This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Katie B — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:41:14 GMT

[quote user="funkyfish"]

My boys have Ruff Wear Swamp Coolers and we don't walk till late at night. You could possibly make a cooling coat out of towels?? saying that you would not believe the amount of people that have a go at me for walking my dogs with coats on....

We have saved up and bought a Pawtrekker dog scooter from Snowpawstore, which is fab!! We go out at 7am for 20mins and that knackers them out for the day so we can do a socialising and play walk in the evening.

[/quote]

Whats a Pawtrekker schooter? That sounds brill, very expensive?

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Katie B — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 21:40:07 GMT

[quote user="Vicky SVN"]

Jack gets quite affected by the heat. We take him out early morning and late evening. If we want to go out during the day we go to the beach where he loves to play in the sea to keeps nice and cool. At the moment he finds it too hot to even lay in the shade in the garden. I got him a paddling pool last year...he would not put even a paw in it...just used it as a giant water bowl Daft dog!

[/quote]

Hahahahaha they are funny aren't they? And all their quirks are different which I love. Glad I am not just being overprotective then and it is a concern. Luckilly they both love to swim. May take them to the beach tomorrow as I have a day off and feel they deserve it!

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Vicky RVN — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:28:27 GMT

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

funkyfish — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 10:39:08 GMT

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Polly P — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 01:31:16 GMT

Not a bad thing, hun!

The week we had those two ridiculously hot and days in May that came out of the blue, the company I was working for (which is a very big one to be fair, but still) saw masses of cases of heat stroke in dogs, of which 9 I think were fatal.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Katie B — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 00:07:06 GMT

Thanks guys x I worry far too much but their my babies.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Doolally — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:02:49 GMT

I perhaps wouldn't hose them off before taking them for a walk.

Before the beijing olympics they did some research into cooling horses. Water sloshed over is good at cooling, but only if it is scraped straight off - if they were just hosed and the water left on they ended up getting hotter as the water heated up.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

chip munk — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:09:46 GMT

I live in Cyprus and my 2 get walked between 6.00am and 7.00am and 7.00pm and 8.00pm. I agree with whats been said about animals being more resilient than us. I worried so much about bringing mine over here but they've adapted better than me!!!! I have a paddleing pool in a shaded part of the garden for the dogs and I also put icecubes in there drinking water....they melt pretty quick but my lab cross likes to pick them out and eat them. Meal times are also split into 3 to help reduce the risk of GDV as they pant so much. I work with MOD working dogs and they cope fantastic with the heat... they have to work in temps of 50+ when deployed so its good being concerned...trust me I'm the biggest worrier when it comes to mine......but mine really cope better than me!!!! And the cold towel thing I do also, for the dogs,cats and me!!!! As for keeping them occupied in the day when they cant be walked I give mine rawhide chews and its a great time for a bit of training so using the mind instead of physical activity. Hope this helps....sorry about the essay!!!!! x

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:42:59 GMT

[quote user="NickyVN"]

Just be careful if you are letting them cool down in water - just back from lake district an they have blue green algae there, and we also have a lake nearby to where I live that has it!!

[/quote]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoxin

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Nicola Smith — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:37:51 GMT

Just be careful if you are letting them cool down in water - just back from lake district an they have blue green algae there, and we also have a lake nearby to where I live that has it!!

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Lynn Perry — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:52:40 GMT

Try and have them out before 7:30. On particularly hot days you're feeling the heat by as early as 8am. In the evening, I usually leave it as late as I can but if they going absolutely stir crazy, I'll give ours 15 mins just to burn off that edge and then take them out properly later on. Another option is to take them out in the woods where its shady under the trees if you have access to such a place.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:23:21 GMT

we used to call the time of 2pm-5pm turtle time back home. this is because it's the hottest time of the day in the summer. so we would 'turtle' or nap/stay in during these hours. But also remember that between 12:30 and 2pm is when the sun is at it's highest so wear sun screen and stay in shaded areas if you have pets prone to sun burning.

Also if you have white dogs i would hose them off after you finish as some may be more prone to burning with the water magnifying the sun. some may even require sunscreen on their pink parts. I think bringing some water for them to drink would be the best bet.

I think dogs and cats are more resilient than we like to think sometimes. It's easy to humanise them. fair enough if they're cooped up in a car or sat out in direct sun for hours at a time. but for walkies just be sure they have access to water and the walk is at their tempo.

we leave the door open in our house or a window at the back for our cats to come and go as they please in the outdoor enclosure. they tend to play outside from the early AM to about 12, then they go up and nap in the hot bedroom in the loft! then they come down after 6 and play outside until dark!

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Katie B — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:59:22 GMT

[quote user="Lisa Whitehouse"]

I take mine out as early as poss and they get a 10-15 min walk when partner gets in from work just to burn a little more energy & if its still warm another walk as late as poss when its cooled down , have you got any shaded parks nearby as they are useful?

[/quote]

Unfortunately no. At the moment I am staying at my mother in laws whilst on holiday to look after her animals. I don't know the area so I take them to this park but their is a stream. Will definately do the hose down thing, thats a real good idea, thanks for all replies guys. So much easier in winter lol. Surely if during the day if we just keep them on lead or would this still be bad?

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Lisa Whitehouse — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:15:44 GMT

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:50:56 GMT

I walk mine in the evening when the sun has disappeared... mine are black, so cant take any chances in the daytime... unless I am going to the beach where they can swim to cool off.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Polly P — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:30:35 GMT

Thats a good point! And take a flask of iced water with a bowl to give them when you are out... Take them to a park where they can splosh about in a clean pond or something...

And of course keep an eye on them and try to discourage anything too rowdy when it is too hot.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Kerry Spain — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:23:20 GMT

Can you hose them down before you take them out? The water evaporation from the skin/ coat may help to disperse heat?

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Katie B — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:21:18 GMT

Tell me about it, this mornin was too hot. But I feel guilty all day if they haven't been walked. Just don't want to risk it, at least we can take our jackets off, makes you wonder how doggies in real hot countries like oz survive! Thanks for the reply btw.

Re: This heat? Can and when should I walk my doggy?

Polly P — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:17:11 GMT

Early morning or late evening are best hun, as you have been doing... I know it's not always practical to get up early if you have work to take them out, the hot weather is a real bummer for dogs and their people!