Heatwaves: How to Set Your Dog Up for Success This Summer

As heatwaves become more frequent — not just this year, but likely in years to come — it’s important that we think beyond the usual advice of ice treats and early‑morning walks. While those are helpful, there are several deeper, often overlooked ways we can support our dogs’ wellbeing in hot weather.

Heat can be genuinely challenging for dogs, especially those who are overweight, anxious, reactive, or carrying excess coat. The good news? There is so much we can do to make their lives easier.

Below are five practical, impactful ways to help your dog cope better during hot spells.

1. Keep Your Dog at a Lean, Healthy Weight

One of the kindest things you can do for your dog — in heatwaves and beyond — is to keep them lean.

You should be able to feel your dog’s ribs easily, without pushing or searching. Lean dogs regulate temperature more efficiently and are less likely to suffer in the heat.

If your dog needs to lose weight, consider:

• Feeding a high‑quality diet

• Hand‑feeding to monitor intake

• Reducing treat quantity

• Feeding slightly less

• Increasing gentle movement where appropriate

A healthy weight isn’t just aesthetic — it’s a welfare issue, especially in hot weather.

2. Keep Up With Grooming and Regular Brushing

Sudden spikes in temperature often trigger sudden shedding. Dogs can struggle to regulate their temperature if they’re carrying excess coat.

Regular brushing helps remove loose fur and allows air to circulate more freely through the coat. For double‑coated breeds, this is especially important.

If grooming isn’t your strong point, booking regular appointments with a professional groomer can make a huge difference.

3. Improve Their Cardiac Fitness

A fitter dog is a cooler dog.

When a dog has good cardiovascular fitness, their heart rate returns to resting more quickly after exertion. This means their system stays calmer, they recover faster, and they’re less likely to become hot and stressed.

This doesn’t mean intense exercise — it means consistent, appropriate movement tailored to your dog’s age, breed, and health.

4. Mix Up Their Routine at Home

A dog won’t suffer from a missed walk — but a dog who is dependent on a rigid routine may.

Dogs who become stressed when their schedule changes are more likely to struggle during heatwaves, when walks may need to be skipped or moved to cooler times.

Help your dog become more adaptable by:

• Changing feeding times occasionally

• Varying walk times

• Taking a random day off from walking

• Teaching “go with the flow” as a normal part of life

A flexible dog is a calmer dog — and calm dogs cope better with heat.

5. Practice Calm at Home

Reactive or easily triggered dogs often live in a state of hypervigilance, with elevated adrenaline and cortisol. Heat amplifies this.

A dog who is already stressed will find it harder to relax, rest, and regulate their temperature.

Supporting calm at home — through enrichment, decompression, predictable boundaries, and trauma‑informed training — can make a huge difference to their comfort during hot spells.

Final Thoughts

Heatwaves can be harder for dogs, but there is so much we can do to make them easier. From weight management to grooming, fitness to flexibility, and emotional regulation — these small changes add up to big improvements in comfort and wellbeing.

Personally, I love sunrise walks… even if a 4am alarm isn’t considered “normal”! Here’s to keeping our dogs safe, cool, and happy this summer.

Emma & Hildi x