Why do dogs like sunbathing

Most dogs love to spend time lying in the sun and seem to gravitate towards a sunny spot in the house or the garden. Have you ever wondered why dogs love to lay in the sun? Or whether it’s okay for your dog to spend time sunbathing?

While we can’t read their minds, we can assume that dogs sunbathe for the same reason that we do: laying in the sun feels good. Dogs seem to enjoy the warm, relaxing feeling of sunlight on their bodies. The sun’s warmth helps a dog heat up, stay warm on a cold day, and dry off when wet.

Benefits of Sunlight 

Exposure to sunlight helps regulate a dog’s circadian rhythm. Melatonin levels rise as it gets dark, signaling that it’s time for sleep, and are suppressed in response to light when it’s time for a dog to be awake.

There’s more to the circadian rhythm than just the sleep-wake cycle, though. A dog’s circadian rhythm controls other physiological processes such as energy metabolism. A healthy circadian rhythm is critical for good health.

In areas of the world with dark winters, some breeds of dogs develop a condition known as light-responsive alopecia or seasonal flank alopecia. Affected dogs lose patches of hair, typically on the flanks. The hair loss is often symmetrical. Typically, the disease follows a seasonal pattern. Affected dogs start losing hair in the fall, with regrowth occurring in the spring. The condition is not well understood, but it is thought to be caused by the lack of sunlight exposure to the pineal gland. Melatonin may help treat this condition.

Exposure to sunlight has another benefit: it is thought to increase the brain’s release of the mood-boosting hormone serotonin. Serotonin has many functions. It helps regulate moods and is responsible for feelings of well-being.

Do Dogs Need Sunlight to Produce Vitamin D?

Vitamin D has been called “the sunshine vitamin,” but dogs, unlike people and many other animals, are not efficient at synthesizing vitamin D in their skin through sun exposure. For this reason, dogs are dependent on their diet to meet their vitamin D requirements and do not need to sunbathe to produce Vitamin D. Although this is the case, sunlight has other health benefits for dogs.

Too Much of a Good Thing

While sunbathing has health benefits, your dog can get too much sun exposure.

UV rays from the sun can cause sunburn, especially in areas where a dog’s coat is sparse, like the areas around the nose, ears, and eyes. Dogs with white coats and unpigmented skin are also at risk. Excessive sun exposure can cause a dog to develop skin cancer. Certain types of skin tumors, such as hemangiomas, hemangiosarcomas, and squamous cell carcinomas are associated with ultraviolet light exposure.

On hot days, dogs may also overheat if allowed to sunbathe for too long, although most dogs will instinctively move out of the sun when they become too hot.

Brachycephalic (flat-faced dog breeds) are particularly at risk for heat stroke. These breeds suffer from a condition called brachycephalic airway syndrome. Affected dogs have difficulties breathing and are not able to cool themselves down efficiently. Brachycephalic dogs should never be left outside on a warm day, even with access to shady areas. Overweight dogs, dogs with thick coats, and large breeds are also at increased risk for heat stroke. Medical conditions such as tracheal collapse and laryngeal paralysis can also increase the risk of developing heat stroke.

Signs of heat stroke include heavy panting, difficulty breathing, vomiting, weakness, hypersalivation, collapse, and seizures. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from heat stroke, seek urgent veterinary attention as heat stroke can be life-threatening.

To keep your dog safe while spending time outdoors, ensure that there is shade available as well as plenty of fresh water. Bring your dog inside between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on hot days when the sun is most intense.

Apply sunscreen to unpigmented areas of your dog’s skin. Use a sunscreen specially formulated for pets that has non-toxic ingredients in case your dog licks and ingests the sunscreen. Remember to reapply the sunscreen often if your dog is spending long periods in the sun.

If sunscreen isn’t practical, or if your dog needs additional sun protection, physical barriers such as UV vests provide protection from the sun.

Featured Image Credit: dendoktoor, Pixabay

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Dogs can and do suffer from heat- and sun-related injuries, just as humans do. Exposed areas of skin, such as the mouth, ears and foot pads can burn if exposed too long to sunlight. And since dogs lack sweat glands, they can easily overheat if not provided with a shady or cool spot to take refuge. And it should go without saying that you should never leave your dog locked in a car on a sunny day, even in mild temperatures. But what draws dogs to sunlight? What appeal does a sunny spot on the living room carpet or in a grassy backyard have for a dog?  

The answer is complex, yet surprisingly simple. Just like humans, dogs need exposure to sunlight in order to metabolize certain fats and oils into Vitamin D. That substance is important in bone production and maintenance, and also plays a key role in the body's use of minerals; those are true for mammals, whether human or canine. The only difference is that while humans' Vitamin D is formed in the skin and quickly absorbed, canines' Vitamin D is formed on their fur, where those fats and oils are deposited. As a result, you may notice your dog licking its fur after a sunbath. Essentially, the dog ingests the Vitamin D, just as a human might take a supplement pill. 

Speaking of vitamin supplements, it is certainly possible that a dog could produce less Vitamin D than they need, but commercial supplements are available. However, dog owners should be aware that Vitamin D is oil-soluble, meaning that excess D builds up in the body. You can request that your vet add a Vitamin D level test to your dog's regular blood panel testing, and the vet can advise you whether Vitamin D supplementation is needed or even advisable. In most cases, your dog won't need any supplement at all, as long as he is getting regular sunlight. Bear in mind that just sunlight alone isn't sufficient -- for proper Vitamin D formation, you and your dog both need exposure to the ultraviolet B range of sun radiation, often called "UVB" Since most windows block UVB to at least some extent (modern anti-glare and multi-paned windows block most of it), direct sun exposure is better.

Why Does My Dog Sunbathe? There are a couple of reasons why your pooch might enjoy basking in the sun. It’s not only a great source of Vitamin D – but it also just feels good. So their lounging in the sun is not only a benefit to their health, but it’s also just something they enjoy – let’s dive into the specifics of those.

Why Vitamin D Is Important for Fido

Vitamin D is actually considered more of a hormone than it is a vitamin because our furry friends manufacture it in response to direct sunlight. However, it is still technically considered a vitamin because our pups can’t absorb calcium without it. Kept in the fatty tissues of the body and liver, Vitamin D helps regulate the calcium and phosphorus balance that Fido’s body needs. Vitamin D is also a crucial component when it comes to bone formation, as well as muscle and nerve control.

Your furry friend received most of their Vitamin D through their diet, but they still create it with direct sunlight (just like their pet parents).

The Science of Sunbathing

When we lay out in the sun, the rays help break down the oils in our skin that create Vitamin D.  Dogs similarly have the same chemicals on their skin that convert Vitamin D when under direct sunlight. However, due to our canine companions’ fur, Vitamin D3 can’t be efficiently absorbed back into their bodies. So the Vitamin D3 stays on their hair and later gets ingested when they groom themselves. So next time you see your furry friend grooming themselves, know that they aren’t just cleaning themselves – they’re also getting some Vitamin D.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Sunbathing?

There is always such thing as too much of a good thing – which also applies to your pup’s sunbathing. Too much sun exposure can lead to sunburning and even skin cancer in dogs. Short-haired or hairless breeds are at the most risk for this and should wear dog-safe sunscreen when outside for prolonged periods of time. This is especially important because human sunscreen has zinc oxide in it – which is toxic to pets.

Dogs lay in the sun for various reasons. Just know, in moderation – there’s nothing wrong with it, and that it can actually be beneficial to their health. But too much can be harmful to their health – so it’s essential to know where that happy medium is for Fido.