Keeping a puppy well in the UAE

Walk timing

From April to October, walk before sunrise and after 9pm. Between those hours a dog is walking on paving that can exceed 60°C, in air that gives it nowhere to dump heat. Press the back of your hand to the ground for seven seconds — if you cannot hold it there, your dog cannot walk on it.

Signs of heat stress

Frantic panting, thick drooling, bright red gums, staggering, vomiting, collapse. Move the dog into shade or air conditioning immediately, wet the coat with cool — not iced — water, and drive to a vet. Heatstroke damages organs even after the dog seems to recover, so it is always a vet visit.

Coats

Do not shave a double-coated breed. The undercoat insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving exposes skin to sun and can cause patchy regrowth. Brush the undercoat out instead so air reaches the skin. Corgis, Huskies, Pomeranians, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds all fall into this group.

Flat-faced breeds

Pugs and French Bulldogs cannot cool themselves efficiently by panting. They need air conditioning, night-only exercise in summer, a harness rather than a collar, and no swimming pools unassisted.

Water and indoor exercise

Fresh water in more than one room, refilled twice a day. A cooling mat is worth the money. Replace summer walks with scent games, food puzzles, tug and short training sessions — ten minutes of nose work tires a dog more than a slow lap of the block.

Paperwork every UAE owner needs

• ISO microchip registered to your name and current phone number
• Vaccination card kept up to date, including rabies
• Municipality registration, renewed annually
• Vet records kept together for travel or resale of a villa lease

Requirements differ between emirates and change from time to time, so confirm the current rules with your municipality before your renewal date.

Summer tolerance by breed