Haven't been able to get Pongo out of the house today. He'll follow me out for a bit (we had lunch out in the garden) but within ten minutes he has dragged himself to his feet and got back into the nice cool house again. It is just TOO hot for him!
WEll I took some of Oban's off. He had a bath the next day and so much hair came out. The drain clogged over and over. I had thought his earlier shed a few months previous was it. Then I brushed him outside the day after the bath, when he was dry and MORE huge batches of hair came out. And again the day after that. I've never seen such a heavy shed off him, in all his nine years. Oban does not have nearly as heavy an undercoat as Jet did but his is funny. Jet's was all long, soft, fluffy hairs, like down. Oban's is stiff and more coarse and packed in like a dish washing scratchy pad. Maybe a factor but I keep reading it's supposed to insulate against heat as well as against cold.
This was/is one of my major dilemmas on how to deal with it. In Spring and Autumn we ended up going for walks first thing in the morning, still do (early morning walks for us if you have read some of my other treads). We would then go for a walk just as the sun was about to set as it would get cool fairly quickly. In the summer it was still early morning, but evening walks would depend on the heat experienced during the day. I would always check with the back of my hand the payment and keep it there for 5sec+, in the sun. This apparently mimics the amount a dog has their paw on the ground as they walk. To hot for me to hot for Vanilla. There where times where we would be the only people in the water with a dog as the sand would burn your feet. I used to carry her, would not allow her to touch the hot sand with her paws. This would mainly be during sunsets, but still in the 40c+. During the day it was shade with parasols/sun-umbrellas around the lawn with a paddling pull in the shade, otherwise water would get to hot. So we changed it everyday. We have some cool balls/bones that get soaked in water and the gel inside freezes them. This would keep her occupied for about an hour nice and cool. Also made up ice-lollies with chicken stock and treats. she would lay in the shade slurping away. Plus any interaction with the sun, even in winter we apply sunscreen to her face, nose, ears and belly, ie: all arrears that are exposed with little or no hair. Plus we carry water with us everywhere we go no matter what the temp is. Car we just put the window and rear window blinds up and have the air-con on. we are lucky in that there is outlet for rear passengers so that makes it easier for her. Plus when we park we would always find a shaded place that way keeps the car a bit cooler, seats don't get hot (otherwise cover them up), plus run the air-con for about 5min before getting back into the car. Hardest part for her was to adapt in during spring and the extreme heat in summer. Spring time we could go from 18c one day to 35c for a few days then drop back down this would last for about a month. before more steady temp. In summer once we have a steady temperature it is OK, unless the extreme kicks in. the over 40c for multiple days/weeks and night temp don't drop below the mid to low 30c. During the high temp she would just sleep on the tiles, but find the coolest place in the house. very lethargic, which in the beginning I thought something was up, as everybody said lively puppy. I know not the same as the UK, but principal I will work. Here if we see dogs on the beach during extreme we call the RSPCA and they come and deal with it. They and the council dog warden patrol the beaches anyhow to advise people...still get some stupid people. But it still amazes me to see Guide dogs out and about during the day, that surely has to hurt their paws...
I do think it's different for dog who experience a sudden change in temperature, as opposed to those who get to acclimatise slowly. I normally go on a run early morning (about 6am) and take one or both adults with me. My husband will either take Luna out for an amble while I'm gone, or I will take her out for some training afterwards, if it's still cool enough. They generally don't go out again until the evening, when we will either go for a gentle walk around our land or into the woods where it is cooler. Or, for a swim in the river. They just don't get walked as much when it's hot, but they seem fine with that. If I go for a quick stroll during the day, they'll come with me; we have water tanks set up around our land, and we can give the dogs a drink from these. It was 40C here over the weekend, which is very hot for us. Around 35C is fine, though, as they had a gradual acclimatisation.
I'm enjoying the hot weather ( it's only 25 c max) and Molly seems happy too. We walk her by a river and although she doesn't swim, she wades a lot. This morning my OH took her out and when she came back she had a drink and then chose to lie in the sun for 10 minutes. She wasn't panting, there was shade available and the door was open so she could come in when she wanted to -she's in now. My spaniels both used to love a day on the beach. They swam a lot and I used to take water for drinking. Molly's a bit territorial for actually sitting on the beach -if I set up camp she barks when anyone walks near, so I tend just to walk/ swim and then come home.
