Dogs have a few ways of regulating their body temperature. Here are three important ways they can keep themselves cool or warm:
Summer and Winter Coats
A dog’s coat can change throughout the year to help them cope with different temperatures.
During warmer months, a dog’s coat may become shorter and have fewer secondary hairs. This allows heat to escape more easily from the dog’s body and helps prevent overheating.
During colder months, the coat can become longer and thicker. The hairs trap a layer of air close to the skin, which is warmed by the dog’s body heat. This helps keep the dog warm.
Panting
Dogs mainly use panting to cool themselves down. When a dog pants, it breathes in and out quickly, allowing moisture to evaporate from its respiratory system.
This evaporation helps remove heat from the body and lowers the dog’s temperature.
Blood Flow to the Skin
A dog’s blood flow also helps control its body temperature.
When a dog is hot, the small blood vessels close to the skin expand. This allows more warm blood to reach the skin, helping heat escape from the body.
When a dog is cold, these blood vessels narrow. This reduces blood flow near the skin and helps the dog retain heat within its body.
Understanding how dogs regulate their temperature is particularly important in a grooming environment, where drying, bathing, clipping and the salon temperature can all affect a dog’s comfort and body temperature.
