5 easy ways to keep your dog cool and calm this summer

Every summer we're all given warnings about the dangers of walking our dogs in hot weather. Dogs can quickly overheat and get seriously ill walking while it's hot and the risk is increased for young puppies, older dogs, toy or giant breeds, dogs with thick coats or flat faces.

But just telling you not to walk your dog doesn't help if your dog will go stir crazy and destroy your stuff without a walk. Luckily, there are some easy ways to occupy your dog's brain in hot weather.

Sprinkling treats in a snuffle mat is a great way to encourage your dog to sniff

1. Encourage your dog to sniff

Sniffing is great low-impact mental exercise for dogs and a 5 minute scentwork session will exhaust most dogs. Scentwork can seem intimidating but it doesn't have to be hard. The easiest scent game to play is find-it. All you need to do is hide a few treats around your home and let your dog sniff them out. If your dog's never played before, make it really easy by placing treats a short distance from your dog. Once they get the hang of it, you can build up to hiding the treats in more difficult places.

2. Feed your dog in an entertaining way

Your dog needs to eat everyday, so why not use their meal times to keep them busy when you can't walk them? You don't have to buy expensive puzzle toys though, there are plenty of exciting ways you can feed your dog with stuff you already have. You could lay their food out on a towel or blanket and roll it up, wrap their food up with newspaper or put it in the holes of a muffin tin and cover it with their toys. If your dog's not used to eating this way, make sure you start easy. This should be fun for your dog - not frustrating.

3. Teach your dog a trick

Learning something new is tiring and teaching your dog a new trick (or practising tricks they already know) is a great activity for a hot day. It's important to avoid the more active tricks (like jumping) so your dog doesn't get too hot. You could teach your dog to give you a paw or hi-five, stand or sit between your legs or roll over. If your dog's a pro at tricks then try teaching them to walk backwards, cross their paws or tidy up their toys.

Your dog could look this cute if you teach them a trick rather than taking them for a walk on a hot day

4. Make your dog a cold snack

We all love an ice cream to cool down on a hot day. You can give your dog the same experience by making them their own frozen treats. You can freeze their wet food in a kong or on a lickimat, make them their own doggy ice cream (from 0% natural yoghurt and whatever tasty dog-safe food they like) or freeze chicken broth to make them delicious doggy ice cubes to encourage them to drink more water and stay hydrated.

5. Change how you walk your dog

If you are going to walk your dog in hot weather, change how and when you walk them for their safety. Walk in the early morning or late evening when it's cooler and walk in shady places if possible. Tarmac, concrete and sand can get really hot and burn your dogs paws - if it's too hot for you to touch, it's too hot for your dog to walk on. Avoid any strenuous activity like running, tug or fetch and instead encourage your dog to slow down and sniff. Make sure you bring water for you and your dog as well as a bowl so you can both stay cool. If you're unsure whether it's too hot for your dog - don't take the risk. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Written by Juniper Indigo, dog trainer in Tiverton and Exeter