The increasing heat and humidity of Bermuda’s summers brings dangers for dogs and other pets. Here are a few tips for keeping them safe.There’s a posting on Facebook that says ‘If I see your dog trapped in a hot car with the windows rolled up this summer, I’ll smash the windows if the police don’t come fast enough’. Many dog lovers think that they would never leave their pet in this situation, but accidents happen.One evening I walked away from the car for a minute leaving the door open. I came back and closed the car door. After a few minutes I began to wonder where my dog Sammi was he is normally stuck to the back of my heel.After a look around I found him in the car. He’d jumped in there hoping for a ride, and I didn’t notice him when I closed the door. Luckily, it was winter. If the same event had happened in the summer, he could have died before I realised he was missing.Many dogs cook to death in hot cars every summer. Temperatures can reach a deadly high within a very short period of time. It’s not enough to crack the windows. In Bermuda’s heat, dogs can suffer even with all the windows rolled down. Either take your dog with you when you get out of the car, or leave it at home. And if you decide to take it with you, remember to also take along some water for them.The only thing better than a ride in the car for most dogs, is a walk. Try to walk them during the coolest part of day early morning or after dark.Many dogs, particularly long-haired or ones with thick hair (like mine), can quickly overheat as their fur can stop heat from escaping. Consider shaving their fur down to about an inch in the summer. Any shorter and they will be susceptible to sunburn. Dogs lose heat through evaporation from their nasal passages and tongue. This means that dogs with flat faces are less able to lose heat. As a rule, the bigger the dog and the flatter the face, the more prone they are to overheating. Overweight and older dogs have an even greater risk. Also take care with small dogs, as they are closer to the ground and therefore pick up all the heat radiating off the tarmac.If you leave your dog outside during the day make sure he has somewhere cool to shelter from the sun. Be aware of where the shade will be at different parts of the day as the sun rotates. Make sure your dog has access to plenty of cool water that he can’t knock over during a particularly frantic session barking at the neighbour’s cat. You might want to keep the water in a shady spot so it doesn’t get too warm. If your dog likes water maybe set up a shallow child’s wading pool that the dog can lie in during the heat of the day.Dogs aren’t allowed on public beaches during the summer months, so taking your dog swimming can be challenging. Many dogs in the hunting and sporting categories, such as retrievers and pointers, are good swimmers, but this doesn’t go for all dogs. Some dogs, such as French bulldogs and Pekinese, swim with the finesse of the average stone and may need a doggy life vest. If you take your dog into a swimming pool make sure they know how to get out. Monitor your pet in the water, just as you would your child.Unfortunately, a lot of the things we find fun about summer fireworks, power boat races, the roar of the crowd at Cup Match can actually be a nightmare for dogs. Some bolt when frightened. Last year, one labrador retriever was missing for weeks from his Devonshire home after being frightened by passing power boats. Secure your dog before noisy events and make sure that the animal is wearing updated identification. You might also want to consider microchipping your pets, so that in the event that they disappear and are found, or are injured and taken to a veterinarian, they can quickly be reunited with you.