All Things Great Pyrenees
It has been in the 90s a lot this summer, which isn’t normal for the Pacific Northwest, and the floofs have been hating every second of it. Frozen Kongs, baby pools, and cooling mats are my go-to methods for helping my three keep cool.
Here are 11 fantastic Great Pyrenees trying to keep cool and beat the summer heat.
Summer is here and it is HOT. While it hasn’t been overly warm here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s still warm enough to make the fluffies uncomfortable. This summer, they seem to have two favorites for keeping cool: splashing in their pool and enjoying a frozen treat.
I absolutely love getting the baby pool out for Mauja and Atka. Atka hops in the pool as soon as I turn on the hose and waits for the water to fill around him. Mauja prefers to wait until the pool is full before she hops in to cool off.
While Atka will lay down in the pool, Mauja prefers to just splash around (or use it as a massive water bowl). However, they both love to dig in the water. If your dog is fond of water, does he dig in the pool, too? I’m always thankful we have a plastic pool that they can’t tear easily with their nails!
Check out Atka’s digging action!
Fillable treat toys are a great way to keep your dog busy, but freezing them makes them last so much longer. Recently, they have been enjoying their treat toys stuffed with Wellness CORE wet food or Wellness Complete Health Grain-Free dry food and some sodium-free chicken broth, wet food, or a little cottage cheese.
Since Mauja and Atka’s tummies can be pretty sensitive, I prefer to fill their treat toys with foods they’re already used to. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure they are eating in the warm summer months. It’s not uncommon for pyrs to lose weight in the summer due to an unwillingness to eat. While I haven’t checked Atka’s weight, Mauja is down about 10 pounds which is consistent with previous years. As fall comes around, she’ll regain the lost weight. Offering frozen food encourages them to eat ensuring they receive the nutrients their bodies need.
Waiting… patiently?Preparing your dog’s frozen treat toy with wet food couldn’t be easier. Simply grab your toy, stuff, and freeze! I like to shove some treats at the end for them to work toward – it’s like a prize at the bottom of the box.
Our second method of using dry food and broth can be a bit trickier, but it’s still a simple process. The biggest struggle is making sure the broth doesn’t leak out of the bottom of the toy until it freezes. I’ve found a treat that fits perfectly into the opening in Mauja and Atka’s treat toys which keeps at least 95% of the broth in. If you use this method, just be sure to remove the treat at the end before giving the toy to your dog to prevent it from suctioning to your dog’s tongue (always use treat toys with at least two openings).
The combination of a baby pool and frozen treats does an excellent job at keeping the fluffies cool. I’m waiting for the day that Atka takes his treat into the pool with him 😉
Thanks again to our awesome sponsor, Wellness Pet Food, for supporting our phenomenal trip to #BlogPaws!
How do you keep your dog cool in the summer?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Influencer Network. The opinions and text are all mine.
Did you know that July is National Pet Hydration month? Although we’re nearing the end of the month, we wanted to take some time to talk about this very important issue. We all know our dogs need water, but exactly how much do they need?
According to Willie Wallace, CEO of Radio Systems Corporation, makers of the PetSafe brand,
Our pets need one ounce of water per pound of body weight each day. Proper hydration plays a big role in a pet’s health, and can save pet parents a trip to their vet’s office.
By that math, Atka needs about 130 ounces, or over 16 cups of water a day. That’s a LOT of water! Makes our recommended 64 oz of water seem like child’s play, doesn’t it? 😉
Maintaining proper hydration levels is extremely important for your dog’s health as it prevents urinary tract infections, helps with energy levels, regulates body temperature, and improves recovery time from illness or surgery. Serious dehydration shows obvious signs, but there are several signs that can indicate even mild dehydration:
Before BlogPaws, I never even considered getting a pet fountain for two reasons: they’re (obviously) more expensive than a traditional water bowl and I didn’t think Mauja and Atka would see any benefits from using a fountain. My mind changed when PetSafe set up pet fountains all throughout the BlogPaws conference hotel.
First, Mauja loved drinking from them. I’m not sure why I never thought of that because she loves drinking from a spigot. She’ll run over mid bark sesh if she hears us turn on the spigot to get a quick drink. For all you Great Pyrenees lovers, you know it takes a LOT to pull a pyr away from bark duty!
Second, they were gorgeous. I don’t need fancy, expensive things, but I love putting items that look nice into my home. The fountains looked so much nicer than our plastic water bowls – I was kind of jealous that the fluffies got to drink out of them and not me!
So, when I was given the opportunity to try one, I just couldn’t pass it up.
I’m not going to lie, I was drawn to the Sedona fountain because of the sleek and stylish look. I knew it would look much better than our current water bowl while still being functional and beneficial. When it arrived, I got it set up (which was a breeze) and put it in place of our original water bowl. I was worried that Mauja and Atka would try and play in the water and make a mess of our new floors, so I went searching for a mat to put it on.
When I came back in the room with a towel, I noticed that Nick had put our boot mat under the fountain. It was the perfect size and the tall edges prevented water from running out onto our new floors. However, it looked awful.
Can we just take a moment and look at how the boot mat ruins the beautiful fountain in front of the reclaimed wood counter? Not only is it hideously dirty from our boots, but the grooved plastic doesn’t do it any favors either (also, this picture was taken AFTER I hosed down the mat – yuck).
After staring at the fountain for awhile and trying to determine the best way to improve the look while keeping the functionality, I had an idea. I didn’t need a new mat – I needed a way to improve the look of our current mat. So, I ran out to Home Depot to pick up some rocks.
My massive bag of rocks (which will replace the current ones over and over as they fade) only cost me $4.
I placed the PetSafe Sedona fountain back on the boot mat and surrounded it with the cracked marble rocks and couldn’t believe the difference it made. I went from a horrid, dirty mat to a beautiful place for Mauja and Atka to drink which fits into our house. Whenever I get the chance, I’m going to spray paint the mat, but I still think it looks really good now.
Mauja immediately took to the fountain, but it took Atka about a week to warm up to it. After he barked at the strange intruder, he became curious and would sniff it a few times a day. I made sure to always praise him lavishly when he showed interest in the fountain. After about a week of sniffing and praising, he began to drink from it as well. Now, he chooses to drink out of the fountain over any other bowl in our house.
Our biggest worry with getting a fountain was their ability to drink out of it. Big dogs have big faces and tongues – they need a big bowl! I’m not sure if Mauja and Atka feel the bowl is too small, but they choose to drink from the top of the fountain rather than the bowl. It could be that the water tastes fresher or it’s just more fun that way!
Overall, I’m thrilled with the PetSafe Drinkwell® Sedona Pet Fountain and how much more the fluffies drink from it than their traditional water bowl. We have several water bowls, both inside and outside, that I hope to replace with fountains in the future!
Since we love the fountain so much and know you will too, we have a giveaway for you. Enter below for your chance to will a PetSafe Drinkwell® Sedona Pet Fountain!
Last week we gave you some tips for taking your dog to the beach along with an adorable video of puppy Mauja (missed it? see it here). That post was a part of PetSmart’s Passport to Summer campaign where they are sharing tips on summer fun with your #NewPetPartner. Follow the hashtag for some fun pictures, tips, and tricks! Well, today I’m going to share Mauja and Atka’s summer passports.
Mauja and Atka have done many, many things recently.
Swam in the river
Visited Helena, MT
Traveled to Nashville, TN for BlogPaws
Dined at several outdoor restaurants
Appeared on BuzzFeed (full article here)
Been interviewed by Natural Balance (video here)
Enjoyed many pool days
Eaten far too many marshmallows
Devoured many Doggie Cone treats
Attended many training classes
Played with new puppy friends
Ridden in a new car
Watched the U.S. Women’s soccer team win the gold
Made new human friends
Enjoyed puppaccinos
Played many games of fluffy soccer
Hosted visits from family (for more fluffy soccer)
Napped, napped, and napped some more
A special thanks to Chuckit for the fun, summertime toys!
What have you done with your pups this summer?
Disclaimer: This post is part of PetSmart’s #NewPetPartner campaign. It’s Dog or Nothing was compensated to help spread the word, but don’t worry – the content on It’s Dog or Nothing will never be influenced by an advertiser and we only share things we feel you would enjoy!
A few weeks ago I shared a picture of Atka panting away in the house. We had an unusual rise in temperature and the poor guy was so hot that I had to turn on the air conditioning for him. The Green Pet Shop recognized Atka’s problem and came to the rescue.
Or so I thought.
Yesterday, I told you that Atka is the weirdest dog ever. Well, turns out he and Mauja are both weird. My giant guard dogs are chickens.
Yep. Chickens.
When we received the Cool Pet Pad, I eagerly ripped open the box and placed the pad on the floor. I put my hands on the pad and immediately felt the cool sensation. I called Mauja and Atka over to check it out and they were terrified. Absolutely terrified. Mauja even barked at the pet pad intruder.
Well shoot.
Thus began the desensitization process. I knew the pad would be pyrfect if I could just get them to relax on it. I used a form of shaping (more on this soon) and over the course of a few weeks, they were now choosing to sleep on the pad without the reinforcement of a treat. Hooray!
The Cool Pet Pad from The Green Pet Shop is an amazing product. A cooling sensation is activated when your dog lies down on the pad through a non-toxic gel. The pad absorbs body heat from your dog in order to keep him cool for up to four hours. I absolutely love that electricity is not required for the pad to work. This makes it far more portable (and better for a dog that likes to chew cords!). After a period of non-use, the pad then cools itself down. For a supercharged cooling effect, you can put the pad in a fridge for a cooler and longer lasting bed!
The Cool Pet Pad is extremely versatile. It fits wonderfully in a crate, on your dog’s bed, in the car, or in your dog’s favorite napping spot. If it gets a bit dirty, some mild soap and water will do the trick. The pad is very well constructed and durable; I can see it lasting for many years to come.
With summer upon us, don’t you think your dog needs a Cool Pet Pad?
* Atka is on the extra large Cool Pet Pad which measures 45 x 27.5. It is a little too small for him, but he doesn’t seem to mind!
Disclaimer: We received the product mentioned above in exchange for our honest opinion. Don’t worry, an advertiser will never influence the content of this blog and we only share products we enjoy. Thanks for supporting It’s Dog or Nothing!
Things have been rough in our house for the past few years. I’ve been suffering from several health issues, physical and mental, that have been interfering with every day life. These are issues that I’ve kept pretty quiet, but I’m learning the best way to move on is to talk about them. I feel like I’ve been trapped in a tiny bubble for the past few years. I work as a nanny, partly because I love it and partly because I don’t have to wear “real clothes” to work. My friendship circle is limited because I’m sick a lot or at the doctors. Things have been rough, but there are three things that have kept me going: my husband, Mauja, and Atka. [Read more…] about Bonding with Atka
Need an easy treat to beat the summer heat?
Try these frozen puppy bites! [Read more…] about Frozen Puppy Bites
What’s our number one way to beat the summer heat? A pyr pool party, of course! When I say “summer heat”, I mean spring semi-warmth. This weekend was about 65 degrees and it felt like summer here in Montana! After a long and awful winter, a sunny and 60 degree weekend was exactly what we needed. [Read more…] about Pyr Pool Party