Hot Days...

Brushbustin Sporting Dogs · Post by **Brushbustin Sporting Dogs** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:02 pm

Just kind of wondering what everyone else does with there dogs when it's this HOT outside. I've got the kiddie pool out and soak them down in the afternoon just to keep them comfy. Working with dogs is very limited to yard work and short periods in the field in the late evening.

stumpy · Post by **stumpy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:18 pm

My GSP lives in the house with us, so he is pretty comfy all day. However, when I take him out to exercise we go to fields with ponds or to the lake. He will run around for about 20 or 30 minutes and then spend about the same amount of time in the water. We usually go around sunrise or just after. The sun comes up about 5:45 in Middle Tennesse this time of year, so it is an early day!

Theresa · Post by **Theresa** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:11 am

I know some protection dog trainers who strive to work their dogs in heat; reason being, they say it acclimates them to it, so that they CAN work in heat. Dogs not conditioned to the heat don't do well in the protection trials and fade like flowers.

That said, we try to avoid putting the a/c on, but my pack live a cushy housedog life, and have a kiddie pool in the dog yard, and the fru-fru dogs have fans aimed at their crates when they are crated.

zodiakgsps · Post by **zodiakgsps** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:24 pm

I try to run my guys year-round, although I won't run them in extreme heat, especially when the humidity is high also. September trials can be hot still & I believe the dogs do need to be acclimated to it some, to run well.
Mine also have a large kiddie pool at home for days "off" or ones that are to hot to run. I have been known to throw a few minnows in it left-over from fishing to keep them occupied.........

Theresa · Post by **Theresa** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:28 pm

OMG! Minnows! Brilliant!!!

parshal · Post by **parshal** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:37 pm

How hot is too hot for you guys? It's been 95 or hotter each day (except maybe three or four) for the last three weeks. I'll run the dogs when it's 80 or, maybe 85 with water available, but that's about my limit. I haven't been able to do anything useful with them. I agree that in order to tolerate heat they must run in it but it's got to be safe. As for humidity we don't have any to speak of out here. That's why I left Georgia.

Post by **topher40** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:43 pm

95 in Kanas usually feels like 105 because of the humidity. This time of the year is strictly used for breaking dogs STW&S and intro to birds with the pups for me. I do that EARLY in the morning and sometimes late in the evening. Nobody gets to run per say. The only running they get is to the bird field. Other than that this is the time of the year that all my dogs get to play and be pets. Like everyone else there is a kiddie pool for them plus fans in the kennels.

Stay Cool!

zodiakgsps · Post by **zodiakgsps** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:29 pm

80-85 degrees is my limit, with 85 depending on humidity, water availabilty & wind.(85 a good breeze & low humidity isn't bad for short runs, no hour work-outs!)
Theresa, try the fish thing, hysterical once they find them!! I couldn't get mine to come in for the night the first time I did it, they played in the pool for hours, I had to catch the fish & put them in a bucket so they'd quit whining at the door to go out & back in the pool.......

h20fwlkillr · Post by **h20fwlkillr** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:39 am

I set my launchers around my training pond and try to direct birds over water. Dogs get to cool off and brush up on a little water work at the same time. I mainly work on obedience during the summer, with a few bird sessions a week.

nj gsp · Post by **nj gsp** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:12 pm

I do yard work only in the evening when it's been really hot. For field training and working on birds we've been doing it in the morning, before it gets too hot. I carry lots of water for the both of us, I always water the dog first, and when it runs out, we're done. I carry lots of extra water in the truck too (not ice water) and will soak my dog down a bit to help cool her off.

Bird season is coming up too fast to hold off on the training!

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:47 am

It's hotter than the #$$!!! sun down here right now. If I can't get my dogs out running before 9 am, forget it, it's too hot.
Otherwise, we can take them to a nearby dog beach.