It’s the time of year that pretty much all of us look forward to. Warm weather, long days, hey - maybe even a golden tan.

All of this is great, but it does mean we need to think long and hard about whether we should be walking our furry friends - especially in the afternoon when the sun is at its hottest.

The good news is, staying indoors or hanging out in the shade doesn’t always have to be boring! We’ve compiled a list of cool-k9 ideas to provide mental stimulation and enrichment for your dogs even on the hottest of days!

Tip 1: Frozen food! Now, there isn’t a lot of point in freezing kibble, we agree that the novelty of a frozen ‘biccy’ would wear off pretty quickly. However, raw food can be frozen, freezing it will mean your dog takes longer to chew it and it will double up as some refreshing cool treats to help then ‘chill out’.

Tip 2: Licky mats! Our lick mats are perfect for popping in the freezer. Spread on yoghurt, pate or indeed any other dog friendly topping and freeze them down to provide extra refreshing enrichment on a warm day.

Tip 3: Freeze your dog’s favourite toy! Now, by this we don’t mean simply shoving a tennis ball in a freezer. What we mean is drop their toy into a bowl/vessel and top it up with enough water that the toy is completely submerged. Put the bowl/vessel in the freezer and wait until it’s ice! Your dog will get hours of fun out of licking and gnawing the block of ice to free their toys. 

Tip 4: Indoor games! If you’ve followed us for a while then you’ll know that Team A-OK9 work incredibly closely with AbsoluteDogs. Games, to us, are the foundation for everything. Make learning fun, teach your dog some new tricks and strengthen your bond. 

Tip 5: Paddling pools! Not all dogs are water babies, some may need encouragement but as you probably know, a dip into cool water on a warm day is our favourite way as humans to cool down. If your dog isn’t a natural water baby, try scattering some pieces of their favourite food in the water to encourage them in. Alternatively, if your dog loves to play fetch then perhaps put their favourite toy in there - they’ll have a strong urge to retrieve it back out!