My first experience as a “Mom” was to a husky mix fur baby with big blue eyes! 12 years later she is still my “original” baby and adored by the human babies in the house!!
As temperatures are soaring in the GTA and stories of dogs being left in boiling hot cars keep surfacing I thought it was important to share some tips on how to keep your furbaby cool this Summer.

Exercise Early Or Late in the Day- I don’t know about your dog but for Jessie she rarely wants to miss her daily walk but on sizzling hot days we try to get her out as early as we can. A morning walk is a great way to start the day and allows your dog to enjoy a quiet day inside (hopefully in the AC) If you can’t get out early then wait till the sun is setting and the humidity has settled and enjoy a nice evening walk. Even better if you can head out to a local ravine that has a pond or lake your dog can enjoy a walk and a fabulous dip in the pond after!

Find lots of shade & water- Make sure to find lots of shady spots on your walks, the mid day sun is extremely hot and more so for our furry friends! Also never forget to bring lots of cold water with on your walks. Jessie loves to sit on the front lawn- her favorite spot is the one shaded area from our small suburbia tree!

Make your own Cooling Vest – Saw this great idea on Facebook! Take an old pair of cargo pants or really any old clothing – sew it together into a vest that your dog can wear and simply dip it in water before you head out for your walks. You can also wet cloths or towels and wrap them around their collars for your walks.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR- As much as we love to take our dogs everywhere with us, it is simply way too dangerous to bring them for car rides in this weather.  Temps inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die within minutes. If you see an animal in distress in a parked car, contact the nearest animal shelter or police. This message needs to be shared with all pet owners, it simply is just too dangerous to leave pets in a hot car.

Head to the Lake or Pond – In this heat we all could use a nice cooling off. Find a trail that has watering holes or ponds or even better take a drive to a lake side spot for a walk and a swim.  Our favorite thing to do on a hot lake is to grab Jessie and the kids and head to the lake! Nothing beats the heat like a paddle around the lake and a wonderful refreshing swim!

Treat your dog to a PUPSICLE – Who doesn’t love a tasty cold treat after a long hot day! Make your dog a yummy and refreshing pupsicle (you will enjoy them too!) There are tons of recipes on the net, but here is one of Jessie’s personal favs!

4 cups of plain yogurt

Puree some fruit

2 table spoons of honey and or peanut butter

1 cup of frozen berries

Blend it all up & add to popsicle molds or to ice cube trays and voila!

Refreshing, healthy & tasty!!

Hiking, canoeing and swimming are all wonderful Summer activities to enjoy with your pet and a great way to beat the heat!

In addition to my role at PTPA Media my husband and I also run Dog Paddling Adventures – canoe trips for you and your dog!

What types of activities do you enjoy with your pooch?