As a doggy daycare with outdoor play areas in hot, hot Houston, keeping dogs cool in hot weather is always a top priority. Unlike humans, dogs can’t sweat - so they need extra help to maintain a healthy body temperature.
We’ve discovered and developed some unique ways to keep dogs cool, even during the hottest days. We were even featured on Fox26 Houston for our puppy-cooling tactics!
Explore how we keep it cool - and how you can imitate at home, to keep your furry friend comfy all summer long.
How We Keep Our Dogs Cool
(And How You Can Copy at Home)
Shallow Pools
One of the most effective ways to help your dog regulate their body temperature is to get their bellies wet. Plenty of pups love playing in pools in the summer. We like to scatter pools underneath tents so that the water is kept a little cooler. Most are filled with just water, but we also have an extra enrichment as part of our academy programs - floating balls give pooches opportunities to use their snouts and paws to experiment and play.
How to copy at home: You can find plastic shallow pools at most big box stores like Walmart. Fill with water from the hose. You’re ready to play.
Cooling Collars
We fashion our daycare dogs with this fantastic accessory during hot days. A cooling collar is designed to hold in cold water, which helps keep dogs cool while in the sun. The back of your dog’s neck is an important area to keep cool. Soak cooling collars in water, store in the fridge, and then wrap around a dog’s neck. The stretchy fabric is comfortable while providing cooling relief.
How to copy at home: You can find cooling collars, wraps, or bandanas at many pet stores. They’re also available online on places like Amazon and Chewy.
Splash Pad
Undoubtedly, one of our most popular amenities is the splash pads. These massive foam blocks constantly mist water. They also spritz water in fun-to-bite streams at random intervals. This adds enrichment while keeping dogs cool. The mats are always wet with cold water, which keeps a pup’s paw pads cool.
How to copy at home: You can replicate something similar with garden hose attachments. The classic Slip-and-Slide is fun for dogs and humans alike. For dogs who love to chase, look for water sprinklers designed for toddlers and children. You can also keep it simple - use the misting setting on a garden hose attachment.
Cold Plates
Our famous cold plates are the perfect place to relax on a hot day. These are built out of massive cool plates, which maintain a temperature of 65° even in direct sunlight. Dogs can spread out, relax, and even catch a quick nap. On particularly hot days, we also activate a misting system housed in our tents that cools the air around the plates as well.
How to copy at home: You can replicate a similar experience for your dog at home with a cooling mat or bed, available at many pet stores or online retailers like Chewy. However, make sure to read the directions carefully - a lot of consumer-grade pet mats are designed for indoor use only.
Want to check out how we beat the heat? Register your pup now for their first day at any of our three locations.
Houston Bark Park and Daycare is a family-owned doggy daycare and boarding kennel that offers lodging, grooming, obedience training, and enrichment for pups in the Houston area. We have three locations:
Address: 4905 Maxie Street, Houston, TX 77007
Phone: 713. 864. 2771
Address: 710 W 27th Street Houston, TX 77008
Phone: 281. 888. 1428
Address: 3663 S Dairy Ashford Road Houston, TX 77082
Phone: 832. 328. 5844
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