My parents owned a number of golden retrievers and my first dog was a vizsla. Most of our time in the summer was spend carefree romping and swimming at the beach. To tell the truth, I had never really thought of a dog getting sunburn. Then, we brought home my second dog, a white boxer. After one trip to the beach, we learned that dogs do in fact get sunburn and quickly learned what to do to treat it.
Most dogs are less likely to get sunburns than humans.
A dog's coat acts as natural insulation from damaging ultraviolet light. However, dogs are susceptible to the sun in area that are not covered by fur, namely the nose, the tips of the ears, and the belly. Also, dogs with fair skin, short hair, or white coats are more susceptible to the sun than other dogs. The ultraviolet rays are able to penetrate the coat and attack the dog's skin directly. Preventing sunburns on dogs is similar to preventing sunburns on children.