Keeping your dogs safe in the heat

Written By Drea Hinton

The weather is set to heat up, so let’s talk about keeping your dog cool and happy when it’s hot ☀️

Here are some good hot-dog activities that keep them happy without risking overheating:

While many dogs still want to play, explore and enjoy life as normal, hot weather can quickly become dangerous if we don’t adjust their routine.

The good news? Keeping your dog happy during hot weather can be lots of fun and just as enriching as a long walk.

Here are some fun, safe and dog-friendly ways to keep your pup cool, enriched and content during hot weather.

💦 Water Fun

Most dogs love the chance to cool off with water-based activities, and they don’t need a swimming pool to enjoy themselves!

Ideas include:

  • A paddling pool in the garden

  • Sprinkling treats into shallow water for “fishing”

Remember: always supervise dogs around water and let them choose how much they want to engage.

🍦 Frozen Treat Ideas

Cooling snacks are a simple way to add enrichment while helping dogs regulate their temperature.

Try:

  • Frozen Kongs stuffed with wet food, yoghurt, banana, mashed sweet potato

  • Frozen carrots as a longer lasting cooling snack

  • Doggy “ice lollies” made with bone broth

Not only do these keep dogs cool, they also provide calming mental stimulation from licking the treat which releases endorphines.

🧠 Brain Games Tire Dogs Out Too!

One of the biggest misconceptions is that dogs only get tired through physical exercise. Mental enrichment can be just as stimulating, without the overheating risk.

Great hot-weather enrichment includes:

  • Scatter feeding in the grass

  • “Find it” indoors with their favourite toy

  • Scent work around the house

  • Puzzle toys

  • Short training sessions (5–10 minutes)

A mentally enriched dog is often far happier than an overtired, overheated one.

🌳 Smarter Summer Walks

On hot days, timing and location matter more than distance.

Instead of long midday walks, try:

  • Early morning “sniffy walks”

  • Late evening strolls

  • Woodland or shaded routes

  • Letting dogs potter and explore rather than marching miles

And always check pavements with your hand before walking, if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for paws.

🏡 Indoor Enrichment

Sometimes the safest place during extreme heat is indoors with a fan and a chilled-out activity.

Easy indoor ideas:

  • Build a cosy blanket fort or fan den in a cool room of the house

  • Teach a new trick

  • Enjoy a grooming or massage session

Dogs are often perfectly happy with snacks, comfort and good company.

❄️ DIY Cooling Ideas

You don’t need expensive gadgets to help dogs stay cool.

Simple options:

  • Damp towels to lie on

  • Cooling mats

  • Frozen towel twists

  • Elevated beds for airflow

  • Fans nearby

Fresh water and shade should always be available.

🚨 Signs Your Dog May Be Overheating

Heatstroke can become serious very quickly.

Watch out for:

  • Excessive panting

  • Thick drool

  • Lethargy

  • Bright red gums

  • Vomiting or wobbling

If you notice these signs:

  1. Move your dog somewhere cool

  2. Offer cool (not ice cold) water

  3. Use cool wet towels

  4. Contact your vet immediately

❤️ Summer Doesn’t Have To Mean Doing Less

Hot weather simply means changing the way we spend time with our dogs.

Sniff walks, frozen treats, paddling pools and brain games can provide just as much joy as long adventures, sometimes more.

At the end of the day, a happy dog on a hot day is:
Cool, safe, enriched… and probably covered in yoghurt or doggy safe ice cream 🐶☀️

And remember - no dog has ever died from missing a walk, but dogs have died from one walk when it’s too hot.

Drea Hinton