We spend so much time complaining about the weather in the UK. Whether it’s cold, wet or windy most of us are wondering when the sun is coming out. I’m unusually not one of them because the sun turns my coloured hair a rare tone of Norfolk terrier so I am always avoiding it.

But a heatwave is inevitable at some stage of the Summer and for this last one I’ve had four Norfolk terriers to look after. Heat brings so many potential problems for dogs and it’s important to ensure they are as comfortable and stress free as possible.

And as with Reg&Bob’s ‘less is more’ ethos I am definitely not about to rush out and spend huge amounts on kit that will probably only be used a few times and have to find storage for during the rest of the year.

With only a small London garden (actually yard is a better description) we have to be extra creative so the dogs are exercised, cool, rested and entertained.

Here’s our tips for coping with hot weather - with dogs. My hair issues are for another day!

Walking

I believe less walking is absolutely fine in hot weather. It has to be very early morning and late evening for us- the intense midday heat is dangerous and a definite no - Reg has a heart murmur and it certainly isn’t a great idea for him to get over heated. Importantly the dogs won’t enjoy it either - following without benefiting from their environment is not a walk worth taking in our view.

Walks don’t have to be excessively long in hot weather - if you can alternate the locations for new smells and sniffs certainly Reg and Bob will be just as happy than going on a long hike. Sniffing on walks is super important for dogs and its important they have the opportunity - Bob will spend ages snuffling on walks and it isn’t just about finding food!

Water everywhere

It goes without saying - that water is key in hot weather. Our walks are always near water so the boys can have a dip - they absolutely love it (the reason I created washable dog collars after all) and allows them an important cool down. There’s always the potential to bring some mud home too.

It’s important to have fresh water in the car too before the return home. And we have to ensure the water bowl at home is always topped up - its amazing how much they will drink in hot weather. I often pop a couple of ice cubes in too to keep the water cool.

Enrichment

If you’re walking less and spending less time outside then it’s important the boys have some entertainment - to keep their minds alert and ensure boredom doesn’t set in - which can lead to destructive /mischievous behaviour. Obviously they will snooze more in the heat but enrichment exercises are fun and important.

Lucy from Pawsitive Touch is our go-to for ideas for easy home-made exercises. Trixie sell an amazing range of activity games but I’m in favour of the home-made variety just to save space. Here are some of our favourites - and importantly they don’t involve any sticky tape!

Hiding treats in egg boxes - they have fun opening the boxes to retrieve the treats.

Delivery boxes - we always re-use a delivery box by hiding the treats in the wrapping paper. It really makes them work and then once finished it goes straight into the recyling

Our friends at Pawsitive Touch have lots of enrichment ideas on their Instagram

Create a treasure hunt on the floor by rolling up treats in a towels , under cushions or blankets - they will love sniffing out the treats and keeps them busy for some time.

Fill a box with loo roll holders filled with treats and watch them figure it out.

Snuffle ball - I only have to pick up a snuffle ball and Bob is out of his chair, He loves the searching for the treats from the folds of material. Our felt balls from Jack’s Wardrobe are fabulous and wash really well too

Cool treats

Reg and Bob love a kong filled with anything delicious. In hot weather I freeze them so the contents take even longer to lick out. As I have a nut allergy I can’t use peanut butter but it makes an excellent filling (ensure it doesn’t contain xylitol) but I use natural yoghurt or cream cheese and they love it. I absolutely do not fill the whole cavity - it’s about the activity rather than providing food.

You can also fill with frozen watermelon - another popular Summer treat - messy but perhaps one for outside.

Another fantastic tip to keep your dog hydrated comes from an Indian Homeopath - it's super easy and a great hit with Reg and Bob. Simply mix 4 tblspns natural live yoghurt with 500ml cool water. I store in the fridge and give a small bowl 2-3 times a day. If your dog is legarthic add a teaspoon of honey.

Wet dogs

However much the boys love a swim and standing in murky waters on our walk - they definitely don’t like baths or any form of clean water! They were underwhelmed with the sisters paddling pool but I gently hose their undercarriage in hot weather- it cools them down and easier than a bath! I always make sure their chest is wet so their heart is cooled.

A wet a towel or SoggyDoggy mat is as good as any cooling mat to lie on - if dogs want to cool down they can choose to lie on it - it should always be their choice .

Dunking their collars in cool water is a quick win cool down too.

Food

I tend to reduce their food allowance during hot weather to allow for the treats they are having from their extra activities especially as they are less physically active during hot weather.

Chews

Long lasting chews - such as a yak milk chew is great to have around and will be a chew they can keep coming back to - I don’t count these as food but more of an activity. One of our stockists Woofs A Daisy has a fabulous selection of natural treats and chews on mail order as do many dog boutiques and shops.

Tricks

I didn’t think it possible that either Reg or Bob would ever manage a trick - ‘sit’ is a stretch sometimes and I their recall isn’t the best. But with treats in your hand its incredible how biddable they can be - and now they have quite a repertoire - when they ring the bell for a treat it never fails to entertain.

Teaching tricks is the perfect activity when its difficult to get out and about - keep the sessions short and regular. There’s lots of ideas on Barket Place

For someone who loves to be out and about with the dogs its really easy to forget how stressful this hot weather can be so I do hope these ideas help keep you and your dogs cool in this weather.

Do comment below with any of other ideas as we would love to hear from you. Don’t expect too much from you dog in this weather. Don’t forget Wimbledon is coming - the boys love watching tennis on TV as much as we do!!

Hot weather - cool dogs

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