Panting is the process of drawing air quickly into and out of your lungs. Panting helps cool down your body when it gets too hot, but there are many other reasons why dogs might pant.
Panting may be a sign that the dog is stressed or anxious, so you should first determine if anything has changed in his environment before assuming he’s just hot. If nothing else seems to be wrong with him, then he might just need to drink more water than usual on a hot day or some time off from playing outside during the heat of the day.
If you’re sure that he’s not overly stressed and you’ve ruled out any other causes for his panting, then your dog may just need to cool down. Have a garden hose or bucket of water ready so he can get himself cooled off by taking a dip in the water.
Make sure to offer plenty of shade and provide lots of water to drink throughout the day. If you don’t have air conditioning in your home, consider taking him to a friend or neighbor’s house where they do if it seems like he is overly hot and bothered.
If he can’t seem to cool off no matter what you do, then take him to see his vet as panting may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.