Have you ever watched your dog sprawl on the cool bathroom tiles, sighing dramatically, while you’re convinced the AC is already on? That’s our crew every summer — and honestly, we totally get it. When the heat rolls in, our fur babies feel it even more than we do. Their coats, their paws pressed to the hot pavement, their love of chasing squirrels at noon — everything conspires to make summer a bit of a challenge.
Over the years of sharing our lives with dogs, we’ve landed on three simple things that make a huge difference in keeping our companions happy and healthy through the hottest months. None of these require a fancy grooming salon or a trip to a specialist — just a bit of regular love and attention. Here’s what works for us!
Is Your Home Actually Cool Enough for Your Fur Baby?
We used to think “cool enough for us = cool enough for the dog.” Spoiler: not quite! Dogs hang much closer to the floor where heat pools, and their whole body is wrapped in fur. What feels like a breeze to us can still feel like a sauna to them.
Here’s what we’ve settled on for our home setup:
| Situation | What We Do |
|---|---|
| Home together on a hot day | AC at 25–27°C, dehumidifier mode on |
| Pups home alone | Set it to 27°C exactly — not colder! |
| Midday walk requests | We gently redirect to early morning or evening |
| Sunny windows | Curtains half-drawn to block direct sun on their nap spots |
The 27°C rule for alone-time is something we picked up early on — cooler than that and our older dog started getting stiff in her hips. It’s also worth making sure the AC vent isn’t blowing directly onto their bed or crate. We point ours toward the ceiling and let the cool air circulate naturally.
Our summer tip: Put a cool damp towel on the floor near (not under) the AC — our dogs love flopping on it. It’s like a budget cooling mat!
Is Your Grooming Routine Summer-Ready?
Summer is honestly when we feel most motivated to step up our grooming game — and it pays off so much. A well-maintained coat and a clean pup just cope better with the heat. Here’s our summer grooming checklist:
flowchart TD
A[Weekly Grooming Session] --> B[Clean Ears]
A --> C[Brush Coat]
A --> D[Anal Gland Check]
A --> E[Nail Trim]
B --> B1[Ear cleaner on cotton ball<br>Wipe gently - never deep insert]
C --> C1[Pin brush first<br>Then wide comb - remove dead undercoat]
D --> D1[Tail up - press 4 and 8 oclock positions<br>Best done in the shower]
E --> E1[2-3 snips per nail<br>Stop before the pink zone]Ears first: We pour a little ear cleaner onto a cotton ball (or right into the ear canal if our dog tolerates it) and gently wipe out the dark earwax. Summer humidity means more buildup, so we don’t skip this. Two methods work equally well — pick whichever your fur baby is calmer about.
Brushing is non-negotiable: We grab the pin brush first to work through any tangles and pull out the dead underfur — you’d be amazed how much comes out even from short-haired dogs. Then a wide-tooth comb from head to tail to smooth everything out. For our long-haired girl, we do this every other day in summer. For our short-coat lab mix, every 3 days.
| Coat Type | Summer Brushing |
|---|---|
| Long-haired breeds | Every 2 days |
| Medium/double coat | Every 2–3 days |
| Short-haired breeds | Every 3 days |
Nail trims: Two or three small snips per nail — never one big chop. The pink section inside? That’s the blood vessel, and trust us, seeing it once teaches you immediately how to avoid it forever. Dark nails are trickier, so we go extra slow and stop the second we see a dark circle appear in the center of the cut surface.
Anal glands once a week: We know, we know — it sounds unpleasant. But skipping it can genuinely make our pups uncomfortable. Tail up, press gently at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions around the opening, and do this over the shower drain. The smell is real — we leave the bathroom fan on!
Wait — Should We Shave Their Paw Fur in Summer?!
This one surprises a lot of people when we bring it up. We used to think going full buzz on the paw fur was the kind thing to do in summer heat. After one particularly scraped-up walk from a rocky trail, we changed our minds completely.
Paw fur actually protects the skin underneath. Shaving it bare leaves the paw pad skin vulnerable to scrapes, irritation, and rough ground. What we do instead:
Trim to the paw, not past it. We just snip away the fur that spills past the edge of the paw pad — maybe a centimetre or two. That’s enough to keep things tidy and reduce the heat trapped between the toes, while keeping the natural cushion in place.
A regular pair of scissors or a small grooming trimmer works perfectly well for this. We do it about once a month through late spring and summer.
Our summer street rule: If the pavement is too hot for our bare hand after 7 seconds, it’s too hot for paw pads. We shift walks to early morning before 9am or after 6pm.
FAQ
What temperature should I set the AC when leaving my dog home alone in summer? We set ours to around 27°C with the dehumidifier on — that sweet spot keeps our pups comfortable without blasting the cold air that can make their joints achy.
Should I shave my dog’s paw fur completely in summer to keep them cool? We actually don’t recommend shaving paw fur completely! We learned that bare paws get scraped and irritated more easily on rough pavement. Just trim what spills over the paw pads and leave the rest.
How often should I clean my dog’s ears during summer? We do a quick ear wipe once or twice a week in summer — the humidity makes ears more prone to gunky buildup, and a little ear cleaner on a cotton ball goes a long way.
How do I groom my dog’s nails without hurting them? The trick we swear by is taking 2–3 small snips per nail instead of one big cut. That pink bit inside the nail is the blood vessel — once you spot it, you’ll be much more confident!
What are signs that my fur baby is overheating in summer? Our pups tell us through heavy panting, excessive drooling, wobbly walking, or red gums — if we see any of these on a hot day, we head straight indoors and offer cool (not ice cold) water.
How often should I clean my dog’s anal glands? We do a quick anal gland clean once a week — it sounds a little scary the first time but it becomes totally routine, and skipping it can lead to real discomfort for our fur babies.
