Dog Park Tips for the Heat

It is the first week of May, and we have already had two 80+ temperature days. For the Seattle area, that’s hot. Normally, we don’t turn our AC on until the 4th of July. I will not be surprised if it goes on much earlier this year. As it is, we set up the fan in our bedroom today for the dogs.

So here is my public service announcement- remember, your dogs overheat, too. No matter how beautiful a day out it seems to you, gorgeous blue skies, sun shining down, remember that your dogs have to pant to cool down, and that’s no where near as efficient as sweating.

If you are daily (or nearly daily) dog park people like us, there are some things to remember to keep your dogs comfortable and safe.

1) Go to the dog park early in the morning or late in the evening, if possible. Morning is the best, before it’s gotten really hot, and the sun isn’t as strong, but morning often isn’t possible with our schedule. And since we’re blessed with daylight until 10pm this far north, we’ll instead wait until after 7pm to hit the park. Not only does that mean it has had time to cool down, but it also means there are nice long shadows.

2) Stick to the shade. We are blessed with some lovely wooded dog parks here, but almost every park has a big open, unshaded area. And often, those open areas are where dogs gather. You can be out in the sun for a little bit, but do your best to spend most of your time in the cooler areas.

3) Know the water situation. Most of our parks have water areas, but not all of them. Look the park up online if you’ve never been there before to find out if they have water or if you need to bring some. And know if your dog is picky or not. We have one park where for over half of it, you walk along a river. Neither June nor Larry will drink from the river, which means that at that park, there is no water for them if we don’t bring our own. (Plus having water is good for you, too.)

4) Keep your visit short. Your dog will tire out much more quickly in the heat. If you normally spend an hour at the park, plan on spending only 30-45 minutes.

Get out and enjoy the sun, but make sure you and your dog stay safe.