SUMMER DOG WALKS

WAIRARAPA WALKS

The sun has finally arrived and our dreams of taking our best mate on a summers stroll have come true. It doesn’t need to be too far away for them to appreciate all the new smells and places to explore. We are fortunate to have such a great choice of walks in the Wairarapa like Atiwhakatu in the video below.

 

SUMMER DOG WALKING TIPS

As we are donning our sun hat, shoes, and sunglasses we must also make sure our mates also enjoy their summer walk. We have added a few simple tips that could mean the difference between our dog enjoying its summer walk or not.

Hot Surfaces

We avoid walking our dogs on hot summer surfaces such as concrete, asphalt and beach sand. These surfaces can get searingly hot causing blisters or burns to the dog’s paw pads. If we have any doubt, we place our hand down on the surface for a few seconds and if it feels too hot to us then we avoid walking at that time.

 

 

 

 

Grass Seed

Our dogs enjoy running around in the long grass so when we finish our walk we check vulnerable areas and brush away any unwanted grass seed. These tiny seeds can become lodged in a dog’s ears, eyes, paws. They have sharp points that can work their way under the skin around your dog’s body, this kind injury can be very painful and can result in a visit to the Vet.

 

 

 

 

Overheating

It’s summer and our dogs are stuck going for a walk wearing a fur coat. We tend to avoid summer walks during peak sun hours when the sun is directly overhead. Regular grooming also helps to keep our dogs cool because it removes dead or excess hair, leaving them with a less dense coat that makes it easier to stay cool on summer walks.

 

 

 

 

Water

If we’re planning to walk in an area without a source of fresh water, then we carry a water bottle and a small bowl for the dog to drink from. Some dogs can be suspicious of unfamiliar water and strange drinking bowls so taking your own from home is recommended.

 

 

 

 

Chill-Out

Taking your dog for a summer walk isn’t all about physical exercise, we like to chill-out and enjoy the scenery, whereas our dogs like to slow down to smell mailboxes, trees, and signposts. It might seem pointless to us but it’s super important to a dog and it helps to take a breather on a hot day.

 

Enjoy.