Coolin' In The Shade

There are a variety of methods for providing shade when at the park, a dog show or traveling across country. First and foremost, you must provide adequate water for your dogs whether they are exercising or not. A dog's ability to cool himself is through panting and the pads of their feet. Dogs can suffer heatstroke which is a very serious illness that requires IMMEDIATE first aid and Veterinary care. They can also suffer from sunburn, so if you have a white dog or one with pink skin, they are particularly prone. Also be aware that pavement can burn a dog's feet when the temperature rises.

Here are a few ideas of how to keep your pets - and yourself - cool when there is no natural shade:

SHADE STRUCTURES

At dog shows, you will often see shade structures, commonly called EZ-UP's. There are a variety of manufacturers with minor differences in features. Some are more solid, but heavier. Some are less expensive but smaller or less sturdy. Some have angled sides, some with nearly vertical legs and multiple height settings. We will review these in detail in a subsequent article. All of them can provide relief where there are no trees or other shade.

UMBRELLAS

Sun or beach umbrellas are easier to transport than the larger structures and can be strategically angled to shade from the direct sun. Some have special coatings inside for added shade properties. They are usually placed in a stand or stuck directly into the ground and are more difficult to use when it is windy or the ground is too soft or too hard to allow for stablility.

SHADE CLOTH

This is the special woven cloth used for greenhouses and gardners to protect their plants from the hot sun. It is available in different netting sizes and colors and can be found online at many garden supply places. It does seem the product called "Aluminet" is the best for keeping cool, but it does snag easily. You can use clips to attach the netting to any solid structure or just drape over a dog crate while still allowing for airflow for natural ventilation. This cloth does work well while crating in the car and you will see a lot of this used at dog shows.

BUBBLE FOIL

This is the thick foil used for windshield shade. It is available in rolls, or by combining multiple windshield shade pieces. It works well when crating in the car when it is very hot outside by providing a thick layer of insulation against the sun. As a side-note, it also works well to keep vehicles warm when car-camping in cooler weather, simply by lining the windows inside the vehicle.

Surprisingly enough, I've found that crating in the car - with riser and crates, of course - is often more comfortable for the dogs when parking is close. When parking and crating is far from where we are showing, creativity is often used to keep everyone cool and happy on an otherwise hot day.

Happy Traveling!