Hot summer? How to protect your dog from the heat 

Never leave your dog in the car - not even for five minutes

A car parked in the sun can turn into a death trap in just a few minutes. At 22°C outside, it can reach 47°C in the car - even with the windows slightly open. That's enough to give your dog a life-threatening heat stroke.

Do this instead:

• Always take your dog out of the car.

• Plan errands without a dog on hot days.

• Travel with a cooling pad, fan or silver cloth if you have to stop for a while.

Heat stroke - when the body boils over

Heatstroke can occur when a dog's body temperature becomes too high. Common causes are physical activity in heat, stagnant air or stress in hot environments.

Symptoms to watch out for:

• Heavy panting

• Red mucous membranes

• Lethargy or tremors

• Dregling

• Loss of consciousness

Prevent like this:

• Stay in the shade

• Always have fresh moisture available

• Cooling with wet towels or cooling pad

• Avoid midday activity - choose early mornings or late evenings

Hot asphalt - tougher than you think

Asphalt can get scorching hot - much faster than you realize. At 25°C air temperature, the asphalt can reach 52°C, enough to burn your dog's pads in seconds.

Try it yourself: Hold the back of your hand against the ground for 7 seconds. If you can't stand it - neither can your dog.

Tips:

• Walk in the shade, on grass or forest paths.

• Use bag protectors if necessary.

• Avoid long walks in the middle of the day.

How to activate your dog in the heat - without overheating

Just because it's hot doesn't mean your dog has to be bored! It's just a matter of thinking smart:

Activation:

• Take an early morning walk before it gets too hot and a late evening walk when it's cooler again.

• When it's at its hottest in the middle of the day, walk your dog briefly in the shade or on grass, swim with your dog if you have access to a lake, or let your dog play in a tub or dog pool with moisture. Activities that simply cool down.

• Fill a hollow chew toy (e.g. Kong) or a plastic cup with Monster soft food and a Monster Dental Chew as a 'popsicle' and freeze. Give as a reward in the shade - it activates the nose, brain and mouth.

Tasty liquid tip:

Mix Monster Pate soaked food or crumble Monster Freezies into the water to entice the dog to drink - especially if the dog is a poor drinker.

Indoor mental training:

• Spread Monster dry food and treats in an activity mat or on the lawn in the shade.

• Do short sessions of search games or trick training where it is cool.

️Pack for a summer hangout or picnic - make the place cozy and cool:

Dogs love a safe place to rest when it's hot. Here's how to create it:

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• A cooling pad - stays cool without electricity or moisture.

• Silver screen - reflects sunlight and creates shade in a car, on a patio or in a tent.

• Foldable water bowl - and food bowl is great to have with you.

• Monster pâté easy to take and serve while being kind to your stomach.

Summary - checklist for hot days:

• Never leave your dog in the car.

• Have moisture available at all times.

• Cool with a cooling pad, wet towels or shade.

• Activate smartly with chilled or frozen soft food and with dental chews.

• Avoid hot asphalt - walk on grass or in the shade.

• ️Create cool resting places with silver cloth or fan.

Summer should be great - even for your dog. With the right preparation and a little Monster magic, you can enjoy it together, without the risk of overheating.

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