How to know if your dog needs sunscreen

Just how we put on sunscreen to protect our skin from sunburn while out and about in the fresh air, so too can dogs suffer from sunburn. Understanding when it’s necessary to give your pooch some sun protection is important to prevent painful sunburn and even skin cancer.

Here are three common questions asked around doggy sunscreen:

Is my dog’s breed more susceptible to sunburn? If you have a fluffy dog with dark fur and skin such as a German Shepherd, chances are you won’t have to worry about sunscreen. Dogs with thin or very short coats such as Whippets or Bulldogs or who are white in colour like Dalmations are more likely to suffer from sunburn. The dogs most at risk of sunburn are hairless dogs such as a Chinese Crested.

How do you apply sunscreen to dogs? Start by applying a small amount of dog-safe sunscreen to your fur baby’s skin to see how they react. If they don’t have an allergic reaction, put a little sunscreen on all their exposed skin areas – the bridge of the snout, the ear tips, the tummy and inner thighs. Basically wherever skin is clearly visible or pigmentation in the skin is light. Be very careful around the eye area not to get any sunscreen in their eyes. Apply about 20 minutes before your dog goes outside, remembering that it needs roughly 15 minutes to be absorbed into the skin. Re-apply every 5 hours or so, if your pup is still outside.

Is sunscreen the only option to protect my dog’s skin? No. If you have a hairless dog, it might be easier to opt for protective gear, such as sun shirts or suits, instead of layering on sunscreen from head to toe everyday. Also try to avoid letting your dog outside in the sun between 10am-2pm, to avoid being in the sun during the hottest part of the day.