Last Updated: 15/10/2025
How to Keep Your Pet Cool and Happy this Summer
Summer in Australia is great, but the heat can be risky for pets. This vet's guide offers fun and safe activities to keep your dog or cat cool, happy, and healthy. Discover water games, easy-to-make frozen treats, and engaging indoor activities.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 5 minutes - short read
The Australian summer brings longer days and sunny skies, offering plenty of opportunities for fun. However, the high temperatures and harsh sun also present unique challenges and summer dangers for our pets, like heatstroke. Ensuring they stay cool, comfortable, and safely entertained is a top priority for any pet parent during the warmer months.
Fortunately, with a little creativity, it's easy to keep your pet happy and healthy when the heat is on. This guide provides a range of vet-approved activities, from refreshing water games to engaging indoor fun, to help you and your pet make the most of the season.
Water activities to keep your pet cool
When the mercury climbs, there's nothing better than some water fun to cool off. With so many of us living near the coast, a trip to a dog-friendly beach, lake or creek is a fantastic summer outing. Most dogs love a swim, particularly on a hot day, and many will happily play water games like fetch. Make it extra exciting with a floating fetch toy that's easy to spot in the waves.
If a trip out isn't on the cards, you can bring the water park to your own backyard. For interactive fun, a garden fountain like the AFP Chill Out Garden Fountain can be a game-changer. It connects to your hose and lets your clever pup release a spray of water with a simple press of their paw. It’s not only a brilliant way to keep them entertained, but it also encourages them to stay hydrated by providing cool, fresh water on demand.
Tips for swimming with your dog
- Life jackets for dogs: If you're worried about your dog's swimming ability, you might like to try a dog life jacket to help keep them safely buoyant in the water. This can really help decrease stress for them.
- Clean their ears afterwards: Dry and clean your dog's ears after a swim, if they have floppy ears (such as Cavaliers or Cocker Spaniels), or are prone to ear infections (such as Pugs, Poodles, or Poodle mixes). We recommend cleaning with a good ear cleaner such as Epi Otic.
- A gentle shampoo for regular bathing: If swimming your dog regularly, particularly in a sandy or muddy environment, you may need to bathe them regularly. Many shampoos can dry your dog's skin out if you use them too regularly, so I recommend a gentle, moisturising shampoo such as Aloveen or Nutriderm.
For more information, read through our article all about Swimming Safety for Dogs, and Teaching Your Dog to Enjoy Swimming.
Cooling frozen treats for dogs and cats
Homemade frozen treats are a simple and delicious way to help your pet beat the heat. Both cats and dogs enjoy licking icy snacks, and it's an incredibly effective way for dogs to cool down.
This is because of the vital role a dog's tongue plays in thermoregulation (controlling their body temperature). To cool themselves, dogs pant. This process involves more than just heavy breathing; the blood vessels in their tongue dilate, increasing its surface area. As air moves over the moist, enlarged tongue, the blood within the vessels is cooled and then circulated throughout the body. Licking ice or a frozen treat greatly enhances this natural cooling process.
Creating frozen treats is easy. For dogs, you can use ice moulds to make a 'pet icy pole', spread and freeze some wet food or paste treats on a Lick mat, fill and freeze dedicated toys, or even just freeze some bone broth in an ice cube tray. These methods can work for cats also, however Lick mats spread with wet food, lickable treats or broth often work best. It’s a perfect activity to keep everyone occupied during the summer holidays.
Want to make some summer treats at home? Check out our Homemade Summer Pet Recipes!
Fun indoor games for hot summer days
Sometimes, it's just so hot outside that staying indoors in the air conditioning is all you can do! On days like these, you can still keep your pet entertained with some fun indoor games! Playing games with your pet engages with them socially and can help improve their emotional wellbeing. Spending time doing activities with your pet really helps solidifies the human-animal bond, and it's great for breaking up the day, boosting morale and helping to reduce stress and anxiety!
Teach them a new trick
Ever wanted to teach your pet a new trick? Why not use some indoor, airconditioned time to teach your pet how to shake hands, roll over, play dead, or 'speak'? Even cats can learn new tricks if they're motivated by treats - why not teach your kitty how to sit, walk on a lead, or 'raise paw'?
View our guides for more information:
Create a Treasure Hunt
Explorative feeding is a fantastic way to excite and mentally stimulate your pet - and it's particularly useful for cats! Try hiding some of your pet's food or treats in different places around the house or backyard. Remember to use different levels for your cat's food and treats! Sniffing out their next meal will keep them busy and occupied while you are busy.
Indoor Play Sessions with a New Toy
With a huge array of fun interactive toys available that are totally indoor-friendly, you can enjoy safe play sessions with your pet without having to venture into the heat outside. For dogs, why not enjoy a game of tug-of-war, or set them up with an automatic fetch toy on 'low distance' setting?
For cats, your options are endless! Teaser toys containing feathers are a great way to increase activity for your kitty, with minimal effort on your part. Likewise, laser toys can keep your cat jumping for hours on end, and interactive toys like the Catit Wave Circuit can occupy your cat when they're by themselves, too!
Play Hide-and-Seek
Hide and seek isn't just for kids - it can be incredibly fun to play with your pets, too! Once your pet has mastered the 'sit' and 'stay' command, hide and seek is easy! Not only is this game mentally engaging as it encourages your pet to use their brain to learn new skills, but it is also a great way to reinforce important commands. Hide and seek is a fun way to practice 'sit', 'lie down', 'stay' and 'come'.
For more information, read through:
Keeping your pet safe and engaged during the hot Australian summer is all about smart planning. By incorporating water play, offering frozen treats, and enjoying indoor activities, you can beat the heat while also strengthening the bond you share with your furry companion. Always prioritise their safety, provide plenty of fresh water and shade, and enjoy a happy and healthy summer together.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Wed 15 Oct 2025
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Carla graduated from the University of Queensland in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East Queensland. While Carla enjoys most facets of clinical veterinary work, she holds a special passion for feline medicine, pocket pets, and nutrition.
