Can Golden Retrievers Live In Arizona? 10 Super Helpful Tips

Do you live in Arizona and are looking to adopt a Golden Retriever, but you are unsure whether they can live in Arizona or not?

Some dog breeds are physically incapable of living in certain areas because those areas are too hot or too cold. It can be pretty disheartening to see your dog in discomfort because they cannot handle the climate in your region.  Fortunately, spare yourself the heartache of having your dog in distress by following as I discuss whether Golden Retrievers can live in Arizona or not?

Can Golden Retrievers Live In Arizona?

Yes, Golden Retrievers can live in Arizona. However, they will have a hard time adjusting to the extreme temperate in Arizona. The average weather in Arizona, of 100ºF, exceeds the ideal living temperature for Golden Retrievers, between 60ºF – 80ºF. 

Higher temperatures are not suitable for Golden Retrievers, and it can put your Golden at risk of dehydration, sunburn, and overheats.

10 Tips To Help Your Golden Retriever Live In Arizona’s Weather

Beautiful Golden Retriever

Make Playtime In The Morning Or In The Evening

During the day in Arizona, the temperature is quite hot, so it would be dangerous for your Golden Retriever to be playing and doing strenuous exercise. Hence you would have to change your Golden Retriever’s playing time to either the early morning or late in the afternoon.

Even though it is hot and it can be pretty challenging to allow your dog to play early in the morning or late in the evening because of time constraints, you should still ensure that you do not neglect your Golden Retriever’s need for physical activity.

If you do, your Golden Retriever may experience depression. Golden Retrievers are active dogs, so they may grow anxious when they are deprived of the opportunity to expend some energy.

Keep Your Golden Retriever Hydrated

Golden Retrievers need to remain hydrated. What does it mean when your dog is hydrated? Your Golden Retriever has to drink enough water because water sustains your Golden Retriever’s crucial electrolytes. This allows some of your Golden Retriever’s bodily systems, such as their digestive systems, to function smoothly. Water also flushes out toxins from your Golden Retriever’s kidney.

If you suspect that your Golden Retriever is dehydrated, watch out for these conclusive symptoms lethargy, increased heart rate, dry and pale gums, and loss of appetite. In mild cases, dehydration can be easily remedied; however, they may die if your Golden Retriever were severely dehydrated.

Effective ways to ensure that your Golden Retriever remains hydrated include ensuring that their water bowl is always clean and filled with water. This way, your Golden Retriever will be able to drink water whenever they want. If you spend long hours away from home, then you should get your Golden Retriever a water fountain and teach them how to use it. 

Take Your Golden For Swimming

A practical tip to help your Golden Retriever live in the hot Arizona weather is to take them for a swim whenever you can. Golden Retrievers have a natural knack for swimming, and they love it too. 

These are the top 3 dog-friendly beaches in Arizona:

  • London Bridge Beach, Lake Havasu City
  • Lake Powell, Page
  • Buckskin Mountain State Park, Parker

For more details, you can look at this article which mentions the 5 Best Dog-Friendly Beaches in Arizona.

golden retriever swimming pool

If you do not live near a lake, you could take your Golden Retriever to dog pools, where they will be able to cool down while having fun and getting some good exercise.

Swimming is an exceptional form of exercise because of the water resistance, meaning that your Golden Retriever would work harder when swimming rather than simply walking.

Use A Cooling Pad

Since Golden Retrievers are susceptible to overheating and dehydration, you should try to keep them as calm and comfortable as you can during the summer. An effective way to do this is by getting your Golden Retriever a cooling pad.

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These ingenious creations were designed for the primary purpose of lowering your Golden Retriever’s temperature and protecting them from overheating. Aside from being effective in keeping your Golden Retriever cool, many cooling pads are also designed to provide senior dogs with orthopedic support, which makes them that much more comfortable.

Use Dog Boots To Protect Your Golden’s Paws

During the summer, the ground retains heat even after the sun has gone down and the temperature in the atmosphere has decreased. When the sun goes down, it is the ideal time to take your Golden Retriever for a walk; however, when surfaces are too hot, they will harm your Golden Retriever.

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To protect your Golden Retriever from the hot surface and ensure that they enjoy their walk, I suggest getting them some dog boots.

Choose Walk Timing Precisely

Golden Retrievers need exercise. They need an opportunity to expend some of their stored-up energy, even when it is hot. An effective way to ensure that your Golden Retriever gets the exercise they need is by changing the daily walks to a different time.

golden retriever on a walk

You should opt for hours when the sun would be down and it is cooler outside. Otherwise, you and your Golden Retriever would be running the risk of being affected by heatstroke

Don’t Leave Your Golden Retriever Alone In A Car

Golden Retrievers are adventure-loving dogs. You might have noticed that your Golden Retriever loves car rides, and you may also enjoy taking your Golden Retriever with you while running errands. However, when you take your Golden Retriever with you, you may have to leave them in the car alone. 

This is not advised, as the inside of a car gets unbearably hot at quite a fast rate. The temperature in your car can quite quickly rise by 30 degrees within an hour. These temperatures are dangerous for your Golden Retriever because they may become dehydrated, experience heatstroke, and die if they are left there for too long.

Hot Outside? Give Them A Cool Shade

Direct contact with the blazing sun throughout the day can be pretty dangerous and unpleasant for your dog. Hence when living in Arizona, you need to ensure that there is always a shaded area where your dog can sit to get some refuge from the sun. 

You could get your dog a doghouse, or you could get them a planter umbrella stand. These stands are typically used on a patio, but they would also be effective in providing your dog with some shade.

Don’t Shave Your Golden Retriever’s Coat Right Down To The Skin

You should never shave your Golden Retriever’s fur coat. Your Golden Retriever’s fur coat acts as an insulator from the cold and the heat. Without their fur coat, they would be left vulnerable to the cold and heat.

Despite what many people may believe, a cut does not do much to keep your Golden Retriever cool during the summer. The lack of fur when you shave your Golden Retriever makes them vulnerable to heat damage on their skin from the sun, sore spots, and permanent coat damage. 

Use Flea & Tick Medication

The hotter temperature and increased humidity in summer supply the ideal survival conditions for fleas and ticks. Under these conditions, their rate of reproduction increases too. To protect your Golden Retriever from fleas and ticks in summer, you could ensure that you give them some flea and tick medication.

An effective prevention method is by using a medicated shampoo to bathe your dog in the summer. This shampoo will fight and remove fleas and ticks from your Golden Retriever’s fur coat.

Conclusion

Golden Retrievers, like other dogs, cool off slower than us. As a dog owner, you need to ensure that you do all that you can to ensure that your Golden Retriever does not become a victim of Arizona’s hot weather. 

You will need to ensure that they remain hydrated and can still have fun like other dogs. Follow the tips above, and your Golden Retriever will be just fine in Arizona.

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