11 Jul 6 Tips to Keep Your Dog Cool While Camping in Summertime
If you like to take your four-legged friend on your family adventures, camping is an extremely dog-friendly activity. Many campsites allow dogs onsite (we are pet-friendly at Lake George Campsites!). Why wouldn’t you want your furry best friend by your side during your time in the great outdoors? Dogs are great companions when hiking in the woods, sitting by the campfire, and looking up at the stars.
If you are camping during the summer months, you will need to take extra precautions to protect your dog from heat stroke and other damaging effects from sun exposure. We’ve compiled six tips to help keep your dog cool as ice while camping in the summertime.
1. Hydration is key.
We can’t stress enough that this is the most important tip of all. Make sure that your dog is drinking water and plenty of it. Dehydration can be extremely dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs. With the summer heat added on top, it can make things even worse.
Make sure that you always have plenty of cold water nearby. A portable water bowl or dog water bottle is a great thing to keep on you during all outdoor activities.
Make use of the several water stations located around our campground if you’re staying with us at Lake George Campsites.
2. Invest in a cooling mat or cooling bed.
A cooling dog bed or cooling mat is a great investment for your dog to help keep them comfortable while everyone is hanging out around the campsite. There are many products like this on the market that are affordable, portable, washable, and great for camping! A portable fan is also a great thing to bring along to provide some extra comfort for Fido.
3. If your campsite doesn’t offer shade, create your own!
Try to pick a campsite with lots of trees and available shade. If this is not possible, you will have to do a little bit of work to create your own shade. You can offer shade for your dog by stringing up a tarp or cloth. Or you can purchase a pop-up sunshade for instant shade.
4. Yes, dog-friendly sunscreen is a thing.
Believe it or not, dogs can get sunburnt. They are especially susceptible if they have short hair, white or light-colored fur, or pink/exposed skin. Be sure to pack dog-friendly sunscreen and apply it to your dog’s snout, ears, paws, and other areas with limited coat coverage before direct sun exposure. Do it when you are applying your own sunscreen so you don’t forget!
You can use baby sunscreen if you are unable to find a dog-specific sunscreen brand, as they are often gentler and contain fewer chemicals. You should avoid using human sunscreen on your dog because zinc oxide, which is found in most human sunscreens, is dangerous for dogs.
5. Take your pooch for a dip.
If you have a water-loving pooch, find the closest lake, pond, river, stream, etc., for a quick dip. Swimming is a great respite from the heat of summer. Just make sure that wherever you go allows animals, is safe for animals, and doesn’t have a strong current.
If you are staying with us at Lake George Campsites, be sure to check out the aptly named “Dog Beach” in Lake George Village. It’s located between the Lake George Steamboat Company docks and Million Dollar Beach. You can let your dog off leash here to play in the sand and swim in the lake.
6. Avoid hiking in the hottest hours of the day.
Hiking is a wonderful camping activity and a great activity to include your dog in. For the safety of your pet (and yourselves), we recommend hiking early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the hottest hours of the day.
If you do hike in the late morning or afternoon, be sure to pack plenty of water and take breaks often so you and your dog don’t overheat.
If you are staying with us, be sure to take advantage of the many dog-friendly trails in the Lake George region. Healthy, medium-large sized dogs can take on the trails at Buck Mountain, Cat Mountain, Pilot Knob Reserve, Hadley Mountain, Prospect Park, and Sleeping Beauty, to name a few. Be mindful of leash laws, as they do vary.
We suggest researching the trail before you go to make sure that it is appropriate for the age, size, and fitness level of your pooch.
Not only are we pet-friendly, but we offer many great amenities such as a swimming pool, bath houses, an arcade, a playground, a fully-loaded camp store, and more. Plus, our central location offers easy access to all of the wonderful activities that the Lake George area has to offer.
Learn more about pet-friendly camping at Lake George Campsites >>