22/06/2026
I hope everyone is doing well.
I'm missing all the lovely dogs and other pets I look after and cannot wait to get back to work. Hopefully only a few more weeks.
Hot weather is incoming and it's not too late to get prepared. I must admit I am glad to be off this week even if the circumstances aren't ones I would have chosen.
If your dog absolutely needs a walk then it's best to do short early morning walks only. The evenings are likely still going to be too hot with residual heat. Bare in mind that even if your dog has been ok with heat on previous occasions this time they may not be.
Entertain your dog with slow sniffy games. Hide their favourite toys or tests for them to sniff out. Use caution if you have an enthusiastic searcher that isn't so slow.
Get the paddling pool out if your dog will entertain the idea, again use caution of you have particularly excitable dogs, damp fur in humid conditions can actually trap heat as the coat will dry slower.
Cool mats can help, they aren't extremely effective as they only stay cool a short time when in use so using 2 in rotation can be a good idea.
Frozen water bottles wrapped in a thin towel to can be placed near most animals so they have something to lean on if they feel like it.
Allow access to the coolest area of your house if you can.
Most dogs will love a kong, lickimat or similar, these can be chilled, frozen or partially frozen depending on what your dog prefers. There are loads of different recipes online you can try or use part of your dogs normal diet.
Keep cats inside, whilst many will tuck themselves away to avoid the heat as much as possible cats can still suffer heatstroke too.
Consider bringing other animals inside too. Rabbits and guinea pigs can also struggle and die in heat. Indoors they are much easier to monitor. Animals that need to stay outdoors you can perform extra welfare checks, give fresh cold water more regularly, ensure there is access to a good amount of shade all day and enclosures are well ventilated.
If you do feel your pet is overheating get them out of the sun, use cold water to bring their temperature down then head straight to the vets. Do not drape with damp towels, this wont do much and can make things worse and don't worry unduly about shock if you have an otherwise healthy dog as advice on best practice has changed.
Here are some pictures of some of the activities we have done in the past during hot spells.
