Trainer Lists 5 Healthy Snacks To Keep Dogs Hydrated in the Heat

I dreamed of summer all winter long, but at this point? The heat is starting to wear on me! This is the part of the season where it's too hot to do anything that's going to require an extended period of time outdoors, and that goes for my dog, too — she'd stay outside all day long in any weather, but I worry a lot about her possibly getting overheated and staying hydrated. She doesn't exactly want to stop playing to drink water when she has things to do.

But there are ways to sneak extra water into your dog's body to make sure that they stay hydrated even on the hottest summer days, and if your dog is anything like mine, there's a good chance they'll respond better to a special treat than they will being told to take a break and drink water out of a bowl.

Dog trainer Xing shared the top five most hydrating snacks you can feed your dog that also happen to be healthy for them in an Instagram post, using her adorable Golden Retriever to demonstrate. If a dog as precious as Mika likes these fruits and veggies, then who are any of our dogs to question her?

First up is cucumber, which is 96% water and perfect for pups who love a crunchy snack. And speaking of crunchy, celery is also on the list — along with a high water content, it's also packed with tons of vitamins that are good for your dog.

Dogs who enjoy sweeter treats may have better luck chowing down on watermelon, though Xing did note that they can't consume seeds or rinds. Other fruits on the list include strawberries and cantaloupe — yum!

Remember, these fruits and veggies help keep us hydrated, too, so why not bring enough to share with your pup?

Creative Ways to Keep Your Dog Hydrated

There are a lot of different ways you can help keep your dog hydrated in the summer other than just serving water, and having a few different ideas up your sleeve can help them (and you) avoid getting bored.

For example, my dog is a huge fan of ice cubes. It's cold, it's simple, and best of all, it's free, straight from the freezer... and even if eaten indoors, the mess is just a puddle, so it's easy to clean up.

You can also add water or broth to their food when serving, but if it's kibble, you will want to let it absorb first. And if they're loving the fruits and veggies, you can try freezing it first before serving to change things up.

Fall is on the way, but we've all still got plenty of hot days ahead. Stay cool!