Summer is the perfect time to take your canine friend for regular short walks, longer outings and even short stays away. Many places throughout Auckland are dog-friendly, but some restrict pets to leads or specific hours, or ban them to protect native birds.
Dogs on beaches
Most beaches are reserved for human activity during the daytime in summer, with dog walking permitted in the early morning or late afternoon.
Find dog exercise areas and check where you can take your dog in Auckland.
Camping with dogs
If you’re planning to go camping at one of Auckland’s spectacular regional parks, you may need to board your dog while you’re away, as they are not permitted in our campgrounds unless they are certified service dogs.
Take care when travelling with your dog during summer, so it doesn’t get lost in unfamiliar surroundings. The best way to protect your dog when you’re travelling is to have it microchipped and make sure it is wearing a registration tag.
Ten top tips for dogs
- Walk in the cool of morning or evening.
- Provide shade and remember, dark dogs overheat faster than light coloured dogs, and light coloured dogs need sunscreen, especially their ears and noses.
- Test footpaths, roads and beach sands with your own bare feet before walking your bare-pawed dog over them – if they’re too hot for you to walk on, they’re probably too hot for your dog.
- Carry water (or let the dog carry the water in a backpack) and watch for signs of dehydration such as rapid panting, drooling, lethargy, loose skin or bloodshot eyes.
- Put cool water in their water bowl or freeze dog food to make doggie popsicles.
- Set up a kiddie pool or wet towel in a shady spot. Dogs cool from the underbelly up, so laying on something cold and wet will keep them cool. But make sure your kiddie pool is safe for little humans too.
- Never leave your dog in a parked car.
- Take advantage of the warmer weather to take your dog for swims as well as walks, but rinse off chlorine or salt.
- Watch your dog around hot barbecues and don’t let dogs eat from BBQ as onion, garlic and other food common at barbecues can be toxic to them. Barbecue skewers can get stuck in their throats and cooked bones can splinter.
- Ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, flies and other insects are at their peak in summer months – make sure you treat your dog regularly for pests and parasites, especially if they’ve been on holiday with you in the country.
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