How to Create a 'Cooling Corner' in the Garden for Your Pets this Summer

As we head into peak summer, temperatures will begin to soar and many of us will move into the garden more often, leaving the back door open and using indoors and outdoors in tandem – morning coffees spent in the garden and al fresco dining in the evenings.

But it’s not just us that get to make the most out of our gardens, our pets also get the best of both worlds having full and free rein over the house. But, this poses its own risk when it comes to temperature regulation of our furry friends.

Generally speaking for humans, 20 degrees is a comfortable temperature, but for dogs some can be at risk of heatstroke in temperatures of 20 degrees and higher. For cats, they can withstand a higher temperature, but owners should still be mindful of keeping them cool.

We’re now at the peak for people searching ‘how to keep my dog cool’ which occurs around late July and August every year. Around the same time, searches for ‘cooling mats’ also spike, with temperature controlling our pets proving a last minute challenge for many owners that haven’t considered the danger as the heat picks up.

Our pets have dedicated spaces in the home, so why not in the garden as well? Especially if that space can keep them comfortable and safe in the Summer months.

We think all pets should have a dedicated space in the garden for them, somewhere they can go when it gets too warm and sunny outside, without having to retreat back into the house, which is why we’ve used our expertise in paving slabs below so you can create a cooling corner for your pets this summer!

Understanding your patio

Thankfully paving slabs have a natural quality in that they can remain cool – a universal characteristic of all three types of paving slab (natural stone, concrete and porcelain) as they are all masonry products.

However they can only remain cool if treated correctly. Their ability to stay cool is matched by their success in retaining heat. Slabs in the shade that aren’t exposed to the sunshine will stay cooler, gradually warming to the ambient temperature, whilst those in the sunshine will heat more rapidly and radiate heat even once the sun has gone.

The materials have the ability to radiate heat once warm which means your garden patio could be causing a nightmare for your pets with nowhere to escape the heat throughout the day.

If a particularly warm day and the slabs have reached the ambient temperature, meaning that in theory your slabs could reach a temperature that is uncomfortable and dangerous for your pets – even in the shade – you should cool them. Cooling slabs down can be done by spraying them with cold water, even if they’re in the shade where they could hold the heat, this will keep them cool and is essential on warm days.

Creating the cooling corner

Firstly, you will need to manage your garden during the peak of summer if you already have a patio. If you have pets in your garden and a patio area, you should be following some simple steps in order to keep them cool and save yourself money on cooling mats.

1. Keep a section of the patio shaded as early as possible in the day, allowing it not to absorb heat from direct sunlight. This should remain cool up until the hottest point of the day where the slabs will then reach the max ambient temperature.

2. At this point – around midday onwards – your slabs will have retained heat and will be at the ambient temperature where they will now radiate heat – great for humans, not for animals. Now, you must ensure you keep the patch of patio wet – every few hours should be enough.

3. Spraying slabs with cold water will cause them to cool as the water absorbs heat due to entropy and as the water evaporates it will cause cooling to occur in the slab creating a great spot for your four-legged friend to quickly cool off.

4. Porcelain slabs (which are impermeable) would make the best option when creating a cooling spot as they could be sprayed with water without affecting the slab other than cooling it slightly.

If you don’t have a patio area already, you could install a few slabs to create a corner where the floor can be temperature regulated, ensuring this is in the shade. Adding in some pet friendly plants like an African Violet or spider plants which are non-toxic to our pets will ensure that the area doesn’t look out of place, but more of a summer escape for your cats and canines!

This means no more frantic panics when there’s a heatwave or rushing to find a cooling mat, your garden will have a built-in cooling corner that will look good and allow you to enjoy your garden guilt-free every summer without the hassle!