How to keep your fearful dog cool in summer

Keeping your dog cool in the summer might seem simple. But if you have a very sensitive dog who's afraid of everything, there are more potential challenge to making your pup comfortable than you might expect .

What about trying to cool off your dog could possibly scare them?  Here are some examples:

1) Fear of coming indoors: If your dog is afraid to come inside, or is very uncomfortable indoors, then trying to cool them off with air conditioning is fraught for them. If this describes your dog, you might want to investigate cooling options that can be used outdoors until you can address their fear of the indoors.  

I like cooling mats for indoor or outdoor use, in addition to shade, water, and fans (when they don't scare your dog.)  Here is a review I did of cooling mats. 

2) Fear of movement or sounds:  Sounds or air movement, and household items moving in the breeze created by fans or air conditioning,  can terrify many sensitive dogs.  Leaving the fan function on all the time is helpful for some sound-sensitive dogs. Clean up or move things that are likely to move around when the fan is on, like papers, curtains, etc.

3) Fear of novelty: Introducing a fan, or even a cooling mat, can be problematic for dogs who become anxious any time there's a change in their environment.  It can help to first place new items in a corner or against a wall, away from your dog's preferred resting spots, until they adjust to them.

Watch the video for more tips: 

What questions do you have about your fearful, timid, or shut-down dog? Shoot me an email at [email protected] and tell me about your pup.