What to Feed Your Dog During Hot Summer Days

The hot summertime is one part of the year when everything we do is conditioned by the weather and sometimes extremely high temperatures. We drink a lot of water, eat less, and have trouble cooling down. Well, the same goes for our favorite furry friends, dogs. So, if you have noticed that your dog's behavior has changed during the summer months, you'll be happy to hear that it's absolutely natural. Your little friends are just trying to find the best way to deal with the heat. They are less active, need more water, and of course, don't eat as usual. And, if you were wondering what is the best diet for your pet in this period, we'll tell you what to feed your dog during hot summer days.

What happens with their appetite?

Every dog breed has specific standards regarding the number of calories they need during the day. However, these numbers highly depend on outside factors. Although the fact that your dogs refuse to eat their favorite food can be alarming, it is not always that serious. This is especially true when we talk about summer days. High temperatures make your dogs feel more like staying in their house and avoiding physical activity. They run less, play less, and consequently need fewer calories daily. All they need is to stay cool and relax. What's more, same as we people do, they sometimes just don't need to eat that much when they feel too hot. Thus, unless your dogs show some signs of an illness or practically eat nothing, you really don't have any reason to worry.

 Dogs don't run too much in the summer.

What to feed your dog during hot summer days- cooling food

You may have noticed that some meals suit you better in cold and some in hot weather. It's because particular food consists of denser and some others of lighter carbohydrate sources. That is where we come to the concept of yin and yang foods.

• Yin energy foods- the cooling meals which are moistening for the body. Those are meals such as turkey, fish, eggs, lettuce, cucumber, apple, and tofu, for example.
• Yang energy foods- the warming meals that are great to nourish and comfort you. Some of those include chicken, venison, squash, and sweet potato.

As you can suppose, during the hot summer days, you should definitely avoid the yang meals. On the other hand, yin food is better if served raw since its cooling benefits will reach their maximum.

It is good to know that this cool/warm distinction has nothing to do with the temperature of your dog's food. This only refers to the type of energy that it emits after consumption. And, if you are planning to take your dog on a camping trip with you, don't forget to pack cooling meals only. They will be very helpful in dealing with the heat.

Frozen meals

There is no better way to cool down in the hot weather than ice. That's why the answer to the question of what to feed your dog during hot summer days is simply- frozen food.

The options are numerous. You can give your dog a frozen carrot, a banana, a watermelon, or other seasonal fruit. All you need to do is cut them into small pieces, remove the peels and seeds, and let them freeze. However, if you want to be a bit more innovative, you can freeze some chicken soup and make your dog a nice chicken cubes treat.

Many people consider the pros and cons of moving and decide that summer is the best season to do so. All these tricks can also be pretty helpful first aid food in case you are planning a summertime relocation. Although summer brings us nice weather and long days for the move, the heat can be challenging for you and your dog. That is why having some frozen fruit by your side will help your dog cool down. Moreover, it will also provide him with some valuable vitamins.

Help your dog feel cool.

The more water, the better

Same as people, dogs can also become dehydrated when the temperatures are high. Thus, regular water consumption is an essential part of their summertime feeding. Make sure their bowls are always full of water during the hot summer days. What's more, it is highly recommended that the water is fresh and cool. Here are several ideas on what you can do:

• you can chill the water in the refrigerator and refill the bowls regularly
• freeze a bucket of water overnight, and let it melt during the day
• or simply put several ice cubes in the bowl

Whatever method you consider suitable, motivating your dogs to drink as much water as possible is the most important thing. If that means that you'll need to set several bowls all around the yard and inside the house, you should definitely do so.

Other important things to consider

However, the kind of food you will give to your dogs highly depends upon their health conditions. Some dogs just can't eat certain meals since that can worsen their health. Thus, regardless of the season, you must ensure you know exactly what you should and shouldn't give to your dog. The smartest thing here would be to consult your vet and ask him for some recommendations.

On the other hand, where your dog eats is also very important, especially during the summer. Provide them with a comfortable, cool place. What's more, it would help if you moved their house to a more shady area. It'll be much easier for them to costume the food if they feel relaxed and cool.

You should understand all their needs.

Now that you know what to feed your dog during hot summer days, you can get ready for the next hot weather season. Employ all these tricks, and your favorite furry friend will be safe and sound.

✍🏼 Natalie Taylor