Dog trainer warns of little-known danger when cooling down pets in summer heat

The dog trainer has urged owners not to make this mistake or risk putting them into shock

Dog owners are being warned that when they're cooling their dogs down this summer, you should not feed them ice cubes due to one key danger that could put them into shock. Issuing a warning on o TikTok, SouthendDogTraining aka @southenddogtraining1 has said it's a mistake people may make – and one you need to avoid.

Adam Spivey, director and head trainer, who has a certificates for Being a Dog Trainer & Canine Communication Diploma, has revealed: “This is a friendly reminder guys, ice cubes are incredibly dangerous.

“Please do not give these to your dogs if your dog has heatstroke. Every year, around this time, there's posts going around telling people how bad ice cubs are and how they can cause your dog to go into shock. No.”

What he actually believes to be true is that if your dog is suffering from heatstroke, this is when they can go into shock. He explained: “If your dog is suffering from heatstroke, rapid changes in their body temperature from hot to cold can cause them to go into shock.

“A perfectly healthy dog however, can have some ice cubes. You can put some ice cubes in your dogs water bowl. Hell, there are whole industries built on frozen ice cream for dogs, frozen yogurt for dogs.”

Concluding his “friendly reminder”, he said: “So, your dog can have a frozen treat and it will do them no harm.” Backing this up, the Blue Cross writes: “If a dog is suffering from heatstroke, then you should not give them ice.”

Instead, you should cool your dog down with water and call your vet right away, since heatstroke requires urgent care. Watch for these warning signs of heatstroke:

• excessive panting or drooling
• low energy or lack of coordination
• collapsing
• purple gums or redness of the skin