Keeping Your Dog Cool and Comfortable This Summer: Coat, Hydration & Skin
When the weather turns hot, the basics carry most of the weight: keep your dog in shade or air conditioning, keep cool water in front of them all day, walk during the cooler hours, never leave them in a parked car, and learn the early signs of heatstroke. Everything else — coat care, skin, paws — is about making those basics work better for the dog in front of you. Here's how the pieces fit together.
Start with water they'll actually drink
Hydration is the quiet half of staying cool. A dog that drinks well regulates heat better and shows it in healthier skin and coat. The catch is that some dogs underdrink from a still bowl, especially when the water's been sitting warm all afternoon. The American Kennel Club notes that a pet water fountain can encourage a dog to drink more by keeping the water fresh and moving — useful for the dog who walks past a full bowl until you refresh it.
In summer the practical wins are simple: refill more often, keep at least one water source in the shade, and if you're out in the yard, bring water with you rather than expecting the dog to ration. If you use a bowl, dump and refill it through the day so it stays cool and clean.
A fountain helps here mostly by removing excuses not to drink. The Automatic Pet Water Fountain ($59.99) holds 10 L (2.64 gal), so a big dog or a multi-pet house goes longer between refills on hot days, and it circulates the water through an activated-carbon filter to keep it fresh-tasting. It runs cordless for up to 60 days on a charge, so you can place it in a cool corner away from an outlet. Keep a set of replacement filters ($20.98) on hand and swap them every 3–4 weeks — a fountain only stays appealing if the water stays clean.
Manage the coat — but don't shave it
It's tempting to shave a fluffy dog down for summer. For double-coated breeds, the AKC advises against it: that coat insulates against heat as well as cold and shields the skin from sun, so shaving can actually make a dog less comfortable and leave skin exposed. What helps instead is removing the dead undercoat so air can move through the coat the way it's meant to.
That means a deshedding session is genuinely a summer comfort task, not just a tidiness one. Working the loose undercoat out keeps the coat from trapping heat against the body. The 2-in-1 Undercoat Rake ($16.99) is built for this — the rake side pulls dead undercoat out from under the topcoat, and the rotating-comb side handles the tangles that form behind the legs and ears. Go gently, in the direction of the hair, a few minutes at a time. For short and smooth coats there's far less undercoat to manage, so a quick weekly brush is usually enough.
Watch the skin and the paws
Summer brings its own small hazards. Pavement, sand, and metal surfaces get hot enough to hurt paw pads — the back-of-your-hand test is the easy rule: if you can't hold your hand on the surface for several seconds, it's too hot for their feet, so walk on grass or wait for the cool of the evening. Sunburn is real for dogs with thin coats, pink skin, or a recently clipped belly, so keep those dogs out of direct midday sun.
Keep an eye on the skin under a thick coat too. Trapped moisture and matted fur in hot, humid weather can lead to irritated patches, which is another reason to keep the undercoat cleared and the coat free of mats rather than shaved.
Know the heat-safety rules — and the warning signs
A few rules are non-negotiable. Never leave a dog in a parked car, even briefly — the AKC notes the inside of a car can hit 100°F (38°C) within 20 minutes, even on a milder day. Limit hard exercise when it's hot and shift walks and play to the cooler parts of the morning and evening. Offer shade and cool water any time you're outside.
For active cooling, a cool (not ice-cold) wet towel to lie on, a cooling mat, or a light spray of cool water on the belly all help. One important caveat from the AKC: don't apply anything ice-cold directly to an overheating dog, because extreme cold constricts blood vessels and can trap heat inside.
Finally, learn what heatstroke looks like, because it's an emergency. The AKC lists heavy panting, drooling, a rapid pulse, and fever among the signs. If you see them, move the dog to a cool place, offer cool water, begin cooling them with cool — not ice-cold — water, and get to a veterinarian immediately. When in doubt, treat it as urgent and call your vet on the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I shave my dog to keep it cool in summer?
A: Not if it's double-coated. The AKC advises against shaving double coats because the coat insulates against heat and protects the skin from sun. Remove the loose undercoat with a deshedding tool so air can flow through the coat instead.
Q: How do I get my dog to drink more water when it's hot?
A: Keep water cool and fresh, offer more than one source, and refill often. Many dogs drink more from fresh, moving water, so a fountain can help with dogs who ignore a still bowl. Bring water along on hot-weather outings rather than waiting until you're home.
Q: How do I know if the ground is too hot for my dog's paws?
A: Press the back of your hand to the pavement. If you can't hold it there comfortably for several seconds, it's too hot for paw pads — walk on grass or wait until the surface cools in the evening.
Q: What are the signs of heatstroke in dogs?
A: The AKC lists heavy panting, drooling, a rapid pulse, and fever. Heatstroke is an emergency: move the dog somewhere cool, begin cooling with cool (not ice-cold) water, and get to a veterinarian right away.
Sources
- American Kennel Club — How to Keep Your Dog Cool in Extreme Heat (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/keep-dog-cool-summer-heat/)
- American Kennel Club — Overheating in Dogs: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/overheating-in-dogs/)
- American Kennel Club — Summer Dog Grooming Tips: How to Keep Your Dog Cool in Summer (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/at-home-grooming-tips-summer/)
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