Dogs and cats wear a heavy fur coat, and have a limited ability to cool themselves. They have sweat glands only on their paws, so they cannot sweat to stay cool as humans do. Dogs and cats mostly pant to cool themselves, and seek cool places to avoid the summer heat. If your pet is kept outdoors, make sure he has a shaded place and plenty of fresh water to drink. Your pet will need much more water in the summer to replenish what he loses by panting.
Many dogs also enjoy swimming for exercise and to cool down.
Never keep your pet in a car in direct sun on a summer day. Even with the windows slightly open, the temperature inside the car can soar to 120 degrees or more within minutes. These conditions can kill a pet within 10 minutes or less. If you like to run or do vigorous exercise with your dog, do so at cooler times of the day such as early morning or evening. If you exercise during the hotter times of day, your dog will have much more difficulty cooling himself and could overheat quickly.