52 replies to this topic

[Brandon M]

For one this I kinda help him shed a bit by brushing him a lot. I think it probably helps. Other than that play sessions outside are always accompanied by a lot of water. Like the sprinklers and hose, or the pool. At work Lance rides around on the JD Gator all wet all the time. He actually jumps in the water troughs which my boss doesn't know, and I wont tell lol. Lance loves water. He also knows how to use the water cooler at my house. He frequents the cooler for ice water a lot.

[Millie&MeBC]

The girls get into the neighbor's kiddie pool during play dates (though I plan on getting our own soon) or wet them down with the hose. They especially get more comfrotable when they can get their feet wet to cool them off- the ground here is just so hot. While we're inside I keep the AC and fans on. I flipped Millie's bedding pad from the wooly-ish side to the smoother material that's a bit cooler.

I have a portable water bottle/plastic bowl that I take on hikes as well as an extra bottle so they can stay hydrated. For treats in the heat I freeze chicken broth in an ice tray and they enjoy those cubes- they're low-calorie, too.

Even though I am diligent about grooming normally, I switch into a higher gear to make sure to keep shedding under control constantly with the shedding blade, which I can imagine is much more comfortable.

[WyoBC]

I try to play with him early in the morning around 5:00am. Then get back up around 7:00am to play some more before it gets really hot. Then he plays in the pool in the afternoon to cool off. He doesn't really like the hot weather to much. But he will stay out in it if I'm playing with him so I have to watch how hot he gets. When I feed my horse in the morning I tell Black Jack to "go find some shade" and he'll look around then take off up by the tree and lay in the shade until I'm done.

He's the same way, he gets all excited to go out then remembers why he wanted back inside in the first place

[HighDesertSpice]

'Absolutely NO science behind this, but I check the ears. If they're really hot, then the dog is hot. I've found that getting the dog wet cools the ears down. ....

[mbc1963]

'Absolutely NO science behind this, but I check the ears. If they're really hot, then the dog is hot. I've found that getting the dog wet cools the ears down. ....

Oh, but this has good science behind it! The ears are jam packed full of tiny blood vessels, which expose lots of the hot blood to the broad, thin surface area of the skin on the ears, where heat can be transferred to the air. The blood vessels dilate with heat, which lets even more blood run through them. So... they feel warmer.

Conversely, in humans and dogs and most other mammals, I think, when the core of the body is at risk of hypothermia, the body will constrict the blood vessels in our hands, feet, and other blood-vessely places. That way, it can keep more of the heat in the blood and save the important core organs like the heart and brain. That's why people often lose fingers or toes or noses when they're stuck in the snow - constricted vessels, poor circulation, little heat brought to the cells.

I've definitely noticed Buddy's ears feeling quite cool in the winter when I keep the thermostat set really low. I'm going to have to start testing his ears on hot days to see how well I can read his temperature!

Mary

[Ruger's Dad]

Great thread

Ruger is mostly black and white. He is really a tri color. I was walking my Springer and Ruger earlier in the year. Did I ever notice a difference in the coat tempartures. Casey is liver and white. I couldn't feel any heat off her coat. The black fur on Ruger was just plain hot. It is a lot hotter now.

I just keep the play time short. When Ruger slows down I have him gather up the Frisbees and we go in. I had him get sick on me one time when he was a pup. I felt so bad and I will never do it again.

One thing that I am convinced of, I believe the drive in a Border Collie could kill them in this kind of weather. Ruger will keep catching Frisbees as long as I throw them. When I get home now we go out and play for about 15 minutes tops. It takes him well over 30 minutes just to quit panting.

Can't wait for fall and winter.

[WyoBC]

I was talking to Jack Knox at the stock clinic I went to and he told me a story of a lady that had a BC at one of his clinics. He said she kept working her dog so hard and it was in the 90's to almost 100f that day. He said she just wouldn't let him quit until he finally fell down and couldn't go anymore, so she picked him up and threw him over the fence because he wouldn't work anymore. She said he ripped her a new one and didn't quit. I can't believe someone could do that to a poor dog. I could never do that. It makes me so mad, I wish I was there when it happenend.

[borderfreak]

The brand Julius K9 (Austria/Germany) offers cooling dog collars. ^^

[OurBoys]

Millie&MeBC,

What is a shedding blade? Is it like one of those "Shed Ender" tools I've seen advertised on TV?

JJ has very thick and very long britches. We try to keep them cut back but they also need to be thinned out. But the blade looks so short/small I wonder if it'll work.....

[silhouettestable]

Somebody on Sled Dog Central had an interesting idea of how to work his dogs in the summer's heat. Normally sled dogs get the summer months off, but maybe that will be a thing of the past if his idea works out. Check out this link: http://www.sleddogce...p?TOPIC_ID=8029

[Laurae]

Changed your avatar I see, Woobie'sMom...Woobie grew up nice

[AK dog doc]

As for keeping my dogs cool, I'm keeping them in AK. That seems to be working for me!

[Aerie]

Recon will dunk herself in the pond (head and all. totally under water.) several times while we're out playing / working / walking / whatever.

Eilidh finds shade and pants and eventually gets sent inside into the AC because even if we wet her (she's not so fond of water) she doesn't cool down as quickly as Recon does.

Difference - Eilidh has a super thick undercoat and Recon does not.

As for the horses - if we've been working them hard enough to break a sweat (which in this heat and humidity means walking them from the barn to the pasture) we spray them down with cool water until the under side of their chests and their legs feel cool to the touch.

If we are just spraying them to cool them down while they're grazing and we're not worried about pretty factor and rolling in stalls we don't scrape them...and they generally don't sweat as badly for a while after they've dried in the sun. If we're about to put them in their stalls in front of the fans we'll scrape the excess...there's no sun in a stall, see. To do the evaporation thing. And they roll to get the extra water off and then could get cast in the stall and not to mention filthy and...yeah.

[bc4pack]

Well in the FWIW dept...
Polo ponies get hosed off and left to drip dry... after playing a chukker in 95 degree/ humid Gulf Coast
Summer... there again we're talking FIT and well acclimated horses.

[kelpiegirl]

Polo ponies? Fit?! You said it. Calling them fit is like calling Lucy impatient on her down on sheep.
Julie

Well in the FWIW dept...
Polo ponies get hosed off and left to drip dry... after playing a chukker in 95 degree/ humid Gulf Coast
Summer... there again we're talking FIT and well acclimated horses.

[juliepoudrier]

All of my dogs *voluntarily* dive into whatever water is available when it's hot and humid and they've been working or playing, so I have to think that they aren't endangering themselves by this practice (say, when they then get out of the water soaking wet and continue working or playing). Most of my dogs are smooth coats, but for them or my rough coats, if we were doing a lot of work or trialing in the heat, I would shave their bellies so that when they get in the water heat exchange between the large veins in the legs/belly area and cool water can take place more efficiently. Since I can't always choose when they will be working, and they might have to work during hot times of the day (especially at trials) I try to make sure they are well hydrated beforehand. While at a trial this weekend, one of my open dogs got hot enough in the shedding ring to take a dip in the pool (put out on the field expressely for overheated dogs and those just finished with a run) and I let her sit there till I felt it was safe to call her out and continue on with our attempt to single. (Actually it was kind of funny, because the dog who had run before us was still in there, and Kat just went over and squeezed herself right in with the other dog.)

J.

[shelb'smum]

Great thread

One thing that I am convinced of, I believe the drive in a Border Collie could kill them in this kind of weather. Ruger will keep catching Frisbees as long as I throw them. When I get home now we go out and play for about 15 minutes tops. It takes him well over 30 minutes just to quit panting.

Can't wait for fall and winter.

I completely agree, if we are away from the water bowl at the park, I have to walk shelby to it to get a drink, because other wise she is looking for a ball to be thrown! then when we get to the water she drinks it like it if she doesn't it'll be gone before she's ready for another drink. (poor wording ) I wish my dog would realize that she's thirsty