Dogs who have recently received haircuts may suffer sunburn and are just as susceptible to heat stress as other dogs. Dave Bebiak, chief nutritionist for the Ralston Purina Company, says that one of the most common mistakes hunters make is to water their dogs with high electrolyte beverages while hunting. The hunters reason that their canine companions need the same type of energy replacement they do. Bebiak says no. In fact, in severe cases, these electrolytes can build up in a dog's digestive system and pull water for dilution from the dog's tissues, thereby furthering dehydration.
Dogs are far better off with just plain water.
Purina research shows that during the hot months of summer, a dog's nutritional needs and food consumption drop off. Purina studies show that, as a general rule, dogs need about 7.5 fewer calories with each 10-degree rise in ambient temperature. They tend to regulate the food intake themselves, and just won't eat as much when the weather is hot. During periods of added stress, such as an out of town hunting trip during hot weather, it is not uncommon for a dog to eat very little for a few days. In fact, both the dogs on our South Dakota trip ate very little during the 3-day hunt despite the strenuous work they were both doing.