My German Spitz feels too hot. How can I cool him down in summer?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question! Make sure Jasper has access to air conditioning on very hot days. You can also have Jasper groomed so that his coat is shorter. Fans and even installing misters outside will help keep Jasper cool. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Goodness! I think that you should shorten the walks or only walk him in the early morning or evening when it is cooler out. His breed (or any smooshed faced) breed can have significant problems breathing, especially on hot, humid days. If he is coughing and/or vomiting after a walk that is serious and may be a sign of heat stroke. You may want to discuss airway surgery with your Vet: stenotic nares, over long soft palpate and everted saccules. Dogs of his breed that have significant breathing abnormalities may benefit from surgery. Also keeping him thin and lean helps with their airway problems. Otherwise, hose him down with cold water and put him in front of a fan. I wish you and King Midas the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sheroo is very handsome. Sadly the aggression towards strangers is a breed thing. German Shepherds are guard dogs and are very protective of their home and family. He should be confined (leashed, crated, on a chain) when people are over and they should be warned to not approach the dog if you are worried he will attack and bite. Overall you have to decide if this is the kind of dog you want. If it isn't you should hire a private trainer or behaviorist to work with you and Sheroo. He likely should be put on anti-anxiety medications to help with the training. This behavior will not improve and will likely worsen otherwise. If he chooses to be outside then you can let him. Provide shade, water, a sprinkler or baby pool for him to cool himself. If it worries you force him inside during the hottest parts of the day. Use a leash and bring him in. I wish you the best!

Hello there, Sorry to hear about your situation. That sounds tough in this summer heat. It's normal for them to eat a little less when it is hot, but they should still be maintaining their body weight. If they are losing weight, then it may be too hot for them to thrive and you may need to find a situation to house them indoors. So tips for keeping them cool! There are a lot of warnings on the internet about not giving dogs cold water and frozen treats. This only applies to dogs that are severely heated and suffering heat stroke. As far as a healthy happy dog that's just hot, frozen treats and ice cubes are perfectly fine and can encourage appetite in the heat. Many dogs like to play with ice cubes! You can freeze kibble, chicken broth, and other fun things in the ice to make cheap, chilly toys. I also like to make big ice blocks in the freezer with tupperware containers, so that when I put the ice block in the water bowl, it takes several hours to melt instead of ice cubes that melt within a few minutes. You can also make mixtures of dog kibble and yogurt or peanut butter to stuff into Kong or other treat toys to make for a cold snack as well. If you can play with them with a water hose, or offer a kiddie pool, they may enjoy that as well. I would also try to keep on top of brushing your German Shepherd regularly to reduce the amount of the fluffy and warming undercoat. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Actually, double coated breeds have natural mechanisms for keeping warm and cool. I would not recommend clipping him as this interferes with their natural temperature management. His best bet would be to be provided a cool area to rest and lots of access to water. If it's too hot, make accomodations for him where you can control the temperature or bring him into the garage.

It depends on the dog. Your Aura may find it cool enough to be in a room with fan. However, if he keeps panting, drooling and looking unsettled he may need a room with AC to avoid overheating. If you can provide him with AC in the hottest days, please do so. I am sure he will feel better at 18-20C.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Temperature has no effect on bladder stones. A fan is fine to use to keep pets cool. Also make sure they have access to shade if they are outside. Please do not feed Cointhee any ice cream or other dairy products. Pets do not have the enzymes to break dairy down and it can cause diarrhea. As long as he has access to cool water to drink, that will be enough. Kisses to Cointhee!