No Pool? Here’s How to Keep Your Dog Cool This Summer

How do you keep your dog cool during the summer if you don’t have a pool? This post will show six alternative ways to keep your dog cool and refreshed this summer.

Wow this summer has been so hot! It seems like almost all summer has been in the 90s for us in the 90s in the Washington, DC area. The heat coupled with the humidity is too much. We are officially over it and so are our dogs!

If we don’t take the dogs for a walk in the mornings, we cannot take them for a walk during the day. It just gets way too hot for us and the dogs. We are lucky that Zach’s parents live close by and allow us to use their pool. We definitely recognize that this is a privilege to have access to a pool and that most may not have access to one. 

This has inspired us to get creative and think of the other ways we keep our dogs cool, even when it is hot!

1. Chill out in the A/C

Simple right? Sometimes the easiest way to keep your dog cool is to just stay indoors in the cool air conditioning. As much as we love letting Duke and Navy outside to play, we want to limit their playtime when it is too warm.

2. Go to the beach or lake

If you don’t live near the coast and have access to the beach, look for a local lake or body of water that has a dog-friendly area. Some beaches and/or lakes may have dog-friendly hours or a dog-friendly area.

3. Sprinkler

Watering and our grass and entering our dogs? Yes please! Our dogs love running around while we set our sprinkler off. Such a great way to cool off!

4. Baby pool

Don’t have a real pool? Baby or wading pools are perfect for pups to cool off in. Navy and Duke love laying down (doing their signature corgi sploots) in baby pools.

5. Ice treats 

Our dogs love just plain old ice cubes. When it is especially hot outside, we put a few in a bowl and let them enjoy munching on ice cubes. If you want to spice it up, try putting fruit or bone broth in ice cube trays as well. Try our frozen valentines treats or patriotic pupsicle recipes. 

6. Visit an indoor dog park or dog daycare

In the Washington, DC area we have a couple indoor dog parks and dog daycares that are open to the public. We are pretty big fans of Frolick Dogs (Alexandria), Olde Towne Pet Resort (Dulles, Springfield, Bethesda), Dogtopia (Multiple in the DC area), and Wag and Brew (Alexandria). 

As we get closer to fall, the temperature will hopefully start to drop. Take advantage of these hot days and cool off in one of these six fun ways.

Stay cool friends!