Tag archives: water

Summer is the season of fun in the sun, and for our four-legged companions, there's no greater joy than a refreshing swim on a hot day! After a refreshing swim, it's important to ensure your dog's well-being with proper post-swim care. Here are some essential tips to remember for a happy and healthy dog after their paw-tastic aquatic adventures:

1. Rinse Them Off:

Whether your dog took a dip in the ocean, a pool, or a lake, it's crucial to rinse them off with fresh water afterward. Seawater, saltwater, chlorine, and even algae can irritate your dog's skin and fur and rinsing them off helps remove any potential contaminants that might cause discomfort or damage.

2. Protect Their Ears:

Moisture in the ears can create a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to painful ear infections. To prevent this, make sure to thoroughly dry your dog's ears after swimming. Gently wipe the ear flaps and the visible part of the ear canal with a clean, dry towel. You may also consider using an ear cleaner with a drying agent to assist in keeping those ears dry.

3. Hydration is Key:

After a refreshing swim, your dog may be thirsty due ...

Summer has officially started, but temperatures that make for great beach-going time for you pose a deadly risk to your dog.

You have to remember: dogs are physically adapted to conserve and recycle heat. They don’t cool by sweating; heat generated by exercise (even just the physiology of body functions) is trapped inside. Their fur coats insulate them further. Brachycephalic (short face) dogs such as the bulldog, pug, boxer and Pekingese have it even harder because they can’t pant as sufficiently as other dogs, which compounds heat-related issues. However, if you trap any dog in a hot area with no way for them to release or escape that heat, their body will become so stressed that it can cause death – and it can happen very quickly, too.

To keep your dog safe and cool this summer, keep these tips in mind.

Cars are Coffins

If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times: don’t leave your dog in a car during the summer. Even with the windows cracked, it can turn deadly in minutes.

I wrote about summer heat and cars last year here on Paw Print Genetics (read it here), and linked to this video that ...

The first week of December saw an arctic front blanket much of the country with subzero temperatures, snow and ice. Travelers were stranded in airports for days, household pipes were frozen and children left the house in multi-hued layers of clothing. It’s only December, and there’s a high likelihood of another arctic blast or two hitting before the end of February.

While it’s natural to protect our children from the discomfort of freezing temperatures, our dogs feel the temperature change, too. When it comes to canines, there are a few simple precautions you can take to protect them at home and in the field.

Provide proper shelter: If your dog spends his day outside (and hunting dogs should spend some time outdoors to acclimate to dropping temps), he needs shelter from the elements – snow, rain, wind, sun, heat and cold. A dog house with insulation of some sort is all that’s required. Canines have evolved to keep themselves warm, so just giving them a spot to get off the cold ground, some blankets or hay to nest in and a roof over their head is all that is required.

You can augment the basics with heat sources such as mats ...