Here at The Isle, we know that a dog is as much as part of your family as your two-legged members, but as the days get hotter and July’s latest heat wave bakes Philly this weekend, you should take a few extra steps to make sure that cool canine of yours doesn’t become a hot dog.

Avoid The Really Hot Days Altogether

As much as you love to bring your city pup everywhere with you, on the really hot summer days it’s much better to leave your doggo in your Isle apartment. He may give you those sad eyes as you leave, but his paw pads will thank you later. Not only can dogs suffer heat stroke and dehydration on days over 80 degrees, but the hot pavement and asphalt of our city streets and sidewalks can cause burns to a dog’s pads. A good way to test if it’s too hot for Fluffy is by putting your hand to the pavement – if it’s uncomfortable for you, it’s definitely uncomfortable for your pup.

For those times when you do have to go outside (when a dog’s gotta go, they gotta go!) try to keep bathroom breaks towards the beginning and the end of the day. These times tend to be cooler and you can avoid any overheating or hot streets.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Just like you should be fueling up on H2O on these hot summer days, make sure your dog is too. Leave them plenty of cool water, especially if you plan on leaving the apartment. On a day above 80, you should never leave the apartment with your dog without a water bottle for your pup. Even a short walk can be exhausting for dogs both big and small! If doggie isn’t a big drinker, give them hydration in the form of “cromchy” snacks. Most dogs enjoy chewing on ice cubes, and frozen watermelon is a great snack for dogs that will keep them both busy and hydrated. They’ll make a bit of a mess, but lucky for you The Isle’s wood-like flooring is easy to wipe up afterwards.

Plan an Indoor Puppy Playdate

While going outside is necessary for your dog’s bathroom breaks, for many dogs socialization is also vital to their overall health. Rascal might enjoy his daily adventure to the dog park, but when it’s just too hot outside, he’s better off at home. Invite a friend over! Our building is pet-friendly and there are tons of neighbors you can have over for a puppy playdate. Like most humans, dogs are social creatures and most love being amongst other four-legged friends. You may not fit in a big game of fetch in your apartment, but a little doggie “ruffhousing” never hurt anyone. 😉

If making your apartment a doggie playden doesn’t sound appealing (you did just buy that new white couch after all), try one of our local doggy daycares for some indoor socialization on hot days. Scallywags Doggy Daycare is a just a 5-minute walk from The Isle, and their indoor campus offers dogs plenty of room to get lots of exercise and romp around.

Scallywags Doggy Daycare

4367 Cresson Street
Manayunk, PA 19127