If you leave your dog at home alone all day while you go to work or school, you may be wondering if you should leave the air conditioner on for him. Unfortunately, running the AC at full blast all day can increase your energy bill, but turning it off can make your dog hot and uncomfortable. To find a bit of balance, here are some tips and ideas to explore:
1. Turn the AC up but not off.
If you want to save energy, you can turn your AC up while you go to work, but to make sure your home doesn't get unbearably hot, you should not turn it off completely. Instead, try to figure out the warmest temps your pup can handle and set your thermostat accordingly.
To figure out which temperatures your dog can tolerate, watch him whilst he plays outside. Take note of the temps at which he is comfortable to run and frolic, and compare those to the temps at which he doesn't want to play but tends to recede into the shade.
Also, watch how your dog acts when you put the thermostat on certain temps. If he always wants to lay near the AC vent, that is a sign that the temps may be too high. On the other hand, if he is looking for a spot of sunshine coming through a window to lie in, the temps may be too cool.
Work with a company like ACSIS Airconditioning Warehouse to make sure your AC is functioning efficiently.
2. Create a nap zone in a cool part of your home.
Once you have narrowed in on the warmest temperatures your dog can handle, try to create a relaxing area for him in the coolest part of your home. If that is your basement, set a doggy bed down there. Alternatively, use a fan to help circulate the cool air, and give your dog a lounging area beneath the fan.
In most cases, you should not use fans when you are not home. They move air rather than cooling it, meaning that they only have a cooling effect if someone is actually in the room feeling the moving air. However, when your dog is home, the house is not empty, and thus, the fans cool your dog rather than wasting energy.
3. Put in a doggy door but make sure it is well sealed.
If your dog is home alone all day, he may appreciate the ability to go into the yard as needed for toilet breaks. In addition, if he can go into the yard, it provides a cooling break from your home. In particular, some dogs love to nap in the cool dirt under a shady tree.
To facilitate trips outside, put in a doggy door. However, to ensure that cool air doesn't escape through the door, make sure that the doggy door is well sealed.
4. Take other steps to keep your dog cool.
So that you can keep your AC relatively high to save money on your energy bills, you should also take other steps to make your dog cool. In particular, keep your dog's coat well groomed and trimmed short. Long, heavy fur can make him hot. In addition, throw some ice cubes in his water bowl to keep him cool.
