{"id":15483,"date":"2026-07-09T22:31:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15483"},"modified":"2026-07-09T22:31:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:31:12","slug":"a-simple-bucket-of-water-could-save-your-dog-from-heatstroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15483","title":{"rendered":"A Simple Bucket of Water Could Save Your Dog From Heatstroke"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>New canine physiology research reveals a faster, safer way to prevent heatstroke on the trail.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"border-border-light border-t py-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"flex h-4 justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-x-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"\"><button class=\"inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full cursor-default bg-bg-surface hover:bg-bg-light focus:bg-bg-dark text-primary border border-solid border-border-light aria-pressed:bg-brand-primary aria-pressed:text-text-surface py-very-tight px-base-tight gap-tight font-semibold font-utility-2 opacity-50\" aria-label=\"Loading audio\" aria-pressed=\"false\" id=\"article-listen-button\" disabled=\"\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\"><title>Listen to this article<\/title><path d=\"M12.5265 16.2C12.2326 16.2 12.0122 16.1265 11.7184 16.053C11.2775 15.9061 10.9102 15.6122 10.6898 15.2449C10.4694 14.8775 10.3959 14.4367 10.5428 13.9959L11.5714 10.3959C11.6449 10.1755 11.7184 9.95509 11.8653 9.80815C12.0122 9.66121 12.1592 9.51427 12.3796 9.36733C12.6 9.29386 12.8204 9.2204 13.0408 9.14693C13.2612 9.14693 13.4816 9.14693 13.702 9.2204H13.7755C14.2163 9.36733 14.5837 9.58774 14.951 9.95509C14.951 9.66121 14.951 9.29386 14.951 8.99999C14.951 7.38366 14.2898 5.8408 13.1877 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3.41631 12.6735L3.71019 13.849ZM13.2612 10.3224C13.1877 10.3224 13.1877 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224C13.1143 10.3224 13.0408 10.3224 12.9673 10.3959C12.8939 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694C12.7469 10.5428 12.7469 10.6163 12.7469 10.6898L11.7184 14.2898C11.6449 14.4367 11.7184 14.5837 11.7918 14.7306C11.8653 14.8775 12.0122 14.951 12.0857 15.0245C12.3796 15.0979 12.5265 15.0979 12.7469 15.0979C12.9673 15.0979 13.1877 15.0245 13.3347 14.8775C13.5551 14.8041 13.702 14.6571 13.849 14.4367C13.9959 14.2898 14.0694 14.0694 14.1428 13.849L14.5102 12.6735C14.5837 12.5265 14.5837 12.3061 14.6571 12.1592C14.7306 11.7918 14.6571 11.4245 14.5102 11.1306C14.2898 10.7633 13.9959 10.4694 13.5551 10.3224H13.4816C13.3347 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"hidden sm:inline\">Listen<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\">Start training your dog to dunk their head by familiarizing them with a bucket of water<!-- --> (Photo: AKC)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published July 9, 2026 01:32PM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Just like humans, dogs are sensitive to heat. An incident involving an overheated dog can quickly become deadly.\u00a0Nearly half of all cases of heatstroke in dogs are fatal, with hundreds of dogs dying in the U.S. every year.<\/p>\n<p>New research suggests that most pet owners are incorrectly treating their dogs for heat stroke. Instead of pouring water on a dog to cool it off, an owner should instead dunk the dog\u2019s head in water.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s because a dog\u2019s head helps them cool down, and previous methods for treating heatstroke, such as applying alcohol to a dog\u2019s paws or putting wet towels on their belly, don\u2019t directly address the root cause.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDogs mainly cool themselves down by panting. When they pant, warm blood rushes to their head to help release heat. Cooling the head, mouth, and nose (by dunking the head in water) accelerates that process,\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.akcchf.org\/educational-resources\/library\/articles\/person\/dr-stephanie-montgomery\/\">Stephanie Montgomery<\/a>, veterinarian and CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foundation, told <em>Outside.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Research Shows Partially Dunking a Dog\u2019s Head Reduces Heat Stroke<\/h2>\n<p>In 2022, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vet.upenn.edu\/directory\/cynthiaotto\/\">Cynthia Otto<\/a>, executive director of the PennVet Working Dog Center at the University of Pennsylvania, studied whether partially immersing a dog in water would help treat heatstroke. When compared with other common methods, her research, in conjunction with the AKC Canine Health Foundation, found that the head-dunk method delivered the fastest, most sustained reduction in body temperature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis technique can be invaluable for dogs that overheat,\u201d Otto told <em>Outside<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.royalkennelclub.com\/health-and-dog-care\/health-dog-care\/health\/health-and-care\/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues\/heatstroke-in-dogs\/\">Signs of heatstroke<\/a> include relentless heavy panting, weakness, vomiting, or a dark brick-red gum color. Experts recommend cooling the dog first and transporting them second.<\/p>\n<h2>How To Train Your Dog To Dunk Their Head<\/h2>\n<p>Start by placing a treat or favorite toy in an empty, clean, clear container and letting their dog retrieve it. Then, add just enough water to cover the bottom of the container\u2014but no deeper than the fleshy part of the dog\u2019s nose\u2014and place another treat or toy in the water for them to fish out. Slowly double the amount of water and repeat, making sure the dog is blowing air out of its nose as it dunks its head into the water to retrieve the treat.<\/p>\n<p>If your dog is not blowing air out under the water, you can hold the treat at the bottom of the water until they start doing so, then reward them. Eventually, you want the dog to submerge its head, past its eyes, into the water to ensure it is cooling down effectively.<\/p>\n<p>But be careful: Never attempt a head dunk if your dog is lethargic, seizing, or collapsed, as they cannot protect their airway from drowning.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Voluntary head dunk: cooperative care for irrigating canine noses and eyes and rapid cooling\" width=\"729\" height=\"410\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A95eFGWDxFs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Other Tips and Tricks To Prevent Heatstroke<\/h2>\n<p>To prevent overheating in the first place, Montgomery recommends keeping your dog hydrated and cool whenever possible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOffer plenty of fresh, cool water and provide access to shade, fans, or air conditioning if available. Take morning or evening walks to avoid the hottest part of the day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Leave a dog in a parked car\u2014even with the windows cracked and the air conditioning on. Temperatures can quickly rise if air conditioning fails.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe most important things for owners to do are recognize that their dog is getting hot, stop activity, and cool their dog! If there is a pool or body of water, let the dog get completely immersed; however, if you have limited water, teaching them to dunk their head is a highly effective means of rapidly cooling! It is also a fun trick to train, but be sure to train it before your dog needs it,\u201d Otto said.<\/p>\n<p>If a dog is showing signs of heat stroke, move them to a cool, shady, or air-conditioned area and cover them with cool but not ice-cold water. If your dog doesn\u2019t know the head-dunk trick, pour cool water over their neck, belly, and armpits. In any case, where there is excessive panting, weakness, collapse, or vomiting, contact your veterinarian. Signs can worsen quickly, and heat stroke is a medical emergency.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>While you\u2019re here, did you know you should put bug spray on your dog? Some brands can be deadly for canines\u2014be sure to read more on how to safely treat your pup here.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/outdoor-adventure\/hiking-and-backpacking\/cool-overheated-dog-head-dunk-trick\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New canine physiology research reveals a faster, safer way to prevent heatstroke on the trail. Listen to this articleListen Start training your dog to dunk their head by familiarizing them with a bucket of water (Photo: AKC) Published July 9, 2026 01:32PM Just like humans, dogs are sensitive to heat. An incident involving an overheated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15483\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}