Hot weather

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

The summer heatwave is here! An occasional occurrence in the UK.
I found this infographic on what temperatures are safe and unsafe to walk dogs in and thought it might be useful for everyone to take a look at as a bit of guidance, particularly those who are first time dog owners.
Roxy has not been for a walk for a few days, she's been having short bursts of sunbathing (which she loves!) and pottering in the garden. She's been having her dinners frozen in Kong's/Lickimats to keep her occupied and cool and one night I was out in the garden with her doing jumping at 10pm once it had finally cooled!

When is too hot to walk a dog? Click to find out.

Keep your dogs safe and as cool as possible in the heat.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper's not enjoying the weather. Trouble is, if he doesn't at least get the option of his afternoon walk, he'll get stressed and anxious, which also isn't good for him. Yesterday we got to the end of the drive, he stopped to think about his options, and took up my suggestion of going back indoors, which was a relief. On Sunday, we walked about 50m to the local churchyard (me barefoot to check his pads weren't at risk of burning) and settled down for a snooze in a shady spot under the trees. I tend to work on the theory that if he'd be doing the equivalent pottering round the garden, and the pavement temperature isn't an issue, then it's better to do what keeps him calm and relaxed.
I can still feel the eyes of the local vigilantes boring into me though

He's been feeling it even in the house this morning, so I've moved the fan Mr R was using to point at J instead. J is much happier now, though I can't say the same for Mr R

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Good points there @JudyN, bless him. If dogs get stressed without their daily outing then maybe it's a must, even a short stroll like J has been doing. I love that you've been out barefoot too now that's dedication
Haha the dog gets fan priority before the humans love it!
Luckily Roxy is pretty good without walks, as long as she gets out in the garden for her sunbathing and has some playtime inside where it's cool she's quite tolerant although I'm sure she'd love walkies! Think it's meant to cool down where we are later this week so hopefully we'll resume as normal by the weekend.

 

[Flobo]

I'm really lucky in my area that we have a few woodland areas, some big some small, but all within a 10 minute or so drive from any one of the dogs I walk. So one by one I've spent the last few days ferrying each of them for their woodland walk/bimble/sit down or whatever they fancy! I also have 2 fans and a coolmat in the van, which really helps, I love looking in my rearview mirror and seeing them sat in front of fans , hair/ears blowing, quite happy and barely a pant, big phew!... can't say the same for me mind!!

 

[JudyN]

It would be lovely to take J up to the woods - there's a stream and ponds there. But he's lost confidence getting in and out of the car, so we're just going places we can get to on foot. And the AC takes quite a while to kick in, so the car would be like an oven for most of the drive.

He chose not to have a walk this afternoon, which I was pleased about. We had a little mooch and a sit-down in the garden... he does have some unexpended energy though - it's a while since he's tried to hump me when I get up again!

 

[Richnjack]

Hi all. Any ideas for cooling a dog overnight?

M is in the coolest room in the house with a fan left on overnight, but doesn't seem to be sleeping well at the moment. And when M does not sleep, neither do we!!

I know that dogs dont sweat, so tonight's plan is to lay damp towels in his land and on his bed. These should cool down under the effect of a fan as the water evaporates so maybe that will help.

Richard

 

[Tinytom]

Its been 18 at 430am when i walk ....we have wooden floors and 3 fans going ....one on 2 of the dog beds in lower lounge ...one on the leather sofa and chair and the third is in the kitchen pointing downwards. .....
All of the windows and curtains closed during the day ....opening everything up when the sun goes in ....
The fish love the hot weather. ...

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

I'm really lucky in my area that we have a few woodland areas, some big some small, but all within a 10 minute or so drive from any one of the dogs I walk. So one by one I've spent the last few days ferrying each of them for their woodland walk/bimble/sit down or whatever they fancy! I also have 2 fans and a coolmat in the van, which really helps, I love looking in my rearview mirror and seeing them sat in front of fans , hair/ears blowing, quite happy and barely a pant, big phew!... can't say the same for me mind!!

Wow that is lucky, and it sounds like your car is nice and cool for them. Can't say the same for mine unfortunately which is mostly why we haven't been out this week, it has no air con and is a three door so the back windows are the clip types and only open a tad. The dogs must love their bimbles with you!

It would be lovely to take J up to the woods - there's a stream and ponds there. But he's lost confidence getting in and out of the car, so we're just going places we can get to on foot. And the AC takes quite a while to kick in, so the car would be like an oven for most of the drive.

He chose not to have a walk this afternoon, which I was pleased about. We had a little mooch and a sit-down in the garden... he does have some unexpended energy though - it's a while since he's tried to hump me when I get up again!

Ditto Judy, as I've mentioned above my car is far too hot! Plus it would take me a good 10-15 minutes to get anywhere nice.
Oh wow he didn't fancy a walk then bless him. I like the way you let him decide. Haha bit of excess energy though!

Hi all. Any ideas for cooling a dog overnight?

M is in the coolest room in the house with a fan left on overnight, but doesn't seem to be sleeping well at the moment. And when M does not sleep, neither do we!!

I know that dogs dont sweat, so tonight's plan is to lay damp towels in his land and on his bed. These should cool down under the effect of a fan as the water evaporates so maybe that will help.

Richard

Hi Richard, sounds like you're doing what you can to make M more comfortable. Any better last night with the damp towels? You can get cooling pads for dogs but I'm not sure how good they are. Maybe worth looking into though?

Its been 18 at 430am when i walk ....we have wooden floors and 3 fans going ....one on 2 of the dog beds in lower lounge ...one on the leather sofa and chair and the third is in the kitchen pointing downwards. .....
All of the windows and curtains closed during the day ....opening everything up when the sun goes in ....
The fish love the hot weather. ...

Much the same story in our house! Fans everywhere haha. It's mad that even at 4:30am it's been 18 where you are!

 

[Richard & Patsy]

Ours has his snout on the AC air vent in the back when we are in the car. When we get back he lays on cool shaded tiles in the kitchen then trots out to the garden to get his paws wet in the doggy paddling pool (thicker lining that claws don't puncture). Although his back is black and feels very hot to the touch when in sunlight that doesn't bother him much as a higher ambient temperature in the shade; I assume that's his double coat.

 

[Finsky]

.. he does have some unexpended energy though - it's a while since he's tried to hump me when I get up again!

sounds like the hot weather has had some effect then

 

[Finsky]

Our lot are loving the sun...me not so much We've got back door open all the time and girls are going in and out throughout the day as they please. I've tried to provide them some shade on our 'sun trap' patio by putting umbrellas up and moving them about as the sun does...but girls seem to want to roast themselves and then come back in where is always cool....and we have fan too to provide some air circulation. We've not walk them much at all and although they don't seem to mind, they do get rather excited when we go out late evening to local field.
Biggest effect this heat has had with them is that they have lost their appetite for proper food. So now I'm not even pushing it..pointless really. In the morning they have bickie with me and during the day a little treat or chew is all they really want. Once it cools down for the night, their appetite make return. But if they are not really that active neither..I suppose it makes sense that they don't want to eat much neither.
Night times are fun...or not Having spent daylight hours quietly, come night and they are rearing to go...they wrestle...they want to go out to 'hunt', watch the moon or what ever takes their fancy. It is quite a job to keep them quiet so neighbours and us can have some sleep

 

[Hemlock]

I saw a person of great stupidity jogging with their dog this morning. It was early but already 18 degrees.

 

[JoanneF]

I feel for you all down there.

We have a misty haze most mornings until about 10.30 so we can have a comfortable walk, and don't have to do it at a really early hour.

Take care everyone, of your pets and yourselves.

 

[Flobo]

Even my ferrets have a fan blowing on them all day! And when they come out for playtime, morn and eve, I have a water spray that I get them with, which is very funny, especially if I get their bellies or bottoms it sends them off in a nutball frenzy, then they come back for more!!

 

[Tinytom]

Haha love that flobo ...
I have put a bowl of ice cubes in front of one fan and it really works ...it makes the air alot cooler ..

 

[Ross J]

Bought a cool mat for mine but not interested in it ,,put ice cubes in their water bowls,,I don’t take them out in the day now ,take them out early morning and late evening all according what’s shifts I’m working..we have a river where I take my dogs they sometimes have a paddle in that,it’s not deep .

 

[Flobo]

a bowl of ice cubes in front of one fan

That's a great idea! Will have to try that

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

I have never had that issue with appetite @Finsky, Rox is the same little piggy when it's hot!

Oh no @Hemlock poor dog! It's not the time for jogging!

That's lucky @JoanneF sounds nice and cool in the mornings for you

@Flobo I love that your ferrets even have a fan that's so cute!

I decided that it was cool enough on both days of the weekend to go for our usual walks which was nice It's finally cooling down yay, know we shouldn't complain about hot weather but it's been a bit unbearable!

 

[melb100]

Like @JoanneF we have been hovering in the low twenties with a bit of a haar most mornings, so the morning walk is fine. She gets a frozen kong at lunchtime and then its actually the evening walk which is more of a problem as the sun has been so fierce even at 7pm.
Luckily we have woodland nearby so can go for a potter there, lots of nosing about in the nettles, although she seems to have picked up at least one tick on every walk for the past ten days. Not been a problem before but we may need to invest in some kind of tick treatment rather than picking them off one by one.
We have several rooms with lovely cool tiled floors but as a boney-bum lurcher she still prefers the settee

 

[excuseme]

The heat has not affected any of our appetites at all, (dogs or humans).
I must say though that I envy @JoanneF where she is in the
.