Your pet Dane is often a boundless bundle of joy during the summer. During these warmer months of enjoying parks, beaches, hikes, long walks and vacations with your Great Dane, there are risks to the heat for not only us but also our Great Danes.
As your Great Dane has fun, be perpetually aware of the threat of heatstroke, with extreme temperatures posing health concerns for your pet.
Although Great Danes tolerate the heat slightly better than many dog breeds, the risk still remains.
As a pet owner, you should take the best measures to protect your Great Dane during the hot summer months.
Wondering what to do? Read on.
Tweak your pet’s exercise routine
Daily exercise is excellent for your Great Dane, as they burn through the excessive energy in long neighborhood walks, hikes, and games of fetch.
However, with the heat of the summer, you’ll have to take extra care to regulate their body temperatures by adjusting their exercise routines.
For instance, you can take them on evening or morning walks, rather than during the heat of the day. You may also take them out for a cool, refreshing swim instead of intense games of fetch.
But always make sure they are offered clean cool water at regular intervals.
Keep them well hydrated
For you, the summer months are a time to enjoy the outdoors, bask in the warm sunshine and get a tan. Danes too love to lay in the sun and take in the warmth. Outdoor activities can be enjoyed by both your Great Dane and you, but just make sure drinks are always present. During the hot summer months, your dog is perpetually at risk of dehydration, especially if they regularly engage in intense physical activity, burning off excess energy.
To ward off this risk, keep bowls of cool water around them and monitor their water intake. By doing so, they’ll stay refreshed and well hydrated.
Protect your pet’s feet
In the intense summer heat, the cement and asphalt of the roads and pavement can get really hot. Even worse, the material has a high capacity to retain heat for hours.
Treading these over temped surfaces is not suitable for your Great Dane, as it can cause burns and injury to their foot pads.
Keep them away from these surfaces to protect their feet. You can also get them some feet-protection gear.
Don’t leave the dog in a closed vehicle
This is an essential tip.
A typically warm summer day will cause the heat inside a vehicle to become unbearable for your Great Dane. As the temperature rises, so does the Dane’s discomfort inside the car or truck, and in extreme cases, this may result in the dog’s death.
The risk of overheating is always a risk during summer days, so if your activity won’t allow you to take them where you go, it’s best not to bring them along.
Summer time means bugs
During summer months the chance of encountering more fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes is promising. One should take precautions when going on wilderness hikes, walking in grass and yes even the beach. As here in Michigan ticks are prominent in the dune grass found on the beaches. So make sure your Dane has some form of protect on as should you too.
Don’t have a Great Dane yet? Contact us today to get yours.
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