Keeping dogs cool at home

Wondering how people have handled keeping dogs cool at home? Our apartment gets quite warm. I close it all up of course during the day when the sun is on it, but it’s still quite warm.

We do our walks early morning and late evening, and/or at a river or lake. If it’s especially hot I try to make an effort to get to water but today I just don’t have it in me to go out again (river this morning) and we’re both miserable at home, me and the dog!

Other than fans, what can we do for our Appenzeller? No garden, just a balcony that’s in full sun afternoon-evening. Cooling mats for dog? Rinsing in cold water? Or do I just need to suck it up and get down to the water every day? Im thinking tomorrow I’ll try doing some work at an air conditioned café and bring her with since she does relatively well (and isn’t in season anymore so can rejoin public life without wearing diapers :P)

My husband just went out and bought a portable air conditioner. Ostensibly for the dog. Our dog is nearly 15, though.

In the summer, when it's really hot like this, I can stay home (or my husband does- he's a professor, and can work from home in the summer). Just to keep an eye on here and make sure the fans are running.

We have fans in nearly every room, and a cool cellar and she moves around where she wants.

We're complicated by the fact that she hates water.

So she goes out early in the AM, later in the evening and she has plenty of water to drink. If she needs to go outside for a moment, there's a shaded balcony. Mostly she sleeps though.

The air conditioner has put our bedroom down to a reasonable 25 degrees. She seems much more comfortable now. me too.

Hadn't seen this as the mutts and I have been cooling off in the cellar, where the wifi doesn't reach.

In addition to Edot's excellent suggestions:

Skip walks if it's too hot; instead do a quick outside to piddle, then engage your dog with games inside. Interactive self-play games are very good.

Melon liked to sleep in the bathtub or shower stall, as the porcelain stayed cooler longer. You can run cold water over the tiles to cool them down even further.

A child's swimming pool or even one of those plastic nest beds filled with water can be a good emergency cooling off aid, easily set up on your balcony.

Even the usually water-phobic shelties seem to love drinking from the hose in hot weather - and they don't seem to object when they get wet while drinking. (Any other time, the hose is the spawn of the devil, to be avoided like the plague.)

If the balcony isn't shaded, consider getting a market umbrella or one of those 'sail' shades. Heck you can make your own with bedsheets and a length of rope. Won't be pretty, but in this weather even the most ardent Geraniumpolizist won't object.

There are cooling jackets designed for dogs, for instance this from Ruffwear (IIRC available at Meiko):

https://ruffwear.com/products/swamp-cooler

There are several different brands, check your local pet shop. I hve not used these, but IIRC other EFers have, do a search of old threads for comments.

You can make a cooling bandana simply by sticking one in the freezer.

If there is room, but your dog's sleeping fleece in the freezer for a while.

Some dogs like frozen treats - ice cubes, even better stick a few treats in water then freeze that. The dog licks the frozen cube to get his treat.

If your dog has favorite chew toys, put these in the freezer for a while.

Mostly, be sensible. Stay out of the hot sun, keep the house dark and cool as you can, use fans - and keep an eye on your dog's condition. Walks before dawn and after dark.

A few warnings:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Do the dehydration test every so often, just in case. Gently pinch the skin around the back of then neck/over the shoulder blades then let go; if it returns to normal, everything is good. If the skin stays tented, your dog might be starting to dehydrate. Give him/her water. Don't let the dog gulp lots quickly, rather sips and/or give him ice cubes to lick.

(If he also seems lethargic or apathetic to the point of 'out of it', if the gums are dry and sticky, saliva thick, eyes appear sunken - call the vet ASAP!)

If you have to walk over hot pavement when you go out, check your dog's paws for signs of burning. Last year the Zürich police even advised urban dog owners to consider shoes, the pavements could get that hot.

https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich...story/16560532

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Signs of heastroke or heat exhaustion, a veterinary emergency :

Excessive panting

Drooling

reddened gums

vomiting

diarrhea

loss of coordination, ataxic movements

mental dullness

collapse

If you suspect heat exhaustion, call the vet immediately,

Here is a good article, discussing immediate first aid:

https://www.petmd.com/dog/emergency/...g_heat_strokeb

Be aware that bracycephalic dogs, elderly dogs, very young puppies, dogs with certain medical conditions are at increased risk for heatstroke or heat exhaustion.

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And a final warning: Risk of Leptospirosis, due to drinking contaminated water while out and about. Your dog will be hotter than usual and so likely to be less choosy about his water sources while out.

This is a horrible, often fatal, disease. The bacteria are often found in standing water. If you are watering patio plants, do not let water sit in the saucers tempting your dog to drink. While out on walks, do not let your dog drink from or pass through any stagnant water source - puddles, birdbaths, fountain basins, still lakes or streams. Carry your own water. And of course - vaccinate against Lepto!

https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions..._leptospirosis

Stay cool!

ETA:

I see Fust is having a sale on air conditioners and fans, looks like 25-50% off. While I can't justify luxuries for myself, the mutts' wellbeing, on the other hand...

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Somehow I had forgotten about freezing toys, thank you for the reminder! Just about everything spent the night in the freezer. Fan is already running as it’s going to be another brutally hot one.