Field Trials in the heat
- ROTTnBRITT
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Field Trials in the heat
What are some of the things you guys/girls do to prepare for your dog for a trial when it's hot?
Re: Field Trials in the heat
Conditioning, high fat diet, trim coat, hydrate (bait water with kibble), wet down before run (some use a 1/4th solution of rubbing alcohol and water through a pump-up garden sprayer, others explain it burns their briar cuts, I believe it sterillizes), energy bar for recovery. Of most importantance is conditioning.
There is a very real genetic component, but it is too late for that advice.
Hope for a morning brace.
Neil
There is a very real genetic component, but it is too late for that advice.
Hope for a morning brace.
Neil
Re: Field Trials in the heat
Conditioning is the best thing I can do for my dog. When I'm on a course with water I make sure to handle my dog to the water. I also bring plenty of water for the dog. I like to wet down the dog before the trial, but I don't think the effects last the full brace especially if it's an hour.
Like Neil said though some dogs aren't affected by heat nearly as much as others. I've watched some run in high heat without any signs of stress while others look like they want to lay down in water rather than run and both were conditioned well.
Like Neil said though some dogs aren't affected by heat nearly as much as others. I've watched some run in high heat without any signs of stress while others look like they want to lay down in water rather than run and both were conditioned well.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
When I trialed, I trained from about late morning to late afternoon. Put out plenty of water and carried water to pour on the dog's bellies. It seemed to me that what happened was the dog's learned not to go flat out and burn themselves up, they instead learned to pace themselves in the heat. No doubt about it, if trials were not run in the heat, it would not have bothered me one bit. I asked an old timer when I started why they ran the trials so early in the fall with the heat we get. Why not wait till November to trial? His answer, hunting season's open and no one would show up! Sad to put the dog's through that.
- CDN_Cocker
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Re: Field Trials in the heat
In my limited experience conditioning and water!
Re: Field Trials in the heat
Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
- Brazosvalleyvizslas
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Re: Field Trials in the heat
I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
I think this is a known fact with most any animal. We all need to acclimate. And then if they were to continue to live in those conditions in the wild where we didn't provide food and shelter the bigger ones would do better in the north and the smaller ones in the south.Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
- Brazosvalleyvizslas
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Re: Field Trials in the heat
This is one case where size doesn't matter. Sorry.ezzy333 wrote:I think this is a known fact with most any animal. We all need to acclimate. And then if they were to continue to live in those conditions in the wild where we didn't provide food and shelter the bigger ones would do better in the north and the smaller ones in the south.Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
The notion Ezzy is getting at here is called Bergmann's rule. The hypothesis being large animals have relatively less surface area (and therefore less heat loss) than smaller animals. Bergmann's rule is not settled science, and has been challenged. But there is also evidence in support of this idea.ezzy333 wrote:I think this is a known fact with most any animal. We all need to acclimate. And then if they were to continue to live in those conditions in the wild where we didn't provide food and shelter the bigger ones would do better in the north and the smaller ones in the south.Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
Bill
Re: Field Trials in the heat
That's why I said "what you can control". If your going to win in the heat, you need a dog with the breeding to win in the heat. Acclamation and conditioning only gets you so far, especially in 1hr trials. It's like any competitive event. I can train just like the Kenyians who win the Boston Marathon every year, but I will never win the Boston Marathon. 30 minute stakes are not as grueling to dogs, so even in the heat, an average dog can look decent. But you run dogs in a 1hr trial when it's pushing 80-90 degrees, you have to have the breeding, or the dogs not getting around.Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
Actually size does matter! Ask any winning sled dog guy/gal why his/her dogs fit into certain size parameters. Heat affects bigger dogs more than smaller dogs, but the smaller dogs can't pull as much so the sled doggers' dogs fit a certain niche'.
- Brazosvalleyvizslas
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Re: Field Trials in the heat
1 hour is nothing, living in triple degree temps does more than breeding. With that said, you cant breed for heat tolerance. I would love to learn how though.jetjockey wrote:That's why I said "what you can control". If your going to win in the heat, you need a dog with the breeding to win in the heat. Acclamation and conditioning only gets you so far, especially in 1hr trials. It's like any competitive event. I can train just like the Kenyians who win the Boston Marathon every year, but I will never win the Boston Marathon. 30 minute stakes are not as grueling to dogs, so even in the heat, an average dog can look decent. But you run dogs in a 1hr trial when it's pushing 80-90 degrees, you have to have the breeding, or the dogs not getting around.Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:I have to disagree on this. Acclimation and conditioning are more important then simple breeding. Sure, good breeding is important but I have some "show" dogs that were raised in HOT climates that do better than my dogs from up north. It works both ways, living in SE Texas my dogs may have a hard time in a really cold environment until they got acclimated no matter where or what there breeding is.jetjockey wrote:Conditioning is what you can control, but breeding is more important. Most Pros run all their dogs through the same conditioning program, yet certain dogs do better in the heat than others. Why? Breeding... Like others have said, if there isnt water on the course, make sure you have some with you.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
I don't do trials but my summertime hikes with my setter pup have been really hot. Thing is, I can't get him to stop hunting and cruising to drink. He refuses. I guess I could try standing on his check cord until he learns that he must drink.
When we get back to the truck, he'll drink a bathtub dry.
When we get back to the truck, he'll drink a bathtub dry.
Re: Field Trials in the heat
Sure you can. Breed dogs who are known to run well in the heat, and breed them. Take all of those dogs who live in triple degree temps, and find the one who handles those temps the best. Contrary to what your saying, they won't all run the exact same way and handle the heat the same, certain dogs will stand out for various reasons..... My wife LOVES heat and humidity, I can't stand it! She can wear jeans and sweaters when it's 90 degrees and humid out, and she loves to jog in the heat. I on the other hand, am sweating my balls off in thin shorts and tee shirts, and can't run 15 ft in the heat without worrying about heat stroke. Yet we both live in the same house in the same conditions. Dogs are no different. Different dogs handle the heat different ways. It's no different than the athletes who cramp up on the sidelines when the temps get warm, yet other Athletes have no problem with it. Why?Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:1 hour is nothing, living in triple degree temps does more than breeding. With that said, you cant breed for heat tolerance. I would love to learn how though.