The mercury is starting to rise in outdoor thermometers across the globe as summer threatens to cook your poor pup’s food. Ensuring your dog gets all the essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins it needs for a healthy body can be challenging when the temperature gets too hot. 

At Petbobi, we want to help you get the most out of your dog’s mealtimes. That is why we’ve put together a quick guide to keeping your dog well-fed during hot weather. These tips and tricks should help you create a customized plan, so your dog is full, happy, and ready to be active when it's time for a walk. 

Why Do Dogs Eat Less in Summer?

Unfortunately, there is no single reason a dog may decide it suddenly no longer wants to dine on delicious foods. It is usually a combination of multiple factors contributing to this need to pull back. If you’re asking yourself, “do dogs eat less in heat?” it is likely because of something like: 

• It’s Too Hot: Just like we don’t like to eat in the extreme heat, neither do the pets we hold so dear. Their warm bodies require less energy to move around when the temperature goes up. 
• Less Movement: More heat means less time outdoors going on walks or running around. As a result, there is less need to fill up with nutrients. 
• Other Sources: You’ll come across more people in the summer willing to offer food, treats, and other morsels to your pup that may dissuade their hunger. 
• New Dog Food: A lot of owners like to try new dog food that may not sit well at first with your four-legged friend. 
• Emotional/Hormonal Issues: Dogs are likely to be upset when changes in routine or environment shift their hormonal balance – causing them to feel less safe when eating. 
• Illness: Illness is a serious concern and will cause less hunger in your dogs. Always consult a veterinarian if you suspect your pup is sick. 

What Are Signs of Decreased Appetite in Dogs?

Not all dogs are made the same. Before you seek out answers to what to feed dogs in hot weather, you’ll want to watch out for clear signs they may not want more food. If they are ignoring food bowls at supper time or choosing only certain treats, you may have an issue. 

You should also check the quality of their coat, weight measurement, and if they are especially lethargic. Even something as simple as a dry nose can be linked to diet, dehydration, or illness. 

Immediately contact your veterinarian if you see vomiting, excessive diarrhea, or dental issues combined with a lack of appetite, as these can be signs there is something going on internally. 

Tips to Help Your Dog Eat During Summer

Now that we have the basic concerns out of the way, let’s look closer at the various tips and tricks we know work well from our expert dog team and regular clients. 

Keep Your Dog Well-Hydrated: Always have a bowl of fresh, clean water for your dog to drink. A well-hydrated dog will be more likely to want a delicious meal and enjoy a healthy internal system. 

Adjust Food Portions: A simple trick that offers exceptional rewards is to change up the food portions. Maybe offer more protein or wet food one night and less kibble than another. Try a few different combinations to see what works best for your dog. 

Cool the Eating Area: Place your dog’s food bowl where it is shaded, cool, and free from hot air. That will make the entire experience more welcoming. You may want to consider elevating the bowl so there is less fur in the way. 

Add Frozen Treats: A frozen piece of chicken or sweet potato may be a fun way to enhance your pet’s daily meals and entice them to finish the rest of the dish. 

Include Safe Fruits & Veggies: Not every pet will be satisfied with the same old food day in and day out. Switch it up with watermelon, kale, cranberries, lettuce, broccoli, tripe, kidneys, and other cooling foods. 

Use a Leaner Summer Blend: Many dog food brands offer summer blends. These will have fewer “heavy” ingredients and boost your dog’s mealtimes with easier-to-eat foods when it is hot outside. 

Adjust Mealtimes: Shift when you feed your pup to the cooler hours of the day. You can always provide small snacks when it's hot, but sticking to times when the sun is still low in the sky may help a great deal. 

Avoid Fatty or Warming Foods: Just like we wouldn’t want a hot tomato soup on a scalding summer day, your dog doesn’t want to feel “weighed down” by fatty meals. 

Add Entertainment: Sometimes, all it takes to help dogs eat more in hotter months is integrating a little food entertainment. For example, we offer a Level 2 Pet Puzzle Feeder that will enrich your dog’s mealtime with a fun activity and reward them with delicious treats to supplement their regular foods. 

Conclusion

The summer heat can disrupt your doggo’s regular eating habits. Before you call the vet and try to change up their base foods, try our various tips and tricks. A quick little combination of these ideas may be all it takes to get your dog’s diet back on track so they have that healthy, happy glow you expect.