One of the joys of being a dog parent is going through all four seasons with your pup. As spring gives way to warmer weather, you may find that the activities you like to do with your dog during the spring may not be as appropriate as the temperatures rise. Depending on what breed of dog you have, you may find that indoor daily summer activities are a healthier choice during the summer months.
Some dogs have thick, hearty coats that make it hard for those pooches to withstand the heat for too long. If your dog has health concerns that are aggravated by hot or humid weather, it may be wise to consult with your veterinarian to determine whether you need to make some adjustments to the climate of your home to help your dog through the summer months. Of course, even if you can’t take your dog outside like you might like to do on the hottest days of the year, there are plenty of indoor activities to enjoy.
Why Spend Time with Your Dog in the Summer
When it’s hot outside, it makes good sense to take advantage of the great weather to relish the sunny, warm days with your favorite pooch and spend them on daily summer activities that benefit all parties involved. While summer may feel hot and humid outside, it’s far better to spend time when the weather is warm. During this time, you should focus on soaking in all the sunshine and warm breezes that the world has to offer with your dog.
It’s better to spend time outside with your dog during the summer for a few reasons. Firstly, they’ll give you a reason to get outside if you struggle to head outdoors or get out of bed sometimes. Secondly, your dog can give you access to dog-friendly spaces like dog parks where you can socialize with other dog lovers as your four-footed family member socializes with other dogs.
On top of these perks, spending time with your dog during the summer months will give you wonderful memories to remember when your dog is older and less active. No matter how old your dog is or what your dog is facing in life, you’ll find that a bit of fresh air can do him or her a world of good. It can also be great for you as a dog owner and person to get outside and take some fresh air into your lungs.
1. Car Rides
Both humans and dogs tend to love a long or short car ride on a summer day. With the windows down or the air conditioner blasting and some favorite tunes playing through the car stereo, nothing beats this choice for daily summer activities for you and your dog. When you take a car ride in the winter, you might have to navigate sleet, snow, and other unpleasant wintry precipitation. During the summer months, you won’t have to worry about your car slipping on the ice or having low visibility due to a blizzard.
While some things can make it harder for you to drive through the summer like rain storms or thunderstorms, these tend to be less disruptive than winter weather. For one, you don’t need to shovel snow or ice off of your vehicle before you start driving. You also won’t need to wait for your engine to warm up to head out of your driveway. Although summer can have certain issues that come up for car owners, it’s overall an easier time of year to drive and take your dog on car rides.
Depending on where you live, you might find that it’s more fun to choose a destination for your car ride with your dog than to see wherever your car will take you. If you live near a beach, you can make your car ride turn into a day trip to the beach. If you know a local ice cream place that sells cones for dogs, you can treat yourself and your dog to a cool, refreshing dairy treat before you head home as a reward for being so good on the car ride there.
For many dog owners, having a recording of your adventures with your dog can be a fun way to look back on all the places you’ve gone and dream about all the places you’ll go with your pup in the future. To record your daily summer activities with your dog, you can invest in purchasing a dash cam so you can safely record without using your hands or distracting yourself from the road. You can also look into other types of cameras or recording devices that are designed for your car if a dash cam doesn’t work for you.
2. Paw Painting
If you have kids, you’ll probably know how fun it is to take advantage of face painting opportunities as one of your daily summer activities. For your pup, you’ll find that paw painting can be a great way to track your puppy’s growth over time in a tangible way. If you want to change the color of your dog, you should always make sure that you’re using dog-friendly dyes and paints that are designed to be used on animals.
Using any old paint or dye could cause your dog to have an allergic reaction. What’s more, if your dog decides to lick the paint, it may be toxic for your dog. If that happens, you could end up in the veterinary emergency care unit to take care of your dog’s reaction to the ingredients in the paint. To avoid health issues or other concerns, always read the ingredients and warnings on dyes that are intended for pets.
Once you’re done with daily summer activities like this, you can kick back and relax after calling maid services to clean up after you. This will allow you to enjoy the last few moments of a summer sunset with your dog instead of rushing around to clean everything up. If you can’t afford a maid, you can enlist family members to help with the clean-up process if it’s overwhelming to you.
3. Camping
One of the best ways to spend time with your dog in the summer is going on a camping trip with your pooch and even your whole family. Depending on your skills, you may find it easier to rent a cabin for your camping trip instead of putting up a tent. You may also be able to find somewhere that offers tents that have already been constructed for the night.
Some campsites may have gimmicks like lean-to structures or tiny cabins for you to get a one-of-a-kind experience from them. While you’re camping, you should ensure that you can handle all of your basic needs. From charging your electronic devices to cooking your meals, you don’t want to leave any details out when you’re planning your trip. You may want to buy a mobile generator to ensure that you can charge your phone and other necessary devices during your camping trip.
4. Dog Training School
Although humans are out of school during the summer, there’s no reason why you can’t take your dog to a training school during the summer months. If you work a job in education like teaching at Montessori schools, it is easier to accomplish these kinds of tasks when school is out of session for your human pupils. Like with any training opportunity for dogs, you should consider what methods you would like your dog trainers to use.
If you’ve never trained your dog before, you may want to do some research independently to figure out what style of training aligns most with your values and goals for your pup. Some dog training schools are more dog-led and resemble the montessori schools popular with gentle parents of human children. Others may have strict means of training a dog that could benefit one who needs a lot of structure and firm boundaries. Ultimately, you know your dog best so you should pick what resonates most with your sense of your dog’s needs.
5. A Long Walk
Since most dogs love to go on walks, you can take your dog on new adventures by promising a lengthy stroll through places your dog has never been. For example, you could take your dog through gravestones in your local cemetery if that sounds right for you. If you have to visit a deceased loved one’s gravesite during the summer, taking your dog with you can make the experience feel less upsetting and more meaningful. This is especially true if your dog has a bond or a relationship with the deceased person’s grave you’re visiting. Outside of the cemetery, you could take your dog on a long walk on a nature trail or the beach. You could also enjoy a long car ride to somewhere that’s walkable if you want to experience a change of scenery with your pup in tow.
6. Sailing
Although some dogs may not love water, taking your dog along for a boat ride can be as fun as taking him or her for a walk. You can either book a boat charter for curated views or go off the beaten path on a kayak. If you decide to take your dog out on the water, you should practice safety. Get a life jacket for yourself and your dog. Additionally, if your dog can’t swim, be mindful of how deep the water is. Coming up with a plan for how you’ll save your dog from drowning or getting hurt in the water may not be fun for taking a boat charter with your pup, but it could make the difference between coming home with your pup or not from daily summer activities.
7. Road Trip
If you love traveling on the open road, take your pup on a road trip. You can travel through different states or enjoy your home state’s scenery. Some daily summer activities may involve visiting your local RV sales providers and buying a recreational vehicle that’s large enough for your family and your furry canine friend.
8. Hiking
One of the natural daily summer activities we would recommend for pup parents would be taking a hike in nature. You can get special hiking boots not only for yourself but also for your dog to protect your feet (or paws in your dog’s case) from harsh, rocky terrain. When you’re going on a hike, you should bring enough water and snacks to keep you and your pup from getting ill. You should also make a plan for what you’ll do if you or your dog gets tired. Pick a hiking trail that feels doable for your fitness level to avoid over-extending yourself.
9. Bring Your Pet to Work Day
Daily summer activities with your favorite four-footed family member don’t always have to entail going outside or devoting your leisure time to giving your pup enriching experiences. Whether you provide an office cleaning service as an entrepreneur or you work for a catering company, you should ask your supervisor before bringing your dog to work. You can also see if your company allows for an “office dog” to join you in your cubicle daily.
10. A Game of Fetch
As a classic game, every dog will love to run through your backyard landscape to chase a ball. You can change it up by adding new balls or toys to your fetch routine. Just be sure that the item being “fetched” is safe for your dog to use.
Although you might like to do things on a spur-of-the-moment basis, making concrete plans for how you’ll spend your time with your dog is a good idea no matter what time of year it is. To bond with a new or old pup, you should plan daily summer activities that are dog-friendly and good for all the humans involved in the excursion. Some activities, like playing fetch for hours on end, might be amazing for a super-active dog but exhausting for the person throwing the ball. On the flip side, you may love to take long hikes through the mountains but your older or heavier dog may struggle to keep up with their active human.