your dog’s body. And, you can fill the pad with water from a tap to enhance the cooling.

2. Ensure Your Dog Has Water Available

Hydration is key in those hotter months of the year. Ensure your pup always has access to drinking water. You can add ice cubes or homemade doggy popsicles to a dog’s water bowl to keep the water colder for longer.

If you’re not at home, ensure you have a dog water bottle with you. Many water bottles designed for dogs include an attached bowl for the pup to drink from, such as the Pet Water Bottle from Lesotc or the Springer Pets Classic Travel Bottle.

3. Regular Grooming

Many dogs will ‘blow’ their winter coats during spring/summer, so regular brushing will help remove any loose fur that’s acting as insulation. Plus, it prevents matting, which means better airflow through their coat. 

What’s more, if your dog has a long or heavy coat, a summer haircut could be a wise move to keep them cool. However, not all dogs can be clipped or shaved. For example, Huskies’ and Golden Retrievers’ coats help regulate their temperature. So, you could be doing more harm than good — check with a professional groomer first.

4. Freeze a Dog Toy

Frozen doggy toys can be a great way of keeping your dog occupied on a hot day while also cooling them down as they chew on it. Homemade popsicles are another fun way of helping to keep your dog cool.

5. Limit Your Dog’s Access to Hotter Areas

Keep your dog away from hot sunrooms in the summer, and never leave them in there if you go out for the day. If you should have a kennel or outdoor home for your dog, ensure it’s not in direct sunlight — a shaded area is somewhere your dog will naturally head to when it’s hot.

How To Cool Dogs Down at Night

Although most dogs won’t generally get heat stroke at night, hot, muggy summer evenings can still be uncomfortable for your dog. Just like us humans, if a dog doesn’t get that essential sleep, they may become irritable or distressed.

Why not try these tips if your dog is struggling with the summer heat at night:

• Allow your pup to sleep in an air-conditioned room.
• If that’s not possible, keep windows open at night and invest in a fan directed towards your dog’s bed. A desk fan like the JISULIFE Desk Fan has enclosed blades for safety and an ultra-quiet operation to avoid scaring your dog.
• Ensure your pup has access to water throughout the night.
• Allow your pup to sleep where they want, your dog will naturally choose the coolest place to sleep — it may be a tiled or stone floor sometimes.
• Or, opt for an elevated bed, such as the K & H Pet Products Original Bolster Pet Cot. With its floor clearance of seven inches, it allows for better airflow.

How To Cool Off a Dog in the Garden

There’s nothing better than spending valuable time outside in the garden during the summer with your furry companion. It can help keep you cool but to ensure your pooch is cool and comfortable too. Try the following tips:

• Ensure fresh water is available at all times. And, keep their bowl out of the sun to make sure the water remains as cool as possible.
• Make sure there is a shaded area where your dog can retreat to if they want to get away from the sun.
• Provide an elevated bed, like the Coolaroo — using a knitted breathable fabric, it creates more airflow as your dog relaxes in the shade. And, its UV-resistant fabric won’t degrade in the garden.
• Don’t let your dog enter your greenhouses or summer houses. Even with the doors open, these structures can get very hot.
• Give your dog a paddling pool to splash about in. Pools like the foldable pool from Yaheetech or K&H Pet Products Pool are constructed with durable materials to withstand the paws and claws of your pooch.
• Limit your dog’s running about or playtime in the garden. Instead, provide them with mental stimulation and toys to keep them occupied.
• Frozen doggy chew toys or homemade ice pops can provide cooling relief for your pup on hotter days.

How To Cool Your Dog Down (During and) After a Walk

Although exercise is essential for a dog’s physical and mental health, in the summertime, it’s one of the most common causes of heatstroke. The following tips can help you still enjoy that daily walk without fear of your dog overheating:

• Walk your dog at the coolest times of the day — in the early morning or late evening to avoid the heat of the midday sun.
• Watch out for sidewalk temperature. Pavements can burn a dog’s paws on hotter days — if it’s too painful for you to place the back of your hand on the path for seven seconds, then it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.
• Carry water and something for your dog to drink from at all times. The Gourd H2O Bottle from Kurgo is compact enough to fit into most backpacks and comes with a cup that simply screws onto the bottom for easier transportation.
• Keep an eye out for your dog tiring or showing signs of overheating or heatstroke.
• Cooling vests, such as the Hurtta Cooling Dog Wrap, can help keep your dog cool on shorter walks. Using evaporation technology, it’s designed to keep your pooch’s body cool in much the same way as sweating does.
• And, after walkies, a full-length body cooling vest, like the Kurgo Core, can be an ideal way of cooling down your pooch quickly. Simply soak it in water before applying it to your dog. A prolonged evaporation and reflective fabric that deflects the sun’s heat will keep your pup cool for several hours.

How To Cool Your Dog Down Inside the House (Without AC)

For the more eco-conscious and budget-aware dog owners, or those who don’t always have access to air conditioning — how do you keep your dog cool in the house in the summer months?

• Fans — are a great way to ensure air movement within your home. Try to choose a fan that doesn’t make excessive noise and has guarded blades for added safety, like the three-speed, quiet operation Black & Decker Desk Fan.

• Cooling mats or beds — strategically place cooling pads, such as the Green Pet Shop Cool Mat, around the home for your dog to lie on.
• Allow your dog access to rooms with cooler hard-floored areas, for example, the kitchen or the bathroom. Ensure your dog isn’t allowed into conservatories or sunrooms.
• Add ice cubes to your dog’s water bowls.

How Do You Cool a Dog Down When Travelling?

In the summer, many of us enjoy a road trip, and we like to take our furry four-legged friends along with us. But thanks to the ‘greenhouse effect,’ the inside temperature of your car will be much higher than the outside.

Here are some dog cooling tips for when you are traveling with your pup:

• Never leave your dog in the car by themselves.
• Try to avoid traveling during the hotter parts of the day. Stop for a break when possible and check on your pup.
• Drive with the windows open or the AC switched on.
• Use window sunshades to keep the car cool and reflect the UV rays of the sun.
• Make sure your dog has a safe, comfortable, and cool place to sit in the car while traveling. If they’re in a dog crate, you could place a cooling mat such as the Arf Pets Crate Mat inside to keep them comfortable and cooler.
• Pack a doggy water bottle to make sure your pup drinks on the journey. Put iced water in a thermos or use an insulated doggy water bottle like the KONG H2O to ensure the water stays cool.
• Check any places you are due to visit are dog-friendly.
• A portable paddling pool that folds down and is easy to set up, like the TRIXIE Dog Splash Pool, can be a great way for your pup to cool off on family camping trips.

How To Help Your Dog in a Heatwave

In extreme temperatures you may need to take extreme measures to keep your dog cool. Although most dogs will struggle in the heat of the summer, when it’s super hot during a heatwave, your dog may not be acclimatised, and more prone to heatstroke.

Ways to cool down a dog in extreme heat include:

• Limit your dog’s movement and exercise. Too much exercise, especially at the hottest times of the day can increase their chance of heatstroke.
• Keep the curtains or blinds closed in your home to keep the heat out.
• Place more fans, like the JISULIFE Desk Fan, around the home and when possible leave the AC switched on.
• Cooling mats and elevated beds — for example Arf Pets or the Cooleroo — can help keep your pup cooler in the home.
• Ensure there is always plenty of fresh water available for your dog.
• Limit any outdoor time for your pooch to the cooler parts of the day.

Heat-Related Allergies in Dogs

As temperatures rise during the warmer months, dogs can experience a range of other heat-related issues such as allergies. Heat itself can also exacerbate skin conditions, leading to discomfort and irritation for your furry companion.

Overheating of a pup can also be symptomatic of many underlying health issues in dogs. Check out our quick reference dog health chart to check if your pup exhibits any other symptoms of more common health issues.

Common Causes of Heat-Related Allergies in Dogs

Environmental Allergens

• Pollen — trees, blossoms, grasses, flowers, and weeds release pollen during warmer months, which can irritate a dog’s skin and respiratory system.
• Dust and mold — hot, humid conditions promote the growth of mold and increase the spread of dust mites.

Insects and Parasites

• Fleas and ticks thrive in warm weather and can cause allergic reactions. Flea saliva, in particular, triggers an intense allergic response in many dogs, known as flea allergy dermatitis (FAD).

Hot Weather Conditions

• Prolonged exposure to heat can cause dry, irritated skin, leading to itchiness and redness. Dogs with short coats or sensitive skin are particularly susceptible.

Heat-Accelerated Allergens

• Shampoos, cleaning products, or certain foods that contain allergens may cause stronger reactions in dogs when paired with heat — higher temperatures can increase skin sensitivity.

Conclusion

We’ve covered as many scenarios as possible to show you there are ways to help your dog beat the heat. By implementing these strategies you can ensure your dog stays cool, healthy, and comfortable no matter how high the temperatures rise.

Whether overheating after a walk, ensuring comfort at night, or protecting your pup in hot weather, knowing how to cool your dog down is essential for their health and comfort.

How Can You Cool a Dog Down FAQs

How Do You Cool Your Dog Down Quickly?

In emergencies, speed is of the essence. Here’s how to cool a dog down fast:

1. Move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area.
2. Wet their fur with lukewarm (not cold) water to avoid shock. Pay attention to their neck, chest, and paws.
3. Use a fan to enhance evaporation and cooling.
4. Offer small amounts of cool water to drink.

Should I Wet My Dog When It’s Hot?

One way to cool an overheated dog is to soak them with water — either with a garden hose or in a paddling pool if they’re comfortable with that. Water on the pup’s fur will evaporate leaving the dog’s body cooler, effectively you’re helping the dog to sweat by wetting their skin.

Can Dogs Have Ice Cubes?

Although you should never bathe your dog in iced water, giving your dog ice cubes to chew on can be an effective cooling method. Frozen popsicles can be a treat for your pooch in the summertime, just avoid sugar, it’s bad for your pup — try bouillon-flavored popsicles instead!

Will a Wet Towel Cool My Dog Down?

A wet towel can be a very effective way of cooling a dog down without hosing them or putting them in a bathtub.

However, most towels aren’t very breathable, especially when wet, and don’t allow for good airflow — as a towel clings to a pup or begins to dry, they can trap heat in. So, don’t leave them on too long.

Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream?

Ice cream may seem like a good idea for cooling your dog down but it’s not recommended. Most dogs will be dairy intolerant, as they lose the enzyme needed to digest lactose after being weaned as a pup.

Instead, try frozen plain yogurt, or frozen fruits in moderation for a cooling treat.