Before you take your dog out on an active excursion, we want you to take the following dog safety measures. One of the gravest mistakes you can make is assume your dog is infallible to things like heatstroke, muscle strains, and even broken bone because truth be told, it isn’t!

Prevent Heat Stroke

If you’ve ever wondered why a dog always pants with its tongue hanging out, you’re about to find out. The whole tongue-panting action you see is actually a dog’s cooling system. If you notice your dog panting more than usual, move it into an environment with a lower temperature and give it plenty of fresh cool water to drink. Encourage the dog to rest even if it acts as though it’s ready for another run.

Prevent Frostbite

In a cold environment, you’ll need to watch out for frostbite. Dogs that are susceptible to frostbite are dogs with thin coats or dogs that are constantly exposed to cold temperatures. Protect a thin coated dog or dog that’s kept outside for long periods of time with a dog sweater or blanket and dog booties. Dog booties are little shoes made of leather, fleece, or nylon.

And don’t let your dog eat the snow as its only source of fluids. Snow is too cold and will only lower an already chilly dog’s body temperature. Give it warmed water instead. If you’re hiking in cold weather and run out of water, warm some snow over a small campfire and give the dog the melted snow as water instead.

Prevent Bloat

Boat is a condition characterized by a gassy, bloated stomach. Also known as gastric torsion, the stomach twists with bloat and creates extreme discomfort for the dog. No one really knows what causes bloat, but veterinarians believe it’s related to eating a lot of food or drinking large amounts of water right after or before exercising. To prevent bloat, feed your dog one hour after or before any strenuous activity.

Prevent Muscle Strains

A good stretch never hurt anyone, and canines regularly practice stretching all on their own after napping. They’ll need more however, before embarking upon a strenuous run or vigorous hike. To stretch your dog, simply ask him to do some pretty normal things. The idea is to get the circulation going and muscles warmed. You can ask your dog to sit, stand, and lie down a few times. Have the dog jump up to you and then have him bow. The bow’s extended forelegs with a raised rump is the ideal dog stretch and it will get your dog ready for a good long walk or active game.

For additional dog safety tips, read our article about dog fitness safety.