To want to say something to anyone I see walking their bloody dog

[TooTTootY]

In 30° fucking heat!

I live on quite a rural road which lots of people walk their dogs down. The amount of people I've seen nearly dragging panting dogs down the pavement today is appalling!

AIBU to think you're a lousy dog owner if you drag them out for a walk in this heat? I've felt like saying something to a few of them where there dogs have looked absolutely sweltering. How many times do people need reminding?!

I ran to my car to grab something before, I didn't have shoes on, just socks and I could feel the tarmac burning even through my socks so I don't know what a poor dog feels like being forced to walk on it for God knows how long.

When I lived near London I bought a portable air conditioning unit to keep one room cool for the dogs during the worst of the summer. I’m starting to wish I still had it.

I only take our dog round the corner to her poo spot. She refuses to go in the garden or on tarmac. But I walk her in the shade and then it's grass.

The rest of the time she's lying on the cool tiled floor.

Mine runs around like normal. I wouldn’t walk him on tarmac anyway but I don’t have to as we’re rural. I certainly don’t keep him in 8 till 8. I do make sure he has drinking water in the garden and I did hose him down today because it seemed like a kind thing to do but not necessary.

Off subject, but it sounds so lovely to hear how everyone is making sure their dogs are cooled down in this heat. ❤️❤️

If you have a car with air con - more common in the UK than houses with it - a car trip can be respite from the heat.

Because dog owners, in the main, are the best placed to make decisions about their dogs. I worry about my dog, you worry about yours. HTH

Saw this just now on FB how to keep your dogs cool

@crossstitchingnana

Because dog owners, in the main, are the best placed to make decisions about their dogs. I worry about my dog, you worry about yours. HTH

Quite clearly a lot aren't.

@crossstitchingnana

Because dog owners, in the main, are the best placed to make decisions about their dogs. I worry about my dog, you worry about yours. HTH

Evidently not. If that was the case dogs wouldn't get heatstroke because their owners took them out for a 'fun family day out' or die from being left in hot cars. Thats the same shit people used to spout about ignoring children who were being neglected and abused. Minding your own business is how animals and the vulnerable die.

And here we go again! Mind your own business! Maybe the dog is only in the sun for a few minutes and rest of the walk is in the shade.

Maybe they are a foreign family with a dog used to thes temperatures.

Maybe they are walking from a very hot flat to the river where they can refresh themselves.

As above you worry about your dog and leave others alone unless you see clear abuse.

Mine have been playing in the paddling pool and with the hose in evenings as a way to exercise when it cools down in the evenings. Far too hot for us all!

Agree OP. My elderly dog hasn't been out for a walk for days, he doesn't even want to play indoors like he would normally. He's so hot, poor thing. It's too hot for me wearing flip flops, no way am I risking his paws on hot pavements.

Some dogs get heat stroke as as humans do, children and the elderly. Its not for it directly associated with being out. Some places outside will be less hot than inside.

A dog is a car in the heat, yes abuse. A dog walking happily even if panting is not automatically an unhappy dog at risk of heatstroke.

The biggest problem is people projecting the way they feel about the heat to everyone else.

I suffer from terrible guilt from not walking my dog especially like today when I have no plans and would love to take her for a nice long walk but I know she can't tell me how hot she is. I know how many dogs each year burn the pads on their paws or die from heat exhaustion or sunstroke.

I wish it became law that people cannot walk their dogs outside on days over a certain temperature between certain times.

I often wonder what goes through people's minds knowing their dog has a fur coat on them and cannot tell them they are too hot. I then remember people leave dogs in cars on days like this so I guess some people are just cruel and stupid.

YANBU

My friend took their lurcher out at 8pm the other night, he caught sight of a rabbit and took chase of it and then collapsed vomiting. This is a fit dog that walks/runs 10 miles a day, he was seriously unwell for 2 days

For goodness sake! We lived for a while in the Middle East with our dog, and we had about one month a year when it was below 30 during the day. We walked her every god dam day of the year, even when it was no lower than 36 overnight and 45 degrees during the day, and she was absolutely fine.

This is hot for England, but it’s perfectly normal weather in the rest of the world and I can’t think of a single country where dogs aren’t thriving.

Our cat used to LOVE it when it was 40 plus - he’d stroll across to the other side of the compound across boiling hot pavements to catch the sun. He never burnt his paws.

YANBU. I’m at my ILs (they’re away) to break up a drive, and I’ve been carrying my cat in and out of the garden so he doesn’t have to touch the hot patio with his little feet 😭

Do it!!don't just vent on here everyone!!if I see any idiots out with their poor dogs I make sure I stop and tell them.no point in just thinking it's wrong we have to stand up and talk for these poor animals who cannot speak.(If the idiot owners had an ounce of sense or empathy with their dogs they would see how miserable they are).don't have to be aggressive,but most people I speak with say "I didn't think" and say they will not do it again,whether they do it not I don't know.a dog collapsed from being walked in the heat on Sunday and the vets only just managed to revive him.as for burnt paws...
Please everyone,stop and say something or put a notice up on a post nearby a popular dog walking area.
Thank you🐕🐶🐩🌻🌻🌻

The biggest problem is people projecting the way they feel about the heat to everyone else

Tbh I think the problem is more likely people not following the scientific evidence or advice from veterinary professionals that it's too bloody hot to walk your dog.

My friend took their lurcher out at 8pm the other night, he caught sight of a rabbit and took chase of it and then collapsed vomiting
And that was inevitably caused by the walk at 8pm! You don't get heatstroke in minutes! It couldn't possibly be due to eating something he shouldn't have!

@feesh I’d imagine your animals were probably a lot more accustomed to the heat than animals here.

Yep, totally agree.

I'm a dog walker and It was about 22 degrees when I took my last group out this morning - they spent 90% of the walk submerged in the lake! it's currently 26-27 degrees out there and there is no way on earth I would be taking any dog out in that - I cancelled my afternoon walks for the week as it's just not safe for dogs to be out in those temperatures.

People will defend their stupidity to the death, though.

I'm in Scotland so not usually an issue, but I'm just wondering how guide dogs cope??

I've just had an argument with DH as he wanted to take ours out 'before It rained' he has zero sense sometimes.

I'll be taking ddog out tonight and if rains, even better.