'Dogs need water': Tips to keep your dog cool during extreme heat
It may be the first day of summer, but the heat dome hanging over Windsor-Essex is making it feel like the dog days of summer already.
As the mercury rises, our pets are feeling the heat as much as us, including 10-year-old Simba.
“She loves the dog park. When I’m driving here, she’s like barking and she’s super excited and she just wants to come out and play, run,” said Shannon Khan, who was visiting the Malden Park dog park Thursday with Simba, her Border Collie/Jack Russell/Pug mix.
“I'm in the shade at the dog park don't want to be in the heat at all,” said Khan.
In fact, all the pooches Thursday were sticking to the shade.
And that’s where they should be, if outside, according to Melanie Coulter of the Windsor-Essex County Humane Society.
“A lot of dogs do struggle more in the heat than the cold,” said Coulter, who notes that’s because humans sweat and dogs don’t.
“Dogs need to pant and that's the really important thing is they don't sweat. They do have these heavy coats and they need to be able to pant to release that heat energy,” Coulter said.
She advises pet owners consider shifting longer walks to the morning or evening when the temperatures are more tolerable, and if your dog is restless at home, keep it busy in the air conditioning, if possible.
“You can distract them with things like puzzle toys, hide their food around the house, give them some other ways to use their brain and occupied in ways other than their usual walk,” Coulter said.
Aside from the hot air, the pavement is also hot beneath their paws.
“Their paw pads can actually get burned by the hot pavement but, they’re dogs, they're going to be excited and they're going to follow you so it's important for you as the owner to make good decisions for them,” said Coulter, whose single biggest piece of advice is to always have plenty of water on hand.
“Dogs need to have water available to them at all times in this weather and if you're hot, they're probably hot,” she said.
Coulter also reminds pet owners to never leave animals in the car when running errands during extreme heat, adding if you see a dog locked in a car and in distress, call police.
“Being in the car, even for a few minutes can really cause them to overheat and die,” she said. “It's not worth it. It's not worth the risk.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE MPs debating second Conservative motion of non-confidence in PM Trudeau
Members of Parliament are debating the second Conservative motion of non-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of the week.
BREAKING Canadian rapper K'naan charged with sexual assault following arrest in Quebec City
Canadian singer K’naan has been charged with sexual assault after being arrested by police in Quebec City.
Mounties in B.C. warn 'highly convincing' scammers extorting victims with photos of their homes
Scammers are increasingly using emails to extort money from victims by threatening to reveal compromising photos, videos and personal information to their friends and family members, according to a new warning from Mounties in Metro Vancouver.
WATCH LIVE Helene's winds batter Florida as Category 3 storm races toward the coast
Tropical storm force winds began battering Florida on Thursday as Hurricane Helene prepared to make landfall, with forecasters warning that the enormous storm could create a "nightmare" surge along the coast and churn up damaging winds hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern U.S.
NDP MP introduces bill to criminalize residential school denialism
An NDP MP has introduced a bill that would criminalize residential school denialism, saying it would help stop harm caused toward survivors, their families and communities.
Sask. teen charged in arson attack says 'voices told her to do things'
A lawyer defending a 14-year-old accused of setting a classmate on fire says 'voices told her to do things' prior to a fiery attack which severely injured a classmate and a teacher at Evan Hardy Collegiate earlier this month.
Risk of eye infections prompts recall of eye drops in Canada
A Canadian pharmaceutical company is warning consumers not to use some of its eye drops because of potential microbial growth that may result in eye infections.
Air Canada flight to Toronto diverts due to emergency
An Air Canada flight headed to Toronto from Frankfurt diverted to Edinburgh due to an emergency Thursday, the airline says.
NYC mayor charged with selling his influence to foreign nationals. He says he won't quit
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted Thursday on federal charges that he took illegal campaign contributions and bribes from foreign nationals, including lavish overseas trips, in exchange for favors that included helping Turkish officials bypass a fire safety inspection for a new diplomatic tower in the city.