It’s summertime, which means that everyone is working on home improvement projects, specifically outdoors. We want to improve the outdoors so we can sit there when the warm weather hits, though if you’re anything like me, you just admire it from your air-conditioned window…

Our dogs do legitimately love being outside in the summer, though, even if we don’t. Some backyard upgrades are worth it just for them! On Monday, June 17th, one mom showed off how she took this to the extreme. Safe to say, he’s living large:

@wally.meets.worldI’d buy this dog literally anything TBH🙃 #goldenretriever #dogs #dogsarefamily #dogsoftiktok #puppy #goldenretrieverpuppy

♬ Little Things – Adrian Berenguer

Wally is a very sweet boy. He totally deserves his own outdoor couch; he spends a lot of time outside!

Related: Golden Retriever Finding Joy in Nature’s Simple Pleasures Is an Absolute Vibe

Wally, like most Golden Retrievers, loves nature. He always wants to go for walks or roll around in the grass – which is funny, but also, must not be fun to deal with afterward. I have tried to brush out a nature-loving Golden’s coat once or twice. It was not fun!

To keep Wally from rolling around and trying to get comfortable in the grass, his mom has had to do something drastic: she bought a new patio couch, which she says was around $1,000. While humans could technically use it to, I do have to wonder if Wally will get mad at others trying to lie on it. That’s for him!

How to keep dogs cool outside in summer

That thick, luscious golden coat isn’t just for looks; it’s a lot. Golden Retrievers are double-coated dogs, which means they have an overcoat (usually most of the golden fur) and an undercoat (the denser white part underneath). It works wonders to keep them warm in the winter, but in the summer, you’ll often find people wondering if it’s too hot.

You should never, ever shave a double-coated dog if you can help it: it destroys the coat structure underneath, and when it grows back in, it’s more likely to be patchy and ineffective. Unless there is extreme matting and nothing else can be done, you should save as much of the coat as possible. Instead, try things like this to keep your pup cool:

  1. Offering them a comfortable, shaded area to lay/play outside on hot days (like an expensive deck couch).
  2. Tying a wet bandana around their necks or buying a whole cooling vest.
  3. Putting their paws in breathable silicone booties (like dog Crocs) to prevent paw pad burns.
  4. Letting them swim if possible.
    1. If not, gently misting them with a hose or spray bottle works!
  5. Offering tons of fresh, cold water (with or without ice cubes).

Lucky for Wally, his mom is ready for summer. Good luck staying cool!

More News