Advice for Summer Sleeping

As summer looms and the nights get hotter, we start to see changes in our dogs behaviour related to the heat. Their dawn/dusk activities will probably get more obvious (the scientific word for that is crepuscular!), and lazing in the middle of the day becomes more common. But something that you may see, as the nights get hotter as well, can be a reluctance to be in their crates - even if they are completely crate trained!

Think about it: if you are in bed, and your blankets are big and fluffy, you’re going to throw them off in the middle of the night, potentially in a hot sweat, and make sure to have the air con blasting
Our dogs, when in their crates, cannot escape the warmth and discomfort, and don’t actually have thumbs to go flick on a fan - so you may see their protest in starting to delay bedtime and not go as easily into that space as they do in winter.

There is no reason to despair, however! We see this around summer at Allsorts, with our own dogs as well, so have compiled a few tips and tricks which will help turn your hot-dog into a cool-canine once again!

Remove  the Winter Duvet

As much as it may seem like a big fluffy blanket is comfortable and desirable, we all know that when it is hot and humid - it’s not the right option. Think smart. Thinner blankets, sheets, or even nothing at all, may suit better in sleeping areas for your pup.

Break out the Fan

Just like we enjoy good aircon in a hot bedroom, using one or a fan to help with air flow in your dog’s space can be extremely helpful! You have to ensure that your dog is comfortable with the sound of the machine, don’t set it up and put it on full blast and hope for the best, and air conditioning units need to be set up safely as well. Dogs are mammals just like us, and it’s important to remember that they can benefit from the same techniques we use to keep cool. 

This does mean you can open a window for your dog, or set up their sleeping area in the path of some airflow.

Extension of Sleeping Space

A crate can be a small area to rest in. If your dog is in a small space, then it may be that when they need to stretch out (just as we starfish across the whole bed on a hot night), they don’t have that opportunity. While being curled up in a wee ball is suitable and heat conserving in winter, it’s not good for summer. 

You can look at ensuring your dog's crate is big enough to splay out, or even go upside down - but if a massive crate isn’t practical or doesn’t fit the decor, you can add a pen area to the outside of your dog's crate. It might even be nicer to set up their sleeping area fully outside!
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Give your dog the space to use any of the moves they need to cool down - and here are two visual examples, just for a bit of fun.
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Splooting: splaying out so their tummy has full contact on the ground.

Roaching: going upside down to expose their tummy to the sky, good for heat regulation also

If they are sleeping indoors, utilise flooring that is cooler, which leads me to the next tip.

Get a Cool Surface to Sleep On

Sometimes we’ve given advice to have something comfortable for your dog to laze about on - but in the summer, cooler surfaces may be preferable. While we may think that it would be sore to lie on a hard surface like lino or wood - your dog will weigh up their own pros and cons and pick the best place!

If you are not in the position where you have non-carpeted, cooler areas, you can purchase sheets of lino or vinyl and place it down on top of your carpet. There are also options of cooling mats - but be warned - some mouthy dogs rip those up and the gel inside is not meant for consumption.

And so, there you have some tips on how to help your pooches deal with the warmer weather. Some things may seem new and novel, and some things may be obvious now that they’ve been pointed out. Either way, keep them in mind if your dog is showing signs of getting a bit too warm at night - it’ll really help them out!

Greyhounds have a great talent for roaching

Authored by Sarah Endres
Dog Trainer and Behaviour Advisor