Improve Your Furry Friend's Life This Summer

Let’s face it – extreme heat is bad for your pet as much as it is for you. So, to ensure a happy and healthy life of your pets this summer, you’ll need to take some measures that include a little bit of extra care and focus. Your furry friend will be grateful as it will improve their quality of life, and a happy pet means a happy owner, too! So here are some important things you need to take care of this summer:

Table of Contents

Keep away from heat

That means dogs and cats, too. If your cat has a tendency to roam around outside the house, try to keep that to a minimum. They should stay indoors, where it’s comfortable and safe, and best of all, away from sunrays that can cause many complications for them, like a heat stroke. If you’re leaving the home for a longer period, you don’t have to leave the AC on. Just make sure the house has good ventilation.

Dogs on the other hand can’t endure heat as much as cats. If you’re planning any activity, don’t do that during the day, try early in the morning or after sundown. If there’s asphalt where you’re taking your pooch, make sure it’s not too hot for their paws! They can also get burnt and hurt them. A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too hot for your palm – it’s too hot for them, too.

Exercise

Exercise for cats is fairly simple: just give them anything they like to play with, and they will. Make sure they have surfaces to climb on, like cat fortresses and the like, lots of toys and scratching posts, and they’ll be the happiest kitties ever. Also, have you tried giving them paper boxes? It’s every cat’s favorite thing – ever.

Speaking of exercise, depending on the dog breed you have, you’ll have different needs to satisfy. Most important thing is that walks are regular. If you have a dog breed that likes to run, try jogging together. Those kinds of dogs have a lot of energy and need to spend it somewhere, or else they can get frustrated or depressed. If you have a pooch that’s fond of water, you can fill a kiddy pool in the backyard and let them cool off in it. Swimming rejuvenates and it also helps reduce heat stroke.

Holiday

Summer is, naturally, a time for holidays, but it becomes a little more complicated for families with pets. There are many options you can consider for your fur baby’s staycation. After all, they’re going to be separated from you for a long period of time and that can be very stressful for them, so you need to make sure to make them as comfortable as possible while you’re not there. If taking them with you and friends and family are out of the question, you can try pet boarding as a last resort. It’s important to make sure your pet is safe and well taken care of while you’re away so you can have a stress-free vacation.

How to cool them off

It comes without saying that leaving a pet in the car is out of the question, not under any circumstances. Whatever the case, if you can’t take your dog with you wherever it is you’re going, better leave it home. Make sure they have fresh water at all times, and when you’re out with your pooch exercising, it’s also desirable to bring a bottle of water. If your pooch is outside, offer it lots of shade. Trees are better than doghouses for shade because they let air flow through.

You can also make cool treats and put ice cubes in their water. For puppy or kitty popsicles, make ice cubes with tasty treats inside. Or fill and freeze a chew toy to make a chilly snack. Be sure to brush your cat regularly in the warmer months to remove excess fur. As for dogs, if it has long hair, get rid of any mats and tangles, but don’t shave it before consulting with a groomer.

These are some of the advice you need to take into consideration when it’s summer time. Your pooch or kitty will have a stress-free summer and you can be at ease. Make sure to consult with your vet, as various breeds endure hot weather differently, so you need to learn all the signs that can mean they’re uncomfortable or unhappy in order to react accordingly.

Leila Dorari is a freelance writer from Sydney, passionate about living as one with other creatures that surround us on this planet. Currently, she finds it interested how we can ensure an enjoyable staycation for our furry friends in pet hotels like the cat boarding Perth-based one.