Why Do Dogs Eat Less In The Summer?

Surely you have noticed that your dogs also eat less in the summer. It is possible that there are rare exceptions, but this summer lack of appetite is well known and widely documented. In this article we will examine the main aspects of the matter, analyzing the reasons for such behavior.

Dogs eat less in summer: why?

As is plausible, high temperatures and hunger are linked together by an inversely proportional relationship. The hotter it is, the less hungry your four-legged friend will be. This is a normal adaptation to an environmental situation that can hide dangers for the animal’s health. Just as, on the hottest days, dogs are less active and appear listless, in the same way the energy requirement decreases.

If the only activity is to rest in the shade and sip fresh water, obviously, the feeling of hunger decreases considerably. No surprise, however: it is a behavior that is repeated in many mammals. First of all, the human beings themselves. Sweating in the sun, normal hot dishes make room for lemonades and slushes.

Put your dog on a diet?

If your pet proves to be less hungry, this does not mean that you should automatically reduce the amount of food. Of course, if you reduce his physical activity, you will have to take this into account when preparing the portions. In these cases, the dog does not require less food, but a different type of food. A bit like when we exchange a heavy first course with a lighter and fresher salad.

You will also need to consider the timing of feeding. Offering your dog food during the hottest hours of the day can be useless. Better then to work intelligently on timetables. For example by choosing to change the distribution of meals. A good idea may be to feed him only in the coolest hours of the day. That is, early in the morning or at night.

Summer food for dogs

Here are some tips if your dogs eat less in the summer. They are simple, but very effective :

• Plenty of fresh water. Crunchies and feed can sometimes be very dry and not very palatable. Especially on days of extraordinary heat. If you prefer to keep the same food all year round, then the secret is to provide the animal with plenty of water. Use a larger bowl, add fresh fresh water frequently and always check that there is enough.

• Alternate wet and dry feed. Let’s talk about the classic cans your dogs are crazy about. These are foods that maintain nutritional values ​​suitable for the animal, with a less dense composition. In this way, the baby food will be more pleasant for your four-legged friend. The only contraindication is that, with such products, weight gain is possible. Therefore, alternate the choice of wet feed with normal treats.

Tips for feeding your dog in the summer

We have seen how to deal with the problem of summer lack of appetite in dogs. Let’s see, to complete the speech, three other simple useful tips:

• Fresh fruit. If you do not want to switch to wet feed, you can also add fresh fruit to the crunchies. Containing large quantities of water and other liquids, the baby food will be less dry and more pleasant. But be careful: not all fruits are digestible by the dog and, as in the case of grapes, they are sometimes even harmful. Consult your vet and choose suitable fruit for your four-legged friend.
• Change the times. As mentioned before, it is an excellent idea to anticipate or postpone the meal time to the less hot moments of the day. A very effective stratagem indeed.

• Don’t forget the ice creams. In order to give your dog ice cream, you only need water, yogurt and fruit. Mix everything and go, inside the freezer. Another idea is to make popsicles using chicken broth. Your friend will eat while he refreshes himself.

We wish to reiterate a fundamental concept. You don’t have to worry if your dogs don’t eat during the summer. Once you understand that a reduction in appetite is natural, just follow a few practical tips to always offer adequate nutrition to your pet. Among the responsibilities of a good owner, taking care of managing nutrition can be problematic. Always try to ensure balanced and varied meals, in order to protect the dog’s health at any time of the year.