Never Leave Your Goldendoodle in the Car

The dog days of summer are brutal for us humans, but they can be downright dangerous for our pets. While you would never intentionally do anything to put your Goldendoodle in harm’s way, people sometimes forget – or don’t realize – just how dangerous a hot car can be. Never leave your dog in a parked car during the summer.

Temperatures rise fast

It’s shocking just how quickly a parked car can heat up. On average, the interior of an enclosed vehicle can increase 19°F after 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the average temperature increases 34°F. After an hour, the inside of your vehicle can be 43°F hotter than when you left it.

This means that on a 90-something degree day – which is quite common for summer in Arkansas – your car can reach temperature in excess of 130°F.

Of course, these are averages. Interior temperatures in dark cars with dark interiors can increase even faster, especially when you’re parked in direct sunlight.

There are reports of children dying in parked vehicles in temperatures as  low as 70°F.

Cracking the windows – or even rolling the windows down completely- isn’t enough, either. Your pet can suffer brain damage, organ dysfunction, and even death after a matter of minutes. Never leave a dog unattended in the car.

Your errands can wait

Dogs can’t sweat; that’s why they pant. Of course, recycling hot air won’t allow a dog to cool down properly. Heat stroke can occur very quickly in dogs, and it can cause permanent damage or even death.

Each year there are reports of children and dogs dying in parked cars. Nobody plans on these tragic accidents occurring. Maybe you lose track of time in the store, or you get caught up in a conversation. It’s simply not worth the risk; never leave your dog in the car.

Many stores will let you bring in dogs. Since Goldendoodles are extremely friendly, you shouldn’t have any issues as long as the shop allows pets. If dogs are not allowed, simply take them home and run your errands later.