Training through the heat?

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wfkgsps
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Training through the heat?

Post by wfkgsps » Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:14 pm

With temps above 90 degrees before 10:00 am and climbing to at or above 100 I am concerned about the dogs health, but also don't want to miss training time. So how hot is too hot to train? There is not a great deal of humidity in SW KS, but the temps are blistering. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Will
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by Will » Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:18 pm

I don't do much if any training in this heat. Maybe throw a few bumbers early in the morning...maybe take them out for a swim to cool off and condition...but is hard for man or beast to concentrate and make for good training so I don't bother with much.
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snips
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by snips » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:06 pm

We train early a.m. and in the evening til dark. Short sessions and water available.
brenda

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stetson82
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by stetson82 » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:32 pm

i have learned it is better to not train both dog and trainer do not have the attention span or patience when all they are thinking about is keeping cool. i did move my force fetch table inside and continue doing that even if they know it. i also teach kenneling in a groundblind or laydown blind( mainly for retrievers) but i found found the hot times are a great time for human interaction. such as a hose in the yard and a bath. it all helps. if you do train in the high heat and humidity dont push them you will easily be dissapointed. plus if reuse pigeons as i do it is tough on the birds too.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by topher40 » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:27 pm

This time of year all I do is yard work, force fetching or whoa breaking early in the morning and late in the evening. There isnt any sense in actually running dogs in the heat, anything over 75 is to hot to get a good run in IMHO. Not much you can do about it other than move north/ :lol:
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Sprig
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by Sprig » Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:27 pm

i cut training back this time of year and i always bring alot of water for the dogs when i do go out, which is early morning or late evening. this is also a good time to go back and work on some yard work and obedience training while it is hot. you can never do too much of that.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by AHGSP » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:26 am

snips wrote:We train early a.m. and in the evening til dark. Short sessions and water available.

DITTO! Field work in the EARLY morn and LATE eve, yardwork/leadwork through the day. I keep masonary/mortar tubs full of water all around, as well as plenty of COLD and FRESH water to drink.
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Chief_dog
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by Chief_dog » Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:34 pm

With temps above 90 degrees before 10:00 am and climbing to at or above 100 I am concerned about the dogs health, but also don't want to miss training time. So how hot is too hot to train? There is not a great deal of humidity in SW KS, but the temps are blistering. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Clint,

One thing you need to be careful of in your area is grass awn infections when working dogs in the summer. Chief had two of them over his lifetime that almost killed him and required major surgery each time.

As a result, I've pretty much gone to doing only yardwork the first part of the summer (and giving the older dogs some time off), and after the grasses are starting to die off and the awnings turn down, then I'll start running the dogs early of a morning and late of an evening on pheasant broods.

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wfkgsps
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by wfkgsps » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:58 pm

Dave -
Explain grass awn infection...what do I need to be looking for?

Thanks for all the comments.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by NC Quailhunter » Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:03 pm

I train the pups in the morning before it gets hot and then in the evening when the yard is shaded until dark. That is about that you can do that I know of.
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by blunior » Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:58 pm

wfksps
I run my dogs in the early morning and swim them in the evening
We have the heat in Colorado but not the humidity..................Oh wait it is pouring rain again.

Thanks
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by SubMariner » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:10 am

wfkgsps wrote:Dave -
Explain grass awn infection...what do I need to be looking for?

Thanks for all the comments.
http://www.essfta.org/Health_Research/grass_awn.htm
http://www.essfta.org/Health_Research/M ... nSeeds.htm
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/disease ... tgrass.htm

Hope this helps,
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by R-Heaton » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:36 am

With some of the best wild bird trials in the country happening in August,,, ya gotta to be doing more than yardwork to make sure they are ready. When buying a puppy I always ask how the parents do in the heat, in my part of the country that's important. In order to for me to be able to give an honest answer to that same question they have to be tested in the heat,,,, nothing better than winning a "big one" last brace of the day in the dead of the heat. Its the type of win "they" talk about for years.
topher40 wrote:There isnt any sense in actually running dogs in the heat, anything over 75 is to hot

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by snips » Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:48 am

topher40 wrote:This time of year all I do is yard work, force fetching or whoa breaking early in the morning and late in the evening. There isnt any sense in actually running dogs in the heat, anything over 75 is to hot to get a good run in IMHO. Not much you can do about it other than move north/ :lol:
Man, if I did not run dogs over 75 degrees I would not ever get to run them. An old buddy of mine once said if you will be competing in hot weather you have to run 'em in it. Many times I have been out there in the 90's conditioning a dog to it. Just gotta have plenty of water and be careful. But I am a believer in that advise.
brenda

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by R-Heaton » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:55 am

snips wrote:An old buddy of mine once said if you will be competing in hot weather you have to run 'em in it
Doug and I live by that advice,,,, same goes and just as important as the rain, snow and wind,,, we trial in the wind we got to train in the wind. I always think its a lame excuse when people use the weather,,, "dog wouldn't buck the wind" "dog never ran in the rain before".

Now granted you can't get alot done in 90 plus heat,,, but it doesn't hurt for your dog to see what's it like to have to run it every now and then. IMO the better shape they are in the better they can handle the heat,,, so get as much done in the coolest parts of the day as possible,,,,, if that means staying up all night at the bar so you can leave at 4 am,, then thats just the sacrifices that have to be made.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by DGFavor » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:07 pm

Not only some of the most prestigious trials occur in the heat but some of the best hunting as well. If you're going hunting to areas with seasons opening in Sept/Oct. good chance yer gonna have some heat. I would estimate 90+% of my summer training is geared towards being prepared for competing and hunting in the heat. A couple of the most memorable performances I can remember from my dogs occurred in over 90 degree weather and a factor that made it memorable was that they put forth such good efforts in oven like conditions. The heat will separate 'em...and I don't mean just covering ground in it, I mean finding birds in it.

Personally I get disappointed when it cools down for the early fall trials since I feel it negates alot of the hard work we did all summer to get prepared - takes an important variable off the table. It's just an integral part of prairie trialing and hunting allowing dog folks to evaluate another component of their bird dogs.

Sittin' here right now covered in dried, salty sweat after roadin' my dogs up City Cr. Canyon on foot pullin' weights. Not sure if I'm gettin' myself in condition too or just using up my available heart beats faster... :lol: :lol: You want to set a personal best in a 5K or 10K run, hook Bugsy and Scoots to ya'!! :lol:

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by BigShooter » Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:21 pm

DGFavor wrote:Not sure if I'm gettin' myself in condition too or just using up my available heart beats faster...


Just use a Beta Blocker ... :D :D
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by RayGubernat » Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:11 pm

There is no question in my mind that hooking up a dog(or two) to a roading harness and then attaching that that dog to a weightlifter's belt I am strapped to, and then having that dog pull me for twenty minutes in 90 degree weather will tear a hole in both of us, at least at first. Three times around(5 dogs) and I am toast.

One additional benefit to working dogs in hot weather is that they learn, very quickly I might add, that you are where the water is and you are what stands between them and dying of thirst. If I want to get a handle on a willful, independent youngster, I know no better way than to take that yongster out onto a dry, wterless area and let it run. After five minutes, call the dog in and when it comes in, give it a couple of squirts of water and send it back out. Every couple of minutes call the dog in and when it comes, give it squirt or two. It is amazing how quickly even the biggest running, boldest, most independent minded dogs figure out that if they don't want to die of thirst out there, they had better keep an eye on the fat, stumpy legged old guy back there with the water and come in quick when he calls.

Obviously, you need to watch the dog real close and before the first sign of distress, leash the dog and wet it down and walk it back watering frequently. But I have to tell you, it really puts you waaaaaay up there in the pecking order in that dog's mind and when you hit the come in whistle, that sucker will come screaming back to you.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by kylenicholas02 » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:05 pm

I know most of the top Indiana NSTRA guys road their dogs early in the morning.. I'm usually out prior to day break, always have water on the four wheeler, and watch the dogs. We're only going about 6-7 miles in 45 mins now. But like previously said, there's currently trials in Michigan and our trials start back the second week of September. Like anything else though let the dog tell you when it has had enough.

Every sunday we all meet for bird work, in a 10 acre field we cut with wind tunnels to vent the grasses and allow the scent to travel a little better. IMO letting the dogs just get out and stretch their legs couple times a week should be sufficient depending on what you expect out of your dog and when.
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by jpm5171988 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:57 am

I too have trouble with training in the heat, as I live in Texas. But what I do is bring gallon jugs of water with me everytime I train or hunt. I pore water over the dogs entire body when needed (usually when the dog is panting and a little fatigued). DONT USE COLD WATER THOUGH. A professional gundog trainer just recently told me that if you use cold water, you can kill the dog. Thier body temperature will drop below normal, and although the dog was originally overheating, thier bodys cant produce heat quick enough to balance thier body temperature before hypothermia sets in.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by phermes1 » Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:51 pm

Start early, finish early. Pick up again when it cools off in the evening. Water buckets are your friend.
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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by southernblues » Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:05 pm

jpm5171988 wrote:I too have trouble with training in the heat, as I live in Texas. But what I do is bring gallon jugs of water with me everytime I train or hunt. I pore water over the dogs entire body when needed (usually when the dog is panting and a little fatigued). DONT USE COLD WATER THOUGH. A professional gundog trainer just recently told me that if you use cold water, you can kill the dog. Thier body temperature will drop below normal, and although the dog was originally overheating, thier bodys cant produce heat quick enough to balance thier body temperature before hypothermia sets in.

I admit - I did this exact thing this weekend. It wasn't blistering hot but high 80's in thick cover so I know the pup wasnt getting much wind/breeze. I had a cooler with water bottles, poured half a bottle in his bowl and 30 mins later he was vomiting. Scared me, thinking my dog had parvo or something. The saying is true that the dog will train you.

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Re: Training through the heat?

Post by Jmackk » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:42 pm

Well I look at it like this, if you would not hunt when its that hot out, then dont train them when its that hot. If you your self would only hunt when its 90 degrees out then dont train when its 115 out. If you hunt in 90 degree weather and its 100 out go for it. Just bring lots of water and pay attention to the dog, whach his body language and dont push him to hard at first and gradually make the trianing longer. I live in AZ and I dont usually like to hunt much if at all durring the summer because its so hot, and the bid seasons dont open till augest/september. But, I train all year long to keep my dogs in shape, I usually train at night or in the morning(or both) and as it starts to cool of I train earlier in the day and a little longer each time.

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