Summer Grooming Prep & Hydration Tips☀️🕶️

Summer is on the way, and around St. Thomas, Norfolk County, and surrounding areas, that means more trail walks, muddy paws, cottage weekends, sunny naps, and outdoor adventures with our pets 🌿🐾

But this time of year also brings shedding season, tick season, hot pavement, dehydration risks, and even more skunk run-ins — making summer grooming prep extra important!

At KiKi’s Nails2Tails, grooming is about more than just keeping pets looking cute (even though we LOVE a fresh summer glow-up ✂️✨). Regular grooming helps pets stay cleaner, cooler, healthier, and more comfortable through the warmer months ahead.

🪮 Shedding Season Is Here

As temperatures rise, many pets start blowing their winter coats. Without regular brushing, loose fur and undercoat can trap heat close to the skin and lead to:

• Mats and tangles

• Skin irritation

• Heavy shedding

• Discomfort during walks and playtime

This time of year, we start seeing lots of packed undercoats and hidden matting, especially behind ears, under legs, and around collars.

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Keep up with regular brushing at home

✔️ Book deshedding appointments before peak heat

✔️ Keep paw pads and sanitary areas trimmed

✔️ Check for hidden mats regularly

✔️ Don't shave double-coated breeds such as Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, or similar breeds unless professionally recommended

A healthy, brushed-out coat helps improve airflow and can actually help pets stay cooler.

🕷️ Tick Season Is Here

Ticks become much more active during warmer weather, especially around trails, tall grass, wooded areas, and rural properties.

After outdoor adventures, I always recommend checking:

• Around ears

• Neck folds

• Under legs

• Paw pads and toes

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Do regular tick checks after walks

✔️ Keep coats brushed and maintained

✔️ Avoid tall grass when possible

✔️ Talk to your vet about tick prevention

Keeping coats maintained makes ticks much easier to spot early. The sooner a tick is found and removed, the lower the chance of it causing problems, which is why routine checks are so important this time of year.

🦨 Skunk Season Is Here Too

Warmer evenings mean more skunks wandering through neighborhoods and country properties.

And unfortunately… many dogs seem convinced skunks are new friends 😅

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Keep pets leashed during evening walks

✔️ Turn outdoor lights on before bedtime potty breaks

✔️ Check yards before letting dogs outside at night

✔️ Keep emergency cleanup supplies ready just in case

If your pet gets sprayed:

• Keep them outside if possible

• Avoid soaking them with water right away

• Keep the spray away from eyes and face

• Contact your groomer or veterinarian for safe cleaning advice

And sadly… tomato juice usually doesn’t work the way people hope it will 😅

💧 Hydration Is SO Important

Pets can become dehydrated quickly during warmer weather, especially during busy outdoor days.

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Keep fresh water available at all times

✔️ Bring water on walks and road trips

✔️ Offer shade during outdoor play

✔️ Walk during cooler mornings or evenings

Easy hydration ideas:

🧊 Ice cubes in water bowls (just remember some pets prefer room-temperature water, so always keep fresh water available too)

🍉 Frozen watermelon treats

🐾 Frozen broth cubes

🦴 Frozen KONGs or lick mats

Hydration helps prevent overheating and keeps adventures safer and more enjoyable.

🌡️ Watch for Overheating

Dogs mainly cool themselves through panting and their paw pads, so hot days can become dangerous quickly.

Signs of overheating include:

• Heavy panting

• Excessive drooling

• Lethargy

• Weakness

• Dry gums

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Limit activity during peak heat

✔️ Provide shady rest areas

✔️ Bring water everywhere during outings

✔️ Never leave pets in parked vehicles

If your pet seems overheated:

1. Move them somewhere cool immediately

2. Offer cool water

3. Use cool damp towels on paws and belly

4. Contact your veterinarian immediately if symptoms continue or worsen

🐾 Don’t Forget Paw Care

Hot pavement can burn paw pads surprisingly fast once summer temperatures arrive.

A quick rule:

If the pavement is too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for paws too!

✨ My Recommendations:

✔️ Walk during cooler parts of the day

✔️ Stick to grass or shaded paths when possible

✔️ Keep paw fur trimmed and clean

✔️ Watch for cracks or irritation

🍦 Frozen Treats Make Summer More Fun

Frozen enrichment treats are one of my favourite ways to help pets cool down while keeping them mentally stimulated too.

Some fun pet-safe ideas:

• Frozen blueberries

• Seedless watermelon

• Pumpkin pupsicles

• Yogurt & peanut butter treats

• Frozen lick mats

And yes… homemade frozen dog treats may just be coming soon from KiKi’s Nails2Tails 👀🐶

🐕 Final Summer Reminder

Summer prep starts before the hottest days arrive. A little preparation now can help prevent a lot of summer problems later. From shedding and ticks to hot pavement and dehydration, small steps can make a big difference in keeping your pets happy, healthy, and comfortable.

Whether your pet needs:

• Nail trims

• Deshedding

• Brushing & dematting

• Ear cleaning

• Paw pad trims

• Low-stress one-on-one grooming care

KiKi’s Nails2Tails is here to help keep tails wagging all season long 💜

Once summer fully kicks in, appointments tend to book up pretty quickly, so planning ahead is always a good idea!