During the warm dog days of summer your canine companion can easily get overheated. Keeping your pet's bed and sleeping areas cool helps maintain his healthy body temperature range of 100 to102.5 degrees. When the dog spends hours laying in a warm dog bed, kept in a warm home, his body temperature can quickly rise. At 103 degrees the dog feels heat stress, the precursor to heat stroke. At a temperature of 106 degrees the dog can suffer from heat stroke. Keeping the dog's bed cool to provide a respite from the heat is essential for the dog's health.
Things You'll Need
- Cotton bed sheet
- Scissors
- Ice packs
- Plastic freezer bags
- Pillow cases
- Standing fan
- Packing tape
- Plastic ties
Instructions
Cover the dog bed with a cotton bed sheet folded in half or fourths. Wrap the sheet around the dog bed, tucking the excess under the bed or trimming it off. The smooth surface is cooler than the deep nap of lambs wool or other thick dog bed fabric such as flannel or suede.
Seal ice packs in plastic freezer bags. Wrap the cold packs in pillow cases and slide them under the sheet covering the dog bed or inside the zippered casing of the dog bed. Use gel-filled cooling packs for optimum comfort for the pet. Immediately remove the packs if the dog begins to unbury the packs and chew on them.
Place a fan near the dog bed. Choose a standing fan with an oscillating feature. Adjust the height and angle of the fan so it cools the entire length of the dog bed in a sweeping motion. Secure any loose electrical cords to the base of the fan with strong packing tape or plastic ties.
Move the dog bed to a cool area. Keep the dog bed in the shade if he must be outdoors. In the home, position the dog bed away from window sunlight or heat generating appliances such as computer towers or stoves.