Keeping Your Dog Active This Summer

Along with the nice weather of summer, comes the heat and humidity. It’s important to continue to keep our pets active but healthy during the warm summer months.

Walking is a great exercise for our dogs during the summer. Walking helps with weight issues and body condition, as well as helps to keep our animal’s joints mobile and healthy. Walking can also help with digestive and urinary health, by regulating the digestive tract. Dogs often like to “go” on a schedule, therefore taking them for routine walks can help with constipation and gut mobility. In addition, walking is great psychologically, as well as physically. Walks help to mentally stimulate our pets by providing a change of environment and helps to reduce boredom and the destructive behaviour that comes along with it. Another great summer activity for our dogs is swimming. It provides great exercise and is gentle on the joints, which is especially helpful for our older pets. Always ensure your pets are being supervised while swimming and you are taking appropriate precautions to prevent ear infections and other issues that occur with swimming.

It’s imperative to keep our pets safe in the heat of summer. We can ensure this by always having fresh cool water available for them; putting ice cubes in your pet’s water can help with this. As well, try to keep your walks in the shade and bring water along for yourself and them. Ensure the pavement isn’t too hot for your pet’s paw pads by testing it with your hand first; if you cannot keep your hand comfortably on the pavement for five seconds, it is too hot for them. Overall, keeping our pets healthy and happy as possible in the hot heat of summer, and it’s up to us to achieve that!

Written by Briarwood Animal Hospital