To think that it is cruel to take a husky/malamut out for a walk in middle of a really muggy day?

[zeezeek]

Was driving through town earlier and saw a man walking his two dogs - one a JR and the other a husky. It was really hot, really muggy and deeply unpleasant and the poor dogs, especially the husky looked as if they were struggling.

I am well known to prefer dogs to most humans and have 3 myself (and contemplating a 4th). Mine are a lab, retriever and a collie and they struggle enough this weather - so we don't walk them during the day, only early in the morning or rather more likely tbh late at night when it is cooler. During the day, all they want to do is sit in the shade and pant pathetically, interspersed with a bit of activity when they remember that they have two DC to look after .

I know that I'm probably in the minority, but I do think that it is not really right that huskies, malamuts and other dogs that are bred for a colder environment are such popular choices of dogs in the UK - a country well known for its muggy weather. DH is Swedish and he grew up with dogs like this and thinks it's odd. We both adore these breeds, but would never consider having one because of this.

I realise that lots of people love having these breeds, and despite my own misgivings, if they are well looked after in the UK, then it's kind of ok....but walking them in the middle of a bloody hot, muggy and downright foul day is not reasonable IMO.

Rant over. I know I probably am being unreasonable and I do stand by the right for anyone to have any breed of dog - as long as they are sensible and the dog is raised properly and not treated badly.

[tigermoll]

I totally agree - huskies are very demanding dogs, largely unsuited to being a pet in Britain for many reasons. Anyone who takes one on has to do it with their eyes open. rescue shelters have seen an explosion in these types of dogs because people take them on and then can't cope.

[zephyrcat]

I have huskies and don't take them out in this heat. There's no way he should've been walking it in midday sun :(

[WorraLiberty]

Sorry if this sounds ignorant but if they were born in the UK, would the fact they're bred for colder environments make any difference to them?

[marne2]

I have been struggling with my dog, he is black so gets hot very quickly, I have been walking him early in the morning and then again early evening but it's hard when he wants co stand exercise during the day and gets very hot after a short walk.

[aderynlas]

My neighbour has two huskies. They are walked in the cool of the evening. Both really gorgeous dogs though im sure one has half an eye on my cat for his tea.

[MyFairyKing]

I tried to walk barefoot on the patio this afternoon and it burnt my feet. Imagine how sore it must be for dogs!

[firstposts]

Just started a thread in doghouse about this

I struggle to know how hot is too hot though? Yesterday was allegedly 23 and it was perfect weather for walk. Today was only a few degrees hotter but felt far too hot?

[CheerfulYank]

Poor guy!

There are a lot of huskies where I live as it gets very cold in the winter and they are still used for sledding. But on the other hand the summers can reach 35 degrees and the humidity is unreal!

[bakingtins]

worra they have massively thick wooly coats to insulate them from the snow. Dogs have v few sweat glands ( foot pads only) so can only pant to cool down, and are v prone to heatstroke. More of an issue if they are fat, hairy or short-faced.
Huskies are totally unsuitable as pets for all but the most experienced owner that is going to do the sort of sports they've been bred for, a wander round the park in any weather is not going to cut it.

[zephyrcat]

Their coat is also designed to protect their skin from heat as well as cold, but as with all dogs, common sense prevails and if it's too hot to put your foot on the pavement then it's too hot for them as well.

[hoobypickypicky]

YANBU. I was at the coast recently. There were loads of dogs being walked in the midday heat and many looked very uncomfortable, not least the bichon frise with a coat on!

[WorraLiberty]

Ahh thanks bakingtins.

In that case Yanbu OP. No wonder they struggle.

[Lara2]

If you shouldn't leave your dog in a car on a hot day, you shouldn't walk them during the hottest part of the day either. I absolutely hate it when I see people with hot exhausted dogs. A friend saw someone cycling along with their poor dog running with them on a lead at mid-day yesterday when it was at least 29* here. The dog was really struggling

[kilmuir]

Idiots, yes cruel.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

We didn't walk our dogs in the middle of the day today because, even here in Scotland, it was too hot for them. Dh took them down to the river for a swim at 10-ish, before it got too hot, and has just taken them out again. We went out at 5pm, to do a bit of shopping, and it was too hot for us to be out, so there was no way the dogs could have borne it.

[Chattymummyhere]

We won't take our German shepherds out in the heat why just want constant water and to pant in the shade... Way too hot at the moment for a thick/long coated breed

[MrsMaturin]

My CAT has been pretty miserable and she can just flop wherever she likes. Let alone a poor dog being compelled to walk :(

[diddl]

Maybe it was just a short walk so that the dog could have a wee?

[zeezeek]

One of mine is collie - so mostly black and she is suffering very badly in this heat, more so than the (yellow) lab and (blonde) retriever. But even they are panting almost constantly. None of them are particularly sensible and despite there being a lot of shade in the garden - and, being all blondes we tend to go for shade more than sun - they have all been known to sit in the direct sunlight and then pant like the idiots they are.

I wasn't aware that huskies coats also protected them against the heat - but still, it is not good weather to walk a dog at the moment and it was incredibly hot where we are (slightly inland on the South coast). We did see a dog in a car once a few years ago and called the Police as the poor thing was really in a bad way. I'd do it again.

[WalkWithTheLonelyOnes]

YANBU no one should really take ANY dog out in this heat. You'd be surprised at how hot the floor gets. It's just cruel

[NellyNoodle1]

No YANBU.

I have been walking my greyhound about 8pm onwards and we only have a tootle round the block (he's retired and takes it very seriously and I'm 26 weeks pregnant). It has upset his routine to be honest (he's very OCD) and he ends up getting me up at about 1am now for some reason but I would never take him out in this heat - he goes out for two minutes for a wee and has his own fan inside - he stood in front of it ears flapping tonight.

In all seriousness I have heard of a few dogs collapsing and dying of heat stroke lately :( I wouldn't risk it. You can see the tarmac glistening as well.

[Xihha]

YANBU, my boy, a husky cross, is being walked early mornings and at sunset atm, he's spent most of today laying in the kitchen because the tile floor is colder than the rest of the house, he has now decided to join us in the living room probably in the vain hope he can have one of my cookies, he cant, they're mine I was allowed to stroke him for all of 30 seconds before he decided he was too hot and moved.

[Pregnantberry]

Out of interest, those of you with huskies saying that you wouldn't take them out in this heat, don't they get aggravated or destructive or from missing their walks? My first thought was that maybe he was just trying to compromise by giving it a much shorter walk in the heat for this reason.

I love them, I think they are the most attractive dogs but I would never get one personally because I know I wouldn't be able to provide it with enough exercise.

[Xihha]

mine doesn't as we have really long walks early morning and evening, he'd be more aggravated if i took him for a short walk as he'd get all excited then be disappointed we hadn't gone far enough.

I'm surprised the owner the OP mentions is walking his husky with a jack russel anyway to be honest as I wouldn't have thought they could keep up with the amount of exercise a husky needs (prepared to be corrected on that, I don't like small dogs so have no idea how far they'd usually walk, I'm just thinking little legs)

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Another naive question, but could you cut a huskies coat if one really wasn't coping in this weather? Or would that do something bad?