It sounds counter intuitive, but when the mercury starts rising don’t cut your Collie or Shepherd’s fur. Having a longer coat in the summer actually helps prevent sun damage and the skin from burning. In the summer months, make sure you regularly brush to remove dead fur and prevent matts and tangles and apply a little bit of dog friendly suncream to any areas of skin showing or delicate noses and ears.

Dogs maintain their body heat through their paws. So when the sidewalk or beach gets hot, it can be painful to walk on. When it is just getting too hot, try and walk your dog during the coolest part of the day (usually early evening or late at night). If you can’t do that, try to walk them on the grass or protect their paws with all weather boots or paw wax.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Make sure that your dog has access to lots of water during the day and that you always pack water for Fido while on a walk. Having your own water supply not only keeps your dog hydrated but discourages them from drinking stagnant or sea water at the beach which can cause dehydration and vomiting.

Tick season is upon us and these pesky parasites love nothing better than munching on our precious pooches. Whenever you have a walk in a long grassy area, always do a tick check afterwards. You are looking for small black/brown bumps that you can feel through the fur. If you do find one, remove it safely using a “tick removal kit”. Ensure you remove the entire thing as the head of the tick is often very stubborn and if left can cause infection. If lymes disease is a problem in your area, talk to your local vet (holistic or traditional) for symptoms to watch out for.

We all know that sometimes our collie or shepherd just won’t take no for an answer when it comes to stopping play. Some dogs (especially puppies) are terrible at knowing when to regulate their exercise in hot weather and it is often our job to intervene so they do not overheat or dehydrate. In these instances, you can swap excessive outdoor exercise in hot weather for inside games instead. Simple games such as “hide the treat” (and your dog has to use its nose to find it), or using boredom buster toys such as kongs or treat dispensing balls swap lotsof physical play for mental exercise. Helping to keep your dog cooler inside.