I'm hardly alone in being more or less heat intolerant, although I think you who actually like heat outnumber us who don't. Regardless, I've heard that summer this year could be at least as hot as that one 2018 – and that summer I think most people thought it became quite traditional after a while.
I want to emphasize that I have not consulted a veterinarian or other dog expert regarding what I have written below.
Boyo reacts also quite strong on heat – already at 15 degrees, we start to adjust the walks so that we are not out for quite as long (and, except right now when we're not out for a long time anyway because for a couple more days I'm still getting radiation). Molly (cats) likes heat, but even she is affected relatively strongly when it gets too hot. Especially as I have an apartment that gets extremely hot in the summer. It is not at all unusual for indoor temperatures to be on 27 – 28 degrees around the clock indoors. The summer 2018 I had over 30 degrees inside most of the summer – it was completely disgusting.
So I thought list some things I do to keep myself and the animals a little cooler indoors, just. Maybe there is someone who can benefit from it. Do you have any tips I didn't include? – feel free to comment on Facebook.
Stop the heat
This is something I've thought about for quite a few years, but did not come to me to do, and that is to buy home window film for the car – the one that actually lowers the temperature inside the car. I'm going to invest in one this year and put in every window I have, with the hope that it can lower the temperature in here at least a few degrees. Can I lower the temperature to (up to) 25 degrees I will be relatively satisfied.
Cooling filter/mattresses
This is mostly to the animals. I have two cooling mattresses to give above all the dogs somewhere to cool off, but they have been used less than one would have thought. In any case, Boyo hasn't really gotten the point of them. Not Molly either, for that part. We'll see how it goes this summer – they exist anyway.
Frying lamps
I use it myself freezing lamps to cool myself down when it's the worst of the heat. I put a freezer pack in my bra, closest to the heart – although you should probably be a little careful with it, because I got minor frostbite. But if you wrap it in a towel and have it inside your clothes, it should work. I have also had freezing lamps in bed, and put those under a blanket for Molly to cool off with when it's so filthy hot.
Dog glass
I have nothing better word for it, but it's not dog ice cream that I buy. I make my own by making ice cubes with some dog treats in them. Single, cool, the dogs think it's a lot of fun to chew on – and it cools at least temporarily. Also, there will be some spilled ice on the floor that will melt and probably make it a little cooler for a minute or so.
Get your paws wet
This is something I sometimes do at Boyo (I don't think I would succeed with Molly 😀 ), even though he doesn't like getting his paws wet. But I have learned that it is better to cool down the paws than to expose a heart that is working hard in the heat to severe cold. The contrasts seem to be too great, and then it becomes a lot of work just for that. I also know from my own experience that it is extremely nice to stop the feet (and the hands!) in cold water to cool down.
Otherwise
Otherwise I'll come, which normally have windows ajar and the balcony door wide open all year round, to pull back as much as possible without snapping (think the air inside gets musty when I close the door). Above all, the balcony door will be closed during the day, because I have sun on the balcony side from lunch to sunset.
When we're out, me and Boyo, we will also stay in the shadows as much as possible. Partly because we are both very sensitive to heat, partly because Boyo is a completely black dog with quite a lot of fur, and I must also not expose myself to direct sunlight where I have been irradiated (footnote; I have bought myself a gigantic sun hat that I will wear all summer 😀 ).
And for it who would like to suggest that we go swimming I would agree, If I had my own car. I don't have that, and when it's that hot it's too far to walk to the bus (and it is not very far to the bus, I can say). When it's so hot that both Boyo and I are half-dead just by existing, so I don't subject either of us to more movement than we necessarily have to.