When the temperatures climb from the 70’s to the 90’s or 100’s we have a problem staying cool. Now imagine that you have black fur and are currently stuck in a backyard without any trees for shade. It becomes almost unbearable as your black fur absorbs the sunlight and heat scorching downward. It is important to remember our fur family as the days get longer and hotter. We have compiled a list of tips to help you keep your pets cool during the summer months.
Shade
If your pet is an outside pet, you have to provide them with some form of shade. A covered porch or an awning is nice. A shade tree is even better. You can pop up a sunshade using PVC pipe and a few yards of shade cloth for your pet in the corner of the yard. A dog house is great, except that if it does not have proper air circulation, it becomes an oven instead. You can create a dog pallet palace using old pallets as the sides and the roof. Because of the way pallets are built, they provide excellent air circulation.
Water
Animals need a source of water when they are outside. The summer months are no different, except that they need more water to keep themselves cooler. The water in a bowl will evaporate quicker, leaving your pup thirsty by mid-afternoon (the hottest part of the day). There are several ideas on how to keep the water fresh and cool for your pup. The first is to freeze the water in the bowl and then set it out for your animals to drink. This way as the sun melts the ice, your pup has a fresh cool drink all day. The second is to install a water feature in your yard that is specifically for your animals. Something with a fountain and shallow pool will allow your pets to drink and will aerate the pool to keep the mosquitoes from breeding in it. But my personal favorite is when people use their ingenuity and skills to create a solution to the problem. Check out these really amazing ways to keep your animals fed and watered over the summer.
No Haircuts
Contrary to popular belief, shaving an animal’s fur DOES NOT cool them down. An animal’s layers of fur help to protect them. They help block out the heat and harmful rays of the sun. Instead of shaving all of their fur off; simply brush them. Removing a little bit of excess fur, not to mention the dirt and debris that accumulates on outside animals, can help the animals to regulate their temperature better, With a mix of the shade, cool water, and layers of fur, your animal should have no problems staying happy in the backyard when the weather hits 90-100 degrees.
Contact Gentry Air Conditioning today via our online contact form or call us at 817-488-6733.