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.

@dontdisturbmenow no it was heatstroke, confirmed by the vet. He hadn't been out of sight apart from chasing the rabbit, had all the symptoms of heatstroke, his legs went, vomiting profusely, panting and went straight to the emergency vet. He carries a lot of muscle and just didn't cope with the fast run after the rabbit but he took chase for a good ten mins or so

So I guess all the advice from vets is just made up then @feesh?

Dogs in other countries are accustomed to hotter weather. Just because some dog in the middle East can thrive in hot weather doesn't mean every dog who lives in England where its usually raining and cold will be the same.

Otherwise why are we advised against taking them out by the people who actually know what they are talking about? Why are vets having to save dogs brought to them with heatstroke? Why are dogs dying from it?

@joystir59 I love that you took your dog out for a sausage roll.Made me smile.

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.

We are talking about dogs living in England who are not used to this heat. A dog living in a warmer country would be more used to that type of heat.
You wouldn't take a husky from the artic and plonk them into the dessert - this would kill them.

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
Funny how I walk my dog in the morning and evening, same place, passes the same dog walkers, and the dogs have all been fine, having fun and somehow all still healthy!

Of course you have to use appropriate judgement. I wouldn't take my dog out at 2pm, in the sun the entire time, for 2 hours, throwing a ball at him.

But people love to be on the watch out and accuse anyone who dare take their dog out whatever the time and judge them having no idea of the circumstances.

Perfect instance of virtual signaling that is really getting boring. Mind your own business!

To add there's a big difference between a dog vomiting from something it's eaten and one that's collapsing via heatstroke! Experienced dog owner knew what it was hence cooling dog off instantly and then going to the vet

@Zaphodsotherhead your dogs not a Chihuahua by any chance is it?

We are talking about dogs living in England who are not used to this heat
This makes me laugh too. We get hot weather like this every year in the UK, of only for a week or so, so dogs have had very much the chance to get used to it!

@feesh

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.

Yeah, the key point there is "hot for England" - it very rarely gets above 25-26 degrees here. Dogs aren't used to it. Your stories of living in the Middle East and walking your dog in 36 degree heat are totally irrelevant to the situation in this country

Dogs die every summer in this country because people ignore the science and take their dogs out running and walking in the middle of the day. I don't know what's so offensive to some people about keeping their dogs indoors!

It's funny. We haven't a dog, but I've seen many times articles about not walking the dogs on hot tarmac, but I've just dropped something off at a neighbours house, and walked in bare feet along the pavement.
It's 33 degrees here, and the pavement has been in full sunlight since the sun came up, but it actually wasn't more than pleasantly warm on my feet.

I've always wanted to try boiling an egg on the pavement.

Our dog walker usually takes ours out at lunch time, but he collected them all at 10am today as slightly cooler and took them to the woods with a stream running through for them to swim.
Nowhere near tarmac thank goodness.
When I'm home mine gets walked at 6am and 8pm.

of only for a week or so

A week, once a year, is not enough to become accustomed to hot temperatures

Likewise quite a few dogs playing on the beach today, in and out of the water then flopping in the shade.

Just for future reference to fellow dog owners - This is how my friends dog died of heatstroke but it was a paddling pool. The vet said it was not only the running around that made it worse but the water meant that it was a shock to the system to be going from hot to cold and that the water cooled him down so he was less likely to take a break.

Dogs that are not acclimated to warmer temperatures or physical exertion are more likely to suffer heat stroke. Environmental acclimatization takes about 90 days, so dogs moving to hotter climates need to be closely observed during play and exercise

This makes me laugh too. We get hot weather like this every year in the UK, of only for a week or so, so dogs have had very much the chance to get used to it!

Is this a joke?!

No one is that stupid surely!

Totally agree OP. Last week I was walking over to see a friend and thought "oh well at least at this time of day on a 34 degree day I can go through the park without there being loads of off-lead dogs".

To be fair, there weren't loads of off-lead dogs but there was a chap walking his dog on tarmac paths - it was about 1.45 so the height of the heat. I didn't say anything but I should have told him to put his hand down on the tarmac and see how hot it was!

I agree, mine are walked early and kitchen door left open with garden access for toilet visits, they mostly lay on the kitchen floor which is cool, but presently all three are on the sofa watching Dempsey and Makepeace, occasional snoozing.

Dogs die every summer in this country because people ignore the science and take their dogs out running and walking in the middle of the day. I don't know what's so offensive to some people about keeping their dogs indoors!
Dogs die of many different things. It doesn't mean that all dogs that walk in hotter times are bound to get heatstroke and die!

I agree about the tarmac. Because of local nosey bodies who will take pics of dogs walking and shaming, I'm even more cautious then before and will check the temp.of the tarmac systematically before taking my boy out. Not once has it been too hot to walk on.

This makes me laugh too. We get hot weather like this every year in the UK, of only for a week or so, so dogs have had very much the chance to get used to it

Get used to having their paws burnt? I am not a dog lover but I hope you don't pretend to be one! You walk them at 6am or 10pm in hot weather!

@dontdisturbmenow

We are talking about dogs living in England who are not used to this heat This makes me laugh too. We get hot weather like this every year in the UK, of only for a week or so, so dogs have had very much the chance to get used to it!

“If only for a week or so” is the key phrase here. It’s not enough time for their bodies to acclimatise and get used to it properly.

This is literally advise from vets... not sure why people are challenging it!

Just to be clear, I've only walk my dog mornings and evenings, but clearly even that's a sin here!

It doesn't mean that all dogs that walk in hotter times are bound to get heatstroke and die!

Ah so it's fine because not all of them will die. Gotcha 👍

@dontdisturbmenow

Just to be clear, I've only walk my dog mornings and evenings, but clearly even that's a sin here!

Erm no... Most people have said that's what they do as well.

It’s not enough time for their bodies to acclimatise and get used to it properly
Haha, of course! Vets will say anything to protect their ass! They are not going to say that of course it's fine to walk a dog at 12 noon for two hours in the sunshine in 35 degrees.

Their expect owners to be responsible enough to judge what is ok for their dog, and the very fast majority do. If they are walking their dog, it's because they know their dog is fine.

My cat sits in the sun in his big fur coat, then he comes in and sleeps on the window sill in bright sunshine nutter!