Camping in Hot Weather with Your Dog

While the cool summer weather in Alaska makes it substantially easier to travel with a pet, there are times when we camp with Roxanne even when temperatures soar.  How do we keep her cool?

We are fortunate that Roxanne loves water.  We carry a blow-up swimming pool when camping in hot weather (and a portable air compressor to blow it up!).  We place the pool on top of a tarp to prevent punctures.  Rox will literally lay in the pool for hours to keep herself cool.

Rox "cooling her jets" while camping in nearly 100 degree weather this June.  

When the pool is not available, we often must find others ways to cool Rox, particulary while we sleep.   The most effective way that we have found is to use a water bladder (see http://www.rei.com/product/733948/msr-dromedary-bag-10-liter).  We fill the bladder with ice and place it on her belly (because that is where her fur is the most thin).  Rox loves it!  When her belly gets too cold, she will move to another area.  But she comes back to lay on the bladder when she becomes hot again.  If your dog dislikes cold compresses, dip a towel in cold water and place it on your dog's belly.

Dogs actually do sweat, however, it is through limited sweat glands located on their foot pads.  Obviously, this is hardly enough area to cool a 100-pound dog!  Because dogs cool themselves primarily through panting and breathing, we limit Roxanne's exercise in hot weather.  If we hike (more of a stroll) in extremely hot weather, it is always along a stream so that she can take a swim to cool herself whenever she feels like it.

Of course, we also offer plenty of water for her to drink (sometimes adding ice to make it even more enticing).

Because Goldens have two layers of fur, it is essential to groom out Rox's undercoat each summer.  We use a horse curry comb to do this.  We have never shaved one of our Goldens because of sunburn and temperature control concerns.

Additionally, don't be surprised if your dog drops off on his or her eating during your camping trip.  Roxanne rarely eats more than a third of her usual amount of kibble when camping in extremely hot weather.

Traveling with your pet in hot weather requires tremendous diligence on your part.  Please NEVER leave your child or pet in a parked car during even warm weather.  As we mentioned in the post below, temperatures soar so quickly inside a vehicle.    Even mild sunny days can be dangerous.  As an example, on a 70-degree day, temperatures can soar to 100-120 degrees inside a vehicle.  On a 90-degree day, temperatures can soar to 160 degrees in less than ten minutes.

Remember, it is OUR responsibility to protect these loving and vulnerable creatures.