Is your dog a panting ball of fur in hot weather?Here are some practical ideas to keep pooch cool and happy.

Hairy coats are great for winter, but build up heat insummer. When a sudden hot spell strikes, dogs can’t shed hair quickly enough toadjust to the weather. Normal brushing isn’t enough for many breeds – so get toa professional groomer for a thorough coat stripping and trim.

Get a paddling pool in the garden! Dogs who love water willleap into the pool and wallow happily. Dogs who aren’t so keen on water can betempted in with games of fetch the toy, or a floating picnic plate of doggietreats (one at a time unless you want to pick soggy food out of the water!).

Dog walks – switch your walking routes to woodland pathswith loads of shade. Woodland with streams is best so your dog can get plentyto drink as well as cooling the paws. Check out the free dog walk listings on Driving with Dogs for new routes near you.

Long drives with the dog – whack up the air-con so itreaches the dog crate. Many drivers forget to get the air circulating, so thedog overheats in the back while everyone else is comfortable. Plan comfortbreaks for you and the dog every 2-3 hours. Driving with Dogs has listings ofgreat dog walks within 5 miles of just about all UK motorway junctions.

Drivers with dogs in France can find dog walks within 10kmof autoroute exits on the main routes from Calais to Marseilles; Calais and allchannel ports to Rouen, Normandy, Dordogne, Bordeaux and to the Spanish border.As well as walks, Driving with Dogs has listings of vets and each walk hasdetails of where to park, stuff for kids to do and see, disabled access info,dog-friendly cafes and restaurants and clean WCs.

Never leave your dog in a parked car in hot weather. Parkingunder a tree with the windows open is not enough – in less than 10 minutes yourcar can turn into an oven. Every year dogs die in hot cars, so use Driving withDogs to help you plan your journey and keep your dog cool, happy and safe.