Helpful Tips To Keep Your Toy Dog Breed Cool and Safe During Hot Weather

Sunny summer days seem to incite all sorts of fun activities with your Toy Breed Dog: As temperatures soar, the hot weather also brings with it very specific hazards such as sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The good news is these threats to your pooch are preventable. In this article I will give you a few tips of how to keep your toy breed dog cool and safe during hot summer days.

Protecting Your Toy Breed Dog from Sunburn

Toy Breed Dogs can receive sunburn much like humans. The nose, tips of the ears and around the lip area are especially susceptible to the burning rays of the sun. Use common sense when outdoors in the summertime with your Toy Breed Dog. Keep your Toy Breed Dog in the shade during the hours of the day when the sun’s rays are most intense. This is usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. However, if you need to be outside during these times, it's okay to apply sun-block to your dog's nose and the exposed skin on the ears. It's a little risky to apply sun-block around the lips. Your Toy Breed Dog would probably lick off the sun-block product which could present another health hazard. So avoid the lip area when using sun block on your Toy Breed Dog. If you notice the area around your Toy Breed Dog’s lips becoming pink or red, contact your vet to find out an appropriate treatment for this area.

Protecting Your Toy Breed Dog from Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke
Leaving a Toy Breed Dog in a parked car during summer weather is the leading cause of heat stroke. Toy Breed Dogs can also suffer heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they exercise too heavily on a hot, humid day or, if they live outdoors and don't have shelter from the sun. Toy Breed Dogs are also more susceptible to heat stroke if they are overweight or suffer from lung or heart ailments. Older Toy Breed Dogs are less tolerant of heat and may succumb to heat strokes more readily than younger Toy Breed Dogs.

Here are a few tips to help keep your Toy Breed Dog safe from heat stroke:
• Do not take your Toy Breed Dog with you on errands if you need to leave the dog in the car.• If you are traveling with your Toy Breed Dog and must make a stop, even for the shortest period of time, leave the air conditioner on. • If you take your Toy Breed Dog with you for walking, jogging or cycling exercise, do not push the Toy Breed Dog on exceptionally hot days. Always take plenty of fresh, cool water. Watch your Toy Breed Dog for signs that the dog needs a break. • Most Toy Breed Dog owners do allow their dogs to live indoors. If for some reason, your Toy Breed Dog needs to live outside, be sure you provide an “all-day shade” area such as a ventilated doghouse, large beach umbrella or overhang to block the heat of the sun during summertime months.• Keep older Toy Breed Dogs and those with lung or heart conditions inside your home on hot days. If you do not have air conditioning, keep a fan running.• Avoid situations that force your Toy Breed Dog to stand on sun-baked surfaces such as cement sidewalks, a truck bed or beach sand. The extreme heat can cause blisters on the Toy Breed Dog’s pads. • If you must walk your Toy Breed Dog in the heat of the day, walk on grassy areas as much as possible.• Of much importance is to provide your Toy Breed Dog with an unlimited access to cool, clean refreshing drinking water.

If you will follow the above tips during hot summertime weather your Toy Breed Dog should be safe from experiencing heat stroke.

Author: Connie Limon. Visit us online at: http://www.abouttoydogs.com/ We are an article and resource directory all about Toy Dogs. Our mission is helping you decide which Toy Dog is right for you and/or your family. We provide you with helpful, educational articles and dog training resources.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

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Traveling With Your Toy Breed Dog

Have you wanted to visit friends or relatives, or perhaps hike the trails at a scenic park? Did concerns over leaving your pet behind prevent you from going? Traveling with your pet is easier than you think.

Air travel with pets falls into two categories, in-cabin and cargo. In-cabin pets must be small enough to fit into a carrier that will slide under the seat in front of you. Pets too large to fit comfortably in a carrier must travel in cargo. If your pet needs to travel in the cargo area of the plane, you will need to check for temperature restrictions. Most cargo areas are not temperature controlled. They do not have air conditioning or heat.

When you make your plane reservations ask if the airline will accommodate your pet. Some airlines do not take pets. If you purchase your airline tickets through the Internet, make sure your pet will be able to travel with you. You will need a reservation for your pet as well as yourself. You will need to inquire of the airline’s specific requirements such as plastic crate or soft-sided carrier. Ask the airlines what size will be required for your specific pet.



Airlines have restrictions on the number of pets they will carry in order to provide safe travel for all. Therefore, making your pet's reservation at the same time you purchase your ticket is a good idea. Extra charges for both in-cabin and cargo pets will be assessed.

You will need a health certificate from your veterinarian. Health certificates are good for ten days. If your trip will be longer than that you will need to purchase another health certificate for the return trip. Cost of a health certificate varies by location and vets. Cost can be anywhere between $15 and $45.



Most airlines require a soft-sided carrier for in-cabin pet traveling. Some soft-sided carriers come with wheels just like luggage, which makes it easier to transport your pet through the airport. A soft-sided carrier also reduces the amount of “pet space” under the airplane seat. Window and middle seats have more room underneath than aisle seats due to seat configurations.



Toy breed dogs traveling in cargo will need an airline-approved crate. Generally, these are hard-sided, non-collapsible crates. The airlines usually require the toy breed dog be able to stand and turn around comfortably in the crate. Some airlines will not allow toys to be inside the crate. You may have to pack your toy breed dog’s toys separately with your own luggage. Be sure to ask about the airline’s requirement of toys inside the crate when you make your reservations. If the airline does allow toys, it is nice to supply your toy breed dog with at least one companion toy for the trip. The crate will also need to have one water dish and one food dish attached to the front of the door. Most airlines will require you to place a bag of food on top of the crate and some inside the food dish. You will also need to provide soft, absorbent material for the bottom of the crate. A soft blanket with your scent works well.



Be sure to provide your toy breed pet Nutri-cal before the flight and as soon as you able to reunite with your pet regardless of whether or not they ride in the cabin with you or in the cargo area. The Nutri-cal will help keep their blood sugars level. Toy breed dogs are more susceptible to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar attacks), which sometimes occur during the stress of traveling. Do not give your toy breed dog tranquilizers.



The motion of the airplane has a soporific effect, which may cause your pet (and people) to drift off into a sleep. Once in the air your toy breed pet will probably sleep most of the trip.



You will probably want to train your toy breed pet before the trip to make your pet a better traveler. There are many resources available that will show you how to accomplish this. One way to help your pet get use to traveling inside a hard-sided crate or a soft-sided carrier is to pack the crate or carrier just as you would for the airplane trip. Take your pet for several trips in the car before you actually go on the airplane trip. Take your toy breed pet to the vet in the same carrier or crate you will be using for the airlines. A soft blanket with your scent is nice to place in the bottom of the crate for your toy breed pet’s comfort. Time spent training will definitely pay off for you and your toy breed pet.



Don’t hesitate to travel by air with your toy breed pet. A little preparation and planning before the trip is all that is usually required. Flying with your toy breed pet is safer than traveling in an automobile. Don’t forget to check with your motel to see if pets are welcome!



Author: Connie Limon. Please visit us online at: http://www.abouttoydogs.com We are an article and dog training resource directory all about toy breed dogs. Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletters.



This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

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About Toy Dogs

About Toy Dogs is an article and dog training resource directory. Our focus is toy dogs, however our general pet articles and dog training resources can be applied to all breeds.

On this blog you will find many of the same articles and dog training resources we offer at About Toy Dogs. Our list of Toy Dog breeds is compiled from the American Kennel Club and includes:

• Affenpinscher
• Brussels Griffon
• Cavalier King Charles
• Chihuahua
• Chinese Crested
• English Toy Spaniel
• Havanese
• Italian Greyhound
• Japanese Chin
• Maltese
• Manchester Terrier
• Piniature Pinscher
• Papillon
• Pekingese
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Pug
• Shih Tzu
• Silky Terrier
• Toy Fox Terrier
• Yorkshire Terrier

Mission of website: To help you decide which toy dog is right for you and/or your family. We also hope to continue providing you with education through our articles and dog training resources to help you take care of your toy dog once purchased.

The site also offers you a variety of hand made dog bows and fleece t-shirts.

If you have an article related to any of our topics please send it to me at: connielimon@yahoo.com Please include your bio box and any links you want maintained within the article.

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