Heat tolerance?

Laurelin

I'm All Ears
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
30,963
Likes
3
Points
0
Age
37
Location
Oklahoma
#1
How do your dogs do in the heat? What do you consider hot/too hot for your dogs?

Brought to you by the fact that despite Hank supposedly being an ACD/chihuahua mix (both from warm climates), the heat just kills him (he thinks). It's been in the 90-95 degree range lately and he is very much not into it. He thought agility yesterday was stupid and every time I let him out he goes and lays down in his kiddie pool. We are both ready for winter.
 

Maxy24

Active Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,070
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Massachusetts
#2
Tucker doesn't handle heat well at all. I'm talking like 75-80 degrees and he's panting like he just ran a marathon. Even in the dead of winter if he spends too much time in a sunny window he starts panting really hard has to go lie on the hard floor to cool down. Basically if I'm sweating it's too hot for him to do anything.
 

Julee

UNSTOPPABLE
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Messages
3,418
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Kent, CT
#4
Em is the only one of my dogs who really does fine in the heat. The others would just like to lounge around.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
#5
Abrams gets much hotter, much quicker than Cynder. Cynder acts like the 95*, 90% humidity doesn't even phase her. Abrams pants and sighs and lays around dramatically.

That being said, they're both pretty good in the heat. I don't worry about them overheating in normal summer conditions with appropriate water/shade.

That's also probably because when he *is* outside, he does not understand what "calm" means and is currently pacing and whining and generally being an asshat by the backdoor because he wants in to eat dinner and I'm not feeding him yet. -.-
 

BostonBanker

Active Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
8,854
Likes
1
Points
36
Location
Vermont
#6
Meg had quite good heat tolerance when she was younger. I've noticed it has decreased pretty badly the last 2 or 3 summers. I was actually getting worried about her hiking fairly recently, because she was panting a bit and staying on the trail much of the time, and a friend reminded me that I had panicked about that last summer as well, and as soon as it was cooler, Meg was outrunning all the young border collies on hikes again. If it is above about 80ºF, I won't hike her beyond a short walk to the water (maybe a bit over a half mile).

Gusto has never had great heat tolerance, despite being fit and thin coated. He'll hike in higher temps than Meg - up to about 90ºF, I'll do short-ish hikes (under 2.5 miles or so) as long as we are in the shade and there are streams or ponds for him to cool off in along the way. Although more than likely, he'll just do the shorter hikes and play in the water with Meg.

The heat is a real issue for Gusto with agility; because I'm working so hard on rebuilding his drive and managing his stress, I am really not trialling him much this summer, even though he and I both generally like outdoor trials better. We've got one more outdoor trial next weekend, and I'm only doing it because it is our club's trial. Then we'll be indoors and in AC until September.

I wish I had some secret for building up better heat tolerance, but other than keeping them lean and fit, and keeping them well brushed out (which only really matters with Meg; Gusto's coat is thin), I have no magic answers. If anyone does, I'm all ears!
 

FG167

Active Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
2,709
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Jefferson, GA
#7
Ickky and Kastle handle the heat like it's no big thing.

Eden I think is real average in her response. Her drives aren't real high so when she gets hot she just chills in the shade (like we do).

Limit does not handle heat well. He's got BCC and it is far worse in the summer (although he does have episodes in the winter). He overheats fast.
 

yv0nne

Vizsla mom
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
1,152
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Cape Breton
#8
The heat doesn't really bother Penn.. it was fairly warm this AM& we ran 10k in 53 minutes with no stops other than 3 water stations where I dumped the water on her belly.

She is always content to just lay in the sunshine though!
 

stardogs

Behavior Nerd
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
4,925
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NC
#9
Early in the year their tolerance sucks, but by the end of the summer, all four dogs are happy to hike and play in the heat.

That being said, Aeri would probably do obedience or protection until she dropped, regardless of heat. I always need to watch her to figure out when to stop sessions - she'll never tell me.
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#10
Juno's body does not handle heat well (I have the $900 vet bill to prove it), but she's not very good at knowing when to stop. I have to be careful with her and if it's really hot out, then we just don't do outdoor activities.

Cajun doesn't enjoy it and she regulates her activity well. If we're at the park, she will stop playing and go lay down in the shade, or most times she'll just walk back over to the parking lot and sit in front of my car like ok, we're done, let's go lol.
She's really only good for a few minutes of activity and then she's too hot and is done.
 

amberdyan

Active Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2014
Messages
1,323
Likes
6
Points
38
Age
34
Location
Lawrence, KS
#11
Hugo thinks 75 and sunny is too hot and will lay down and refuse to do anything. When it gets hot- we go swimming. He'll walk/hike if it's hot but he'll go slow and lay down in the shade when he feels like it, lol.
 

Beanie

Clicker Cult Coordinator
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
14,012
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
39
Location
Illinois
#12
The boys are terrible at judging when it's too extreme; Georgie is more sensitive and she'll start shivering and complaining in the cold and she will just lay down and quit in the heat LOL. I bought Auggie a cooling mat this weekend and my dad was like "Why did you get that? It's 100 degrees and Auggie will go lay down directly in the sun... I don't think he cares." Both will keep trying to go go go even when it's sweltering. I don't allow it. Agility practice in the heat means pools and getting hosed down regularly between sessions. I think it's just being bred to work, bred to keep going, which means they don't have much of a sense of self-preservation. =P

Payton is not a sunbather, I should note. But he will chase imaginary squirrels in the heat as long as I allow him, then lay down in the shade when I tell him to stop.
 

milos_mommy

Active Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
15,349
Likes
0
Points
36
#13
I think it's pretty good? He'll start panting heavily and drink more/lay down on the tile if we come home from a long walk in the heat but that's only happened once or twice and I was feeling the heat too. But it might be a little hard to tell because he's always in the water once it gets warm.

Benji' snore sensitive and will want to go inside or lie in the shade during really hot weather. I imagine hard exercise wouldn't be great for him in the heat. He's too lazy to find out, though.
 

JacksonsMom

Active Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
8,694
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Maryland
#15
Jackson hatessss the heat. He only enjoys summer when water is involved or it's the evening time when things cool down a bit.
 

pinkspore

Bat Ears Only
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
976
Likes
1
Points
18
Location
Central California
#17
Brisbane is pretty unwilling to work in anything over 80 degrees unless it involves lure coursing. His cooling coat keeps him comfortable even in triple digit weather as long as we have an endless supply of water.

Ru is basically a lizard. Record-breaking triple-digit temperatures make him a very happy chihuahua. I can count on one hand the number of times I see him pant in a year.
 
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
285
Likes
0
Points
16
#18
I'm much more careful in the heat with Rolyx, though he thinks he's super dog...I don't risk him in anything too hot. Not sure on temp, I just kind of watch him and if he seems to be panting too hard, we go in.

Ripley not as protective over, he seems to handle warm days pretty well but again, if he is showing signs of it being too much...in we go.

Knarly, don't do much with due to age. Heat seems to make him cough more and so we just don't mess with it.
 

SoCrafty

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
505
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
US
#19
Addie has low heat tolerance. If we go outside, she immediately seeks shade and within a few minutes is panting. She will sometimes be content in the shade, but last few days is more apt to ask to come back in. In the afternoons in the car, she will get as close to the A/C vent as possible to let it blow on her. It is between 85-95 here recently.
 

Elrohwen

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Messages
1,797
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
#20
Watson starts to drag on walks if it's above 80 and at all humid. He really doesn't like the heat. Sometimes he'll just stop and sit down in the shade after half a mile and I have to beg him to keep walking.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top