How to Keep Your Dog Cool in Summer: The Heatwave Survival Guide

The forecast hits 95°F. The humidity climbs. Your dog walks from one room to the next, panting harder than usual, restless on every surface he tries. You crack open the AC, refill his water bowl, and wonder if it's actually enough.

It's a question more dog owners are asking every year. Heatwaves are getting longer, hotter, and more frequent — and dogs are paying the price. Veterinary emergency rooms see a spike in heatstroke admissions every summer, the majority of them preventable.

This guide covers everything you can do to keep your dog cool when the temperature climbs: the warning signs vets watch for, the daily routine adjustments that matter most, and why the best cooling mat for dogs has become standard equipment in households with large breeds, double-coated breeds, and seniors.

If you only read one summer dog care guide this year, make it this one.

Why Dogs Struggle in Heat (More Than You Think)

Dogs don't sweat the way humans do. They have a small number of sweat glands in their paw pads, but for all practical purposes, they have one cooling system: panting.

Panting works by evaporating moisture from the tongue, throat, and upper respiratory tract. It's efficient enough in moderate weather. But once the air temperature rises above about 80°F — and especially when humidity goes up — the evaporation rate slows down and panting becomes less and less effective at actually cooling the dog.

This matters because a dog's normal body temperature sits between 101°F and 102.5°F. Once it climbs above 104°F, you're entering hyperthermia. By 106°F, organ damage can start. By 109°F, the situation becomes life-threatening fast.

The dogs most at risk in a heatwave:

• Large breeds (Labs, Shepherds, Goldens, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dogo Argentinos, mastiffs)
• Double-coated breeds (Huskies, Malamutes, Newfoundlands, Australian Shepherds)
• Flat-faced breeds (Bulldogs, Pugs, Frenchies, Boxers, Boston Terriers)
• Senior dogs
• Overweight dogs
• Dogs with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions

If your dog falls into any of these categories, summer is not the time to wing it.

The Warning Signs of Heatstroke (Memorize These)

Vets describe a clear progression of symptoms as a dog moves from "warm" to "dangerously overheated." Catching the early signs is the difference between an easy intervention and an emergency.

Early signs (act now)

• Heavy, persistent panting that doesn't slow down with rest
• Restlessness — moving from one cool spot to another
• Drooling more than usual
• Bright pink or red gums and tongue
• Slower response to commands

Moderate signs (start active cooling immediately)

• Thick, ropey saliva
• Glazed or distant-looking eyes
• Refusal to move or stand up
• Rapid heartbeat
• Vomiting or diarrhea

Severe signs (veterinary emergency — call now)

• Disorientation, stumbling, collapse
• Seizures
• Loss of consciousness
• Bloody vomit or stool
• Gums turning bluish or grey

If your dog shows any severe signs, get to a vet immediately. While you're on the way, you can pour cool (not cold) water over their belly, paws, and the underside of their legs. Don't use ice or ice-cold water — that can constrict blood vessels and trap heat inside the body.

The 7 Things Vets Recommend in a Heatwave

These are the interventions that actually move the needle. Most cost nothing. The one that does cost something pays for itself the first time you avoid a problem.

1. Shift walk times — early or late only

Pavement temperature in direct sun can reach 140°F when the air temperature is only 85°F. That's hot enough to burn paw pads in under a minute. The five-second rule applies: press the back of your hand against the pavement. If you can't hold it there for five seconds, it's too hot for your dog's paws.

Walk before 8am or after 8pm during heatwaves. If you have to walk midday, stick to grass and shaded paths only.

2. Fresh water, multiple bowls, ice cubes optional

Dogs drink more in summer — sometimes 50% more than usual. Put out more bowls than you think you need, especially in spots where your dog spends time. Refresh them throughout the day. A few ice cubes in the bowl is fine and most dogs enjoy it (the old myth that ice causes bloat has been debunked).

3. Never, ever leave a dog in a parked car

Even with windows cracked. Even for five minutes. Even on a "not that hot" day. The interior of a parked car can climb 20°F in ten minutes and 40°F in an hour. Dogs have died in cars at 70°F outdoor temperatures. There is no safe version of this.

4. Shade and ventilation in the yard

If your dog spends time outside, make sure they have multiple shaded options that move with the sun. A doghouse in full sun is an oven — shade trees or a covered patio are better. Cross-breezes matter; still air at 90°F is worse than moving air at 95°F.

5. A cool indoor surface to lie on

This is where a cooling mat for dogs becomes the single most useful piece of equipment in your house during a heatwave. Most flooring stores heat. Hardwood, tile, and especially carpet all absorb warmth through the day and release it back to your dog when they lie down. A good cooling mat reverses that — it pulls heat away from the dog's body on contact, continuously, with no electricity, refrigeration, or maintenance.

We'll get into what to look for in one in the next section.

6. Reduce intense exercise

Skip the long hike. Skip the dog park at peak heat. Replace high-energy activity with mental stimulation — puzzle feeders, training games, scent work in a cool room. A tired brain is just as good as a tired body, and your dog will sleep through the worst of the heat instead of fighting it.

7. Cool, not cold, water for active cooling

If your dog needs active cooling — after a long walk, on the hottest part of the afternoon — wet a towel with cool (not cold) water and drape it over their belly and paws. The underside of the body is where heat releases most efficiently. Resist the urge to use ice water; it can shock the system and actually slow heat dissipation.

For a deeper look at the science behind canine heat regulation and which dogs are most at risk, see our guide on 

Why a Cooling Mat Belongs in Every Hot-Weather Household

Of the seven interventions above, six are free. The seventh — a cooling mat — is the one that genuinely changes what a heatwave feels like for your dog.

Here's why it works so well: most owners think about cooling their dog as an event ("I need to do something about this heat"). A cooling mat shifts it to a passive, all-day system. You place it down once. Your dog finds it. They lie on it for hours at a time, on their own, without you doing anything. The cooling happens continuously, in the background, while you're at work or asleep.

It also solves a specific problem the other interventions don't: the surface temperature problem. Your AC cools the air. But if your dog is lying on a floor that's been absorbing heat since noon, the air being cool doesn't help much. The mat directly addresses the contact surface — the part that actually matters for conductive cooling.

What to Look for in the Best Cooling Mat for Dogs

The market is crowded and the quality varies wildly. Here's the framework most vets and large-breed owners use:

Mechanism: pressure-activated, not gel-pack

Skip mats that require refrigeration or freezing. They cool fast, warm up fast, and become a chore that ends up in a closet by July 15th. Look for pressure-activated mats that work on contact, with no prep.

Material: quilted ice-fabric or self-cooling polymer

The textile matters. Cheap mats use thin, slick fabric that warms up the moment a dog lies on it. Quality mats use multi-layer quilted fabric with thermoregulating fibers — these dissipate heat continuously and stay cooler longer.

Size: bigger than you think

A too-small mat is the #1 reason cooling mats fail. Your dog needs to lie fully extended on the surface. A Labrador on a 50×40cm mat will lie half on, half off — and eventually give up on it entirely. For most large breeds you want at least 80×60cm.

The Two Dogos Cooling Mat is sized M (55×40cm), L (65×50cm), and XL (80×60cm) — built specifically for medium, large, and giant breeds.

Base: non-slip is non-negotiable

A mat that slides around won't get used. Look for a textured thermoplastic polymer base that grips hardwood, tile, and laminate without clips or adhesive. Bonus if it creates a moisture barrier underneath (useful in humid rooms or kennels).

Construction: durable, washable, easy to maintain

Your dog will lie on this thing every day. The fabric needs to handle that without pilling, leaking, or absorbing odors. Look for a sealed surface that wipes clean with a damp cloth.

A bolster (the underrated feature)

Most cooling mats are completely flat — just a cool surface on the floor. The better ones have a raised bolster around the edge that gives your dog something to rest their neck and head against. This turns the mat into a proper resting position rather than just a cool slab. The Two Dogos mat has a 6cm bolster, which the customer reviews consistently call out as the reason their dog actually stays on the mat instead of treating it as a "second" spot.

Two Dogos: Built for the Dogs Who Need It Most

The Two Dogos Cooling Mat was designed with one customer in mind: the owner of a large or double-coated breed who has tried other mats and watched their dog ignore them or outgrow them. Every feature traces back to that frustration.

• Quilted ice-fabric that pulls heat away on contact, all day
• 6cm raised bolster for neck and spine support
• Non-slip thermoplastic base that stays put on every surface
• Sized M, L, and XL for medium to giant breeds
• No fridge, no water, no electricity — out of the box, ready to go
• Wipes clean with a damp cloth in under a minute

If you have a Labrador, German Shepherd, Husky, Golden, Bernese, Dogo Argentino, or any other large breed that struggles in summer — this is the mat built for them. 

Heatwave Checklist: Save This

The night before a forecasted heatwave:

• [ ] Fill multiple water bowls; freeze a few ice cubes
• [ ] Lay out the cooling mat in the room your dog uses most
• [ ] Pre-schedule walks before 8am and after 8pm
• [ ] Close blinds on south- and west-facing windows
• [ ] Confirm AC is working (or plan for cross-ventilation)
• [ ] Have your vet's emergency number saved in your phone

During the heatwave:

• [ ] Check water bowls every 2–3 hours
• [ ] Look for the early warning signs (heavy panting, restlessness, bright gums)
• [ ] Skip dog parks and long walks
• [ ] Use cool (not cold) wet towels for active cooling if needed
• [ ] Never leave the dog in a parked car

Final Word

Summer heat is one of the few preventable dangers in a dog's life. The interventions that matter are simple, well-understood, and mostly free — with one exception that earns its place in the household.

A cooling mat won't replace AC, water, shade, or a vet's number on your phone. But for the hours your dog spends resting (which, for most dogs, is most of the day), it's the single most useful piece of equipment you can own.

Find one sized correctly for your breed. Place it where they already sleep. Let them find it. And then — for the first time in years — sleep through the night yourself.

Shop the Two Dogos Cooling Mat →