How to Keep Your Pets Cool in the Arizona Summer Heat
As much as you love the Arizona weather, Fido and Fluffy aren’t always equipped to keep cool in the soaring temperatures. Imagine walking around our sunny state with a fur coat on during the high point of the Arizona summer.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to be sure your little fur-baby always loves Arizona as much as you do by keeping them cool during the hotter months. Because four-legged family members need TLC, too!
Make sure you keep the house cool, even when you aren’t there.
With the automated thermostats designed to keep that electric bill low, it’s likely that temperatures will rise when you’re not home, but your furry friends are. Remember – your pet has a harder time cooling down than you. Make sure that you aren’t putting them in harm’s way and keep your home cool any time you know your pets will be home, even when you aren’t!
Never leave your pooch in the car.
While some may think a crack of the window or just a few minutes running into the store won’t be hard on the family pet, a car can reach 102 degrees in 10 minutes on an 85-degree day. And we can only imagine what that would look like in the middle of Arizona summer. Play it safe and only bring along your buddy if you know you won’t be leaving them behind in the car.
Make them some keep-cool tasty treats.
On particularly hot days when the air conditioning is having trouble keeping up, a cool and tasty treat for your pup might just do the trick. Just a few ice cubes, some frozen dog treats, or a chilled chew toy will be a refreshing change to the sweltering heat.
Keep the walks to the morning or the evening.
Morning and evening walks will be the easiest on your furry family members. The pavement and sidewalks can heat up throughout the day with the sun beating down on them. Try to get your pooch out of the house early in the morning before the summer sun has a chance to heat things up, or wait until the cool Arizona evening to take your little guy or girl out for their daily walk.
Fill a kiddy pool.
If you plan to spend the day outdoors, make sure you’re keeping your dog cool. While the kids or grandkids are running around in the backyard or hanging by the pool, give the little guys their own wading pool. Fill up a kiddy pool with some cool water, maybe even some ice cubes, and make sure your fur babies stay cool.
Make sure they stay hydrated.
It’s easy for your best friend to become dehydrated when the summer sun is beating down. Make sure they have 24/7 access to fresh, cool water. If you plan to do any long walks or hikes make sure you have extra water on hand in a portable doggie bowl.
Pets will always react differently to the high temperatures of the Arizona summer. Make sure that you keep a close eye on them, be certain they stay cool, and always have water on hand for hydration. With a few simple precautions, the WHOLE family will enjoy the Arizona summer.
