Hot summer? How to protect your dog from the heat 

Never leave the dog in the car – not even for five minutes

A car standing in the sun can turn into a death trap in just a few minutes. At 22 °C outdoors, it can be 47 °C in the car – even with a slightly open window. That's enough for the dog to get life-threatening heatstroke.

Do this instead:

• Take the dog out of the car, always.

• 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.

Heatstroke – when the body boils over

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

Symptoms to keep an eye on:

• Heavy panting

• Red mucous membranes

• Lethargy or tremors

• Drooling

• Unconsciousness

Prevent like this:

• Stay in the shade

• Always have fresh moisture available

• Cool down with wet towels or a cooling pad

• Avoid activity in the middle of the day – choose early mornings or late evenings

Hot asphalt – tougher than you think

The asphalt can get burning hot – much faster than you notice. At 25 °C air temperature, the asphalt can be 52 °C, which is enough to burn the dog's paw pads in seconds.

Test 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 paw protection if needed.

• Avoid longer 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! You just have to think 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 hottest in the middle of the day, take short breaks 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 cool down, quite simply.

• Fill a hollow chew toy (e.g. Kong) or a plastic mug with Monster wet food and a Monster Dental Chew as a "popsicle" and freeze. Give as a reward in the shade – it activates both nose, brain and mouth.

Tasty moisture tips:

Mix Monster paté wet food or crumble Monster Freezies in the moisture to entice the dog to drink – especially if the dog is bad at drinking.

Mental training indoors:

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

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

️Pack for summer hangouts or picnics - make the place pleasant 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 cloth – reflects sun and creates shade in the car, on the patio or in the tent.

• Foldable moisture bowl - and food bowl are great to bring.

• Monster paté easy to bring and serve while being gentle on the stomach.

Summary – checklist for hot days:

• Never leave the dog in the car.

• Have moisture available at all times.

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

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

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

• ️Create cool resting places with a silver cloth or fan.

Summer should be wonderful – even for the dog. With the right preparations and a little Monster magic, you can enjoy it together, without the risk of overheating.

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