Keeping Your White Lab or English Cream Golden Cool This Summer: Essential Tips

Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors with your White Lab or English Cream Golden Retriever, but the heat can get the best of everyone. Since these breeds love to run and play it is important to understand how to keep your dog cool and what signs to look for in case they do start overheating. 

Summer Heat Tips

Hydration

Just like with humans, hydration is the key to staying safe in the summer. If they have just played outside and are panting pretty hard, give them just a few drinks to help cool them down and hydrate them but do not let them drink as much as they want. Drinking too much and then panting heavily for long periods of time or going back to lots of exercise could cause bloat. It is best to give them a couple of drinks, wait til they cool down, then allow water access again!

Limit Exercise

Of course when it feels like the inside of your oven outside, you are probably not going to exercise as much as you normally would. The same goes for your dog. Try going for walks or play in the early morning or late evening. If you are walking on concrete, a good rule of thumb is to place your hand palm side down and if you can not hold your hand there for longer than 5 seconds it is too hot for your dog to walk. This is also a great time to have your dog do brain games inside to tire them out such as learning a new trick, doing a food puzzle, snuffle mat, or even giving them a good chew. There is a great DIY snuffle mat below!

Materials 

• Old blanket or towel
• Dog food/treats

Instructions

1. Measure out your dog’s dinner or some of their favorite treats
2. Lay the towel or blanket flat on the ground and sprinkle the kibble all over in a thin layer. You may have to do two rounds and that is totally ok!
3. Roll the towel horizontally until you have one roll.  You can also tie the roll into a knot to add more of a challenge!
4. Let them have fun!!

Frozen Treats

Who doesn’t look like a popsicle or sno-cone after being out in the heat? Give your dog a frozen treat too to help cool them down and get some extra enrichment in. Depending on what inside your frozen treat you could also be giving them extra antioxidants or other essential nutrients! There are so many great recipes you can make for your furry friend to beat the heat, but I have included a great beginner recipe below!

Frozen Berry Popsicle

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cubed watermelon (seeds removed, no rind)
• 1 cup of blueberries
• ¼ cup of greek yogurt (plain, no sweeteners/flavors)
• 2-3 basil leaves
• Baby Carrot/Bully Stick/Sardine (1 of the 3)

Instructions 

1. Blend the watermelon, blueberries, yogurt, and basil in a blender until smooth
2. Place liquid into a silicone mold or ice cube tray
3. Pick one of the options above, or another if you have another good option, and place in the liquid to become the popsicle stick.
4. Let them freeze for at least 4 hours or until completely solid.

Grooming

By removing excess fur during regular grooming so that way the heat is not staying trapped in the undercoat. White Labs and English Cream Goldens have undercoats that will shed heavily two times a year when the heat is changing to colder temperatures and vice versa.  This is the undercoat coming out to make way for the thinner summer coat or thicker winter coat to help them regulate body temperature. 

Some people think shaving is the best way to cool a dog down. While this might be true for hair breeds such as poodles, maltese, or schnauzers, it is not true for double coated breeds. Their undercoat helps regulate their body temperature and by cutting all of that off you they can not stay as comfortable as they normally would. Regular grooming will help keep that undercoat safe and free of dead hair which in turn helps reduce shedding.

Water Activities

Water activities can be a great way for you and your furry friend to stay cool in the summer heat. This can be a dip in the pool, sprinkler in the backyard, or playing fetch in the pond or lake! Always supervise your dog to make sure they are not taking in too much water or getting too tired. Swimming can tire them out quickly so make sure you are giving breaks and watching them closely. You can even invest in a doggy life jacket to provide extra support and comfort to your dog.

Heat Stroke Signs

While outside it is important to always be watching for signs of heat stroke in your dog. Watch for signs such as excessive panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting, or collapse. Excessive panting might look like your dog tongue hanging out more than normal and very wide at the end, also known as spatula tongue. If you see any of these signs, move your dog into a coller area as soon as possible. Give them small amounts of water, do  not allow them to drink a lot, and call your veterinarian. 

One of the best things to do to help cool your dog down is to use cool, not cold, water and wet your dog’s body, feet, and underbelly. You want to avoid cold water as it can tighten blood vessels and slow the cooling process. Also have a fan nearby to help move air to cool them down faster as well. 

Enjoy Your Summer!

I hope these tips have helped you and your White Lab or English Cream Golden have fun while still staying cool in the summer heat. It is important to remember a little preparation and knowing your dog goes a long way to stay happy and healthy this summer. Stay hydrated, limit physical/outdoor exercise, give them some frozen treats, stay on top of grooming, and know the signs of heatstroke. I hope you and your best friend have the best summer yet!

 

Are you thinking about getting a White Lab puppy? Come visit Snowy Pines White Labs at our Ozark home or view our puppy live stream to see healthy dogs in action.

About the Author