Pugs, Persians and Humidity Aversion: Keep Your Brachycephalic Pets Cool With Clever Aircon Use

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Australian households have always been big on pets, especially cats and dogs. However, over the last 28 years, Aussies have developed a fondness for brachycephalic pets. In other words, pets with short snouts, such as pugs, bulldogs and Persian cats. Unfortunately, short-snouted cats and dogs struggle in hot weather due to their narrow nostrils and elongated soft palate.

Since both cats and dogs cool themselves down by panting, a short snout means that brachycephalic cats and dogs struggle to stay cool in hot weather. It's even harder on your pets if you live in a humid city like Sydney or Brisbane. However, by utilising your air conditioning cleverly, you can keep your pets cool whilst keeping your energy bills down.

Seal Any Leaks

If you and your family can't always be at home with your pets during the hottest days of the year, you'll need to rely on your air conditioning to keep them cool. However, if there are any leaks, meaning gaps or spaces that let in warm air, your pets might not be as cool as they should be.

Check the rooms where your pets will stay and make sure there are no leaks. You can usually find such gaps around windows and doors.

Set the Aircon Timer

As well as keeping your pets in a cooler part of the house, you can also set the timer on your air conditioner. That way, your air conditioner won't need to be running for the entire day. Instead, you can program your air conditioner to turn on at the hottest time of day, just when your pets need it most.

Raise the Temperature Setting

You can also provide your pets with a cool interior whilst saving on your energy bill by raising the temperature slightly. This is a good idea if you plan to keep your air conditioner on all day. Experiment with the temperatures while you are at home to find a temperature that is both cool and not such a strain on your air conditioner.

Supply Your Pet With a Cool Surface

You can complement the efforts of your air conditioner with a cool surface for your pets to lie on. For example, if your air conditioner is on a timer and set to switch off at a certain time, a cool surface may then be enough to keep your pets cool until you get home. Ceramic tiles are perfect for this purpose. This is why cats often retreat to sinks and baths in hot weather!

If you have a short-nosed pet or two, keep these tips in mind for when next summer rolls in.


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