Keeping your dog safe during the summer is one of the most important things you can do for your pooch this season. Although the summertime is absolutely beautiful, it can be harmful to your pets. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make your dog safe this year.

When it comes to keeping your dog safe this summer, make sure you know CPR. Believe it or not, CPR works for both humans and dogs. Our pets are basically considered to be members of our family, so it’s important for us to keep them safe.

You will know that your dog needs CPR if your pooch is not breathing and has no pulse. If your pooch has no pulse whatsoever, he or she will definitely need compressions. To do this, lay your dog on its right side and place your hand over his or her ribs where its elbow touches its chest. Then begin the compressions. However, it is important to remember that your dog will not need compressions if he or she has a pulse. Check to see if your dog has a pulse after one minute, and then once every few minutes after that.

If your puppy is not breathing at all, you can give him or her CPR. For cats and small dogs, place your mouth over its nose and mouth to blow air in. If it is a medium to large dog, place your nose over its mouth to blow air in.

You can also use the Heimlich maneuver on your pet to make sure he or she is completely safe. The Heimlich maneuver is best used when your pet can’t take air in due to blocked airways. To perform the Heimlich maneuver, turn dog upside down with its back against your chest. Wrap your arms around your dog and give him or her five sharp thrusts to the abdomen. If your dog had been choking and you see the object in your dog’s mouth, promptly remove it and give him or her two more rescue breaths.

This summer, you might also notice that ticks are a huge issue for dogs. Ticks can cause Lyme disease, which can lead to a variety of nasty symptoms. Luckily, veterinarians out there such as Karen Becker can provide us with plenty of tools that will help to prevent ticks from attacking our pets.

One way that you can prevent your dog from getting bitten by a tick is by finding an effective tick-repellent. Ticks can be found in wooded area, bushes, overgrowth, meadows, clearings, and anywhere in the grass. If you don’t already have one, dog houses can also help. Dog houses can prevent nasty pests from attacking your precious puppy.

Keeping your puppy away from the heat is very important, too. As sad as it is, a dog can actually suffer from a heatstroke like a human can. While you’re enjoying the weather this year, you don’t want your dog to be suffering!

Keep in mind how heavy your dog’s fur coat is. As humans, we can wear coats and take them off, but unfortunately, dogs can’t take off their own. This can give you an idea of what your dog can and cannot tolerate during the hotter seasons. You could always have you dog groomed and shave his or her fur coat to about an inch long. This way, you will have enough fur to prevent sunburn and to keep your puppy cool all at the same time.

If you don’t already have air conditioning, you should definitely invest in an air conditioning system to keep you and your dog cool inside of the house. If air conditioning is too much, fans can help as well, although air conditioning is preferable.

Hydration is essential to keeping your dog cool in the summer. Don’t forget to give your puppy fresh water in his or her water bowl in the house.

Do not keep your dog locked in a car during the summer. This can make your dog overheat quickly. As safe as it may seem—even with the window rolled down—keeping your puppy locked in the car for even ten minutes can really produce deadly results. If you need to pick up something at the store, leave the air conditioning on in the car and bring someone else to watch out after your puppy.

Your dog is practically a member of the family, so keep him or her safe this year with these pieces of information. Aside from that, have a fun-filled summer!