The second worst thing about the record-high summers we seem to get year after year is trying to get to sleep at night. All that tossing and turning, the sheet sticking to your skin thanks to the glue-like sweat you seem to perspire. It’s annoying beyond words. The worst thing, however, is the risk summer weather can pose to your Labrador Retriever.
That is why we have been busy putting our eyes to research and fingertips to keyboard to come up with some essential tips, tricks, and bits of advice when it comes to beating this year’s summer heatwave.
Early Morning Or Late Night
Labrador Retrievers need more exercise than a professional rugby player with his eyes on the World Cup. However, you need to be a little cautious about this during the summer months. That is why we highly recommend you tweak your habits and start exercising your excitable pup first thing in the morning and the last thing at night when the air is much cooler. The other thing we would kind of urge you to do is ease off the exercise a bit. Lower the intensity a tad, or cut each park session down slightly; anything to make your dog that much more comfortable this summer.
Don’t Forget About Fleas
No one loves summer as much as fleas. Not even your tan-obsessed best mate who refuses to wear sunscreen. The humidity and warmth just speed up lifecycle no end (we’re talking about the fleas), not to mention that we’re coming off an incredibly mild winter too. That is why you need to be on the case more than normal. You don’t have to change your lifestyle, just some flea collar reviews, talk to your vet, keep an ear to the ground and make sure you have the right medication handy, just in case. Flea infestations are a much higher risk and that means your precautions need to rise too.
Dehydration Annihilation
Keep encouraging your dog to drink and remember to carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go, especially if you are going for a walk. That is the bottom line on this topic, although it is also worth understanding that different types of Labrador Retriever have different needs. If you have a Lab with a black or chocolate coat, for example, they may need to be kept more hydrated than you realize because they will absorb the heat far quicker than you. So make sure they drink and make sure you sprinkle water on them should you feel the need to. You may not realize, but dogs cool from the bottom up, so if you are spraying them, spray their feet and belly.
Digging Is Good
Dogs weren’t always house trained animals. They were wild once. What’s more, those instincts on how to keep cool and avoid the heat haven’t disappeared. What they do in the wild is dig. It isn’t out of annoyance, it is what they do to hunt for food, give birth to their litter and, yes, stay cool. So to help your dog embrace its natural need to escape the heat, find a shady spot where it is okay to dig a hole and let them paw away. Your Labrador will thank you big time.