Dog Friendly Holiday House Sunshine Coast Queensland

Keeping Pets Comfortable in the Summer 

Our pet animals are more aware of the ambient temperature than we are: they wear thick fur coats, all year round. On a crisp cold July day, their coat serves them well, but in hot weather, their extra insulation can cause serious problems. Pets can become seriously ill and even die because of accidental overheating.

The distress at the death of an animal is compounded by the fact that owners feel very guilty, realising that they could have prevented the tragedy by taking simple steps to keep their pet cool. There are many small things that can be done to ensure that pets are comfortable in hot weather.

If a dog or a cat has a thick coat of fur, a visit to the groomer is an excellent idea at the start of the summer. Long, dense hair can be clipped off, almost down to the skin, with electric clippers. You can give your pet a dramatic improvement in comfort by visiting a dog groomer for a radical hair cut.

If you are planning to use a professional dog groomer, you need to book well in advance at this time of year. Waiting lists can be six weeks or more for groomers who are well established. You can even groom your own pet at home.

Clipping your own pet's fur is a time consuming, fiddly and challenging job. It is highly unlikely that your first efforts will look even half-symmetrical, but animals are not vain about their appearance. The main focus is to make your pet more comfortable. Some people learn to become very skilled, but many pet owners find that their initial enthusiasm does not last long. They buy the kit, and after the first sweaty, wriggly, hot and bothered grooming session at home, the equipment goes back in the cupboard, and they telephone the groomer! Dogs are the main subjects in need of serious grooming during the summer, but long-haired cats sometimes also need help.

Some cats develop dense mats of fur all over their body, despite their owner's best efforts at brushing. Electric clippers are often used to remove the mats, and sometimes sedation is needed. Cats do not like noisy buzzy machines! You do need to be careful when giving instructions to pet groomers. Misunderstandings are common. At least when you are at the hairdresser yourself, you can observe the process of haircutting, and you can shout "stop" if you do not like the effect. Some pet owners are shocked to see an almost-bald pet emerging when they collect their pet at the end of the day, when they were only expecting a minor trim and shampoo. In some cases, the owner does not even recognise their own animal.

I heard about a woman from Texas, who had a southern USA accent. When she lived in the south she would take her cats to the groomers and have what is called a "Line Cut". To her, a line cut was when all of the fur hanging down below the cat's tummy was taken off (because it became matted or snarled). When she moved to Chicago, one of the cat's fur got all tangled up during the move so she took it in for a line cut. She was quite surprised when she heard the price as it was twice as much as it was in Dallas. She confirmed with the groomer that he understood what a line cut was and he said "yes, I know what a LION cut is." Her accent came out sounding like LION not LINE. The misunderstanding did not become apparent until she went to collect her pet. The groomer had used his electric clippers with dedication and enthusiasm, clipping off all of the fur except for a big lion-like mane around his head, and a tuft of fur on the tip of his tail! The poor cat looked ridiculous, but at least he was cool for the summer!

Even if your pet does not need to have fur clipped off, regular brushing is important in the summer. Pets have a layer of dense, soft fur beneath the coarser, outer hairs of their coat. This soft fur is the insulating layer, and it is best to remove it as often as possible in warm weather. Twice-weekly brushing is a good idea, and you will be amazed at the quantity of fur that you remove. If you wonder what to do with the fur, I have a good idea. I found an excellent book recently: "Knitting with Dog Hair". Plan your Christmas present early this year: knit a dog-hair jersey in September!