Summer is here and we in the Northern Hemisphere know it. It has been hot hot hot. Yes, we definitely suffer and sweat and commiserate, but what about the voiceless? What about our lovely cats and dogs who are stuck in the house while we are at our air-conditioned offices? Not all of us have central air conditioning at home. In fact, most Angelenos don’t because it’s supposed to be a somewhat temperate environment. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get hot as Hades sometimes (a few weeks ago, it surpassed 100!). It is desperately important to keep your beloved furry friend cool at home. Here are a few ways you can:
Hot dog
1. Keep a fan on (or an AC box unit if you have one). This is big because it circulates the otherwise dead hot air in the house or apartment. If your dog is crated, then point the fan where he or she can feel it if they please. Last year, we upgraded to a bigger fan and it makes a difference. Also turn on the overhead fans as well. However, make absolute sure that the fan or AC unit is in excellent working order and that it’s cleaned out of dust.
2. Keep the windows and blinds closed. The sun is trying to peak through your windows (rude) and heat up your entire space! The simple action of shutting the blinds can make a huge difference to the temperature in your home throughout the day. Even though I’m a big lover of natural light, sometimes it’s worth it (especially when you aren’t home) to shut the light out and keep the cool “darkness” in. Your pets will thank you at the end of the day.
3. Keep water accessible within the work day. Luckily (or unluckily), Hungry and my work schedules are different so Noke is never in the crate for very long. That means she and the cats have access to water for the long hours of the day. Water can help animals regulate their body temperature and keep them hydrated. If they’re going without for 12 hours or more, that’s just not fair and cruel to your poor little critter.
4. Keep your home as cool as you can before and after you go to work. I really try to do this in the morning by opening the windows, blasting the AC/fan, and keeping the shades open. You can let cool down your home by keeping the shades open while it is cool or dark out just as you can heat up your home when the sun is out. So when I leave in the morning, the home is nice and crisp for Noke and the cats for the day.
5. Give your pets a frozen treat. As seen here, there are great ways to keep your dog or cat cool by the treats that you give them! We try to freeze the kong each night, so that a frosty treat is ready for Noke each day we’re gone. Just like when we eat frozen things, it cools the body down.
So there are just a few ways in keeping your furry friends cool during the dog days of summer. None of them really require a lot of money, so there are no excuses! Your pet’s safety should be priority and it can be dangerous to keep a mammal too hot for too long. Obviously I didn’t put tips like “don’t leave your dog in the car” because I hope none of you would ever be so foolish to do that during a hot day. Keep your best friend cool and stay hungry and fit!
