Scatter feed enrichment
Sometimes you question how hot is too hot to walk your dog, but don't know how else to tire them out - that's where enrichment games and cognitive games come in.
The image opposite should help you decide whether or not walking your dog is really a good idea.
Boson is older and also considered brachycephalic due to his breed mix. This means I have to be super careful with walking him in hot weather, but he is often still full of energy so we need to rethink our day, and we often use enrichment games to mentally stimulate him and tire him out.
Examples of enrichment games are a scatter feed - like in the video alongside. We use a variety of natural (stinky) treats and throw them out into the grass, Boson spends about 10 minutes making sure he's sniffed them all out and will, nine times out of ten, come straight back in and nap. You can also use things like "Cardboard chaos" ( https://s3.amazonaws.com/contents.newzenler.com/10440/library/60bf943b0770f_1623168059_cardboard-chaos.pdf ), snuffle mats or Kong enrichment toys, or even digging if you have a sandpit or patch of garden you don't mind being dug up. Sniffing is a hugely calming activity, so anything involving the nose is a good start! Cognitive skills that can be taught, such as "tap" and "push" are also really good for getting the grey matter working, and therefore tiring the dog out.
This interactive link from Petplan, https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/blog/summer-tips-for-pets/ has a really good tool to help you decide if a walk in your area is really a good idea.
If you want any tips or pointer on enrichment toys please use the contact us page, or if you want to learn cognitive games to help on those (hopefully) hot summer days.