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It’s up to us to take care of this family treasure… feeding, watering, walking, administering medicines and just plain loving them falls on us. Sometimes you wonder who’s in charge… in fact, we’re full believers in what Cory Ford said, “Properly trained, a man can be a dog’s best friend.”
In the heat of the summer, we have to think of where our canine best friend hangs out and be sure to reserve a shaded space for Fido in our family activities and be especially careful of our outdoor activities. Dogs overheat easily… and unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat through their skin. They rely on panting and releasing heat through their paw pads and nose to regulate their body temperature. If they cannot cool down, they may develop heatstroke. Signs of a heatstroke include:
If you suspect your pooch may be developing heatstroke, move them to a cool place and keep them still and calm. Wet their coat with tepid water and contact your vet immediately.
Another thing to note… when trying to keep your dog cool they need airflow, so thinking they can go in a doghouse to escape the heat won’t work. They’re better off under a tarp or tree shade where they can get good air flow.
One of the best ways we humans can help out our K9 brethren is to make sure they have available shade where the family is hanging out. When enjoying our outdoor patios (which we do whenever we can) we have a few different ways to keep our pets safe, and we’d love to share those ideas with you. Let’s take a look…
We love pergolas for providing patio shade, their slatted ceiling provides some patio cooling. To maximize the cooling, we would suggest growing natural shade (vines) on top to fill in the gaps, or perhaps creating your ceiling shading with a higher number of smaller slats (to block more of the sunlight). Additional airflow, great for dogs to stay cool, provided here by the Quorum Lighting Proxima 196608-65 ceiling fan shown here in a beautiful Satin Nickel finish, but also available in Noir (black) or Oiled Bronze.
By moving the support pole for your umbrella to the side, you open up new possibilities for comfortable shading. With a frame constructed of 304 Stainless-Steel and sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo, the Bambrella Levante 3-5M R-SW-L-GM-E cantilever umbrella is bult to withstand up to 55 m.p.h. winds. With eight available colors and direct to deck mounting options, you’ll love the shade this 11.5’ diameter beauty gives off.
Here at Patio Heat and Shade our goal is to keep your family and friends comfortable on your patio, regardless of how many legs they prefer to walk around on. Providing shade and cooling breezes in the summer are a fantastic way to not only keep your family happy, but your dog as well.
When constructing your outdoor patio, consider a double-decker. By having a second level of patio above you, you create extra outdoor space at the same time you create shaded space for the ground level. Large spaces like this require a decent amount of air movement, and with the ginormous Hinkley Lighting Indy Maxx 900999FMB-LDD ceiling fan you’ll have a 99” wingspan (okay, blade span) to keep your family and friends cool on the hottest of days.
Since the way dogs cool off relies heavily on air circulation, adding a top-quality ceiling fan like the Hinkley Lighting Merrick 900360FHB-LDD ceiling fan is one of the best things you can do to cool your pup.
Absolutely. Dogs have a natural mechanism for dealing with the heat, and shade assists greatly in that it not only keeps the temperature of your pet down, but all of the objects (floors, couches, daybeds) stay cooler which helps them stabilize their temperature. Powered by a super-quiet DC motor, this little beauty is Wi-Fi compatible and includes an LED light and includes a six-speed fan control.
Think about some of these shade ideas and how they can be incorporated into your outdoor space to keep your dog more comfortable in the dog days of summer. A little creativity goes a long way – perhaps you can use existing shade (trees…) and create a small dog retreat under them (dog bed or throw rug). Think of the dog shade ideas we’ve presented and come up with your own variation that fits your pooch to a “T.”
We love helping our customers to find exactly the right solution… and we’ve put together an amazing team of patio experts (the best in the business) to help you find the right cooling solution for your pet. If you’re unsure of the best option, give us a call… we promise to treat you like family.