Hi furiends, it's me Luna again!🐾 After a little social media break (the humanager was not available due to family visits and work) I am back on social media and on my blog! I hope you're all doing great and having a pawsome Summer.
Today I would like to bark about a topic that is very essential here in the mediterranean and also in other area's during summer:
Sporting in Summer!
Just like the humans we can overheat also if we go sport in the middle of the day when the sun is shinning and the outside temperature is very hot but with the correct modification or adaptation all sports can be done. It also strongly depends on the condition of the athlete whether it is possible at all.
Here are some top sports for summer:
- Watersports: Kayak, canoe, SUP, dock-diving
- cani-hiking, you can use the same gear set up as with canicross but you adapt the tempo and distance
- the most obvious is swimming ofcourse! whether it is in a river, lake or sea bring a squeaky fetch toy for extra fun.
- Scent work, it's one of the newer sports but it requires a lot of focus from your dog so it will definitely make they feel fulfilled.
- agility/obedience in indoor arena, some dogclubs have airconditioned indoor arena's. If you're a lucky member of one of this clubs you can keep training at an high level even in the hottest august days!
Now that we have seen some good sport ideas for summer we can dive deeper into how to sport and what is the best preparation:
- To begin with the best is to start building your dog's condition before the summer months arrive, the better the condition of the animal the easier it is to cope with summer sporting. Keep in mind that certain breeds such as huskies, pugs, bulldogs, samoyeds, Bernese mountain dogs, etc.. are recommended to avoid intensive activities in summer at all costs.
- If it's your first time you start sporting with your dog or if it's a while ago you have paid a visit to the vet it's highly recommended to do a routine check up and mention you are planning to start sporting. Sometimes the vet gives some extra attention to certain areas that might be extra important if you want to sport with your dog.
- Learn to observe your dog, how quickly does my dog heat up? How long does it take to cool down and get a normal heartbeat again? Is recovery going good or has the dog problems with walking the next day? etc.. One good way to feel the temperature of your dog is inside the ears, if your dog doesn't accept this you could check the temperature at their chest also.
- Climate considerations: Keep a close eye to the weather reports and most of all the humidity index and ofcourse the heat. Also observe yourself how you feel in the weather, if it feels warm and humid for you it might be super hot for your dog!
- Do proper preparations:
Give your dog that summer haircut if possible, make sure they are hydrated before the activity and provide necessary equipment. I personally only use light weight equipment such as our canicross harness and provide a cooling bandana. A vest is also an option but be careful as some vest actually cause overheating if the fabric isn't breathing well.
- Also don't forget to do a good cooldown aswell this can be done with a brisk cool-down walk or a refreshing swim. If swimming is not a possibility you can cool down your dog also by splashing some water on their chest area. Your dog should always have a cool and wet nose. Does the nose feel dry? Make sure that your furry furiend drinks water as soon as possible. Once home you can provide a cooling mat to relax on, some dogs like this while others like me Luna prefer to lay on the floor. 😁
- Study the signs of heatstrokes and dehydration before you go on adventure so that you are prepared to take immediate action if necessary. Cary your mobile phone with your vets number and another vets emergency number
Last but not least don't forget to have fun! Do you have more tips for summer sporting? Let us know by email or send a DM at @lunathecretanbordercollie on Instagram.
Paw from me,
Luna 🐶
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| Luna working out in the park 😜 |
