Are you walking your dog in this heat?

[weleasewoderick23]

Just that really. My dog is desperate for a walk, but I'm really concerned about the heat. I took him to a river yesterday so he could stay cool, but by the time we got back he had dried off and was panting.
Shall I just keep him in and stick to the hosepipe to keep him cool? He's a Labrador so not a thick shaggy coat.

Sounds like you don’t need to worry @BalladOfBarryAndFreda But it might be interesting doing that seven second barefoot test to check.

Do you have any woods you can drive to? I usually walk my dog on a common, with few trees, but while it's so hot I get out earlier (8.30am) and drive to the woods where its much cooler.

We were in Spain last week with temperatures approaching 40c , we were constantly amazed by the number of dogs being walked in the mid-day sun. Do they become acclimatised to it , are their paws tougher than British dogs , who knows ? We did notice that for the month we were there we only saw two flat-nosed dogs , I'm sure that a Frenchie would not survive those temperatures.

I have a 9 month old shoe type lab has a very thick coat and a 3 year old spaniel. We are out early, they swim in the river and home by 8am. I’ve filled the paddling pool we have for our grandchildren and the lab likes retrieving several tennis balls from that. The spaniel has ‘her’ chair in the shady sitting room. They’re both sleeping a lot. We have a 20 min pavement walk about 7pm- shaded by trees. That’s it for us

We’re snacking under the cool shade of our local church grounds, beneath the trees. This is usually a magnet for dog walkers but today: no one. Not a single dog. Bet there’s a lot of sad dogs today.. 🐶

Just taking mine (9 year old cocker) late evening around 8/9pm still warm, but much better. She doesn't do water so going in a river is not an option. I bathed her yesterday and left her wet which I think helped with the hot afternoon.
Someone mentioned taking theirs out late afternoon, but I think it is still too hot then. If you look at the weather online it still shows it being hot until after 5pm.
A pet shop in town posted a photo on Instagram of how hot the pavement was around lunchtime and it was 40 deg. I hate how people are still walking their dogs in the heat. Their poor pads, let alone wearing a fur coat in it :( Thankfully a lot are walking much later in the evening, or very early in the morning.

We've been walking at 7:30 am and about 8:30 pm ish

After 8pm but keep them on the lead. No running or balls allowed for the time being. They're both over 10 and very fit.

I'm taking mine on the morning school run as usual. We're home by 9 and she has a little run in a field on the way where the grass is quite wet in the mornings. I check the pavement with my hands or bare feet and it's not hot at that time. Then she goes out in the evening. If I leave her at home I make sure she can't go in the conservatory and she has a bigger bowl of water just in case. I do find the constant reminders on social media a bit irritating to be honest. Responsible dog owners don't need be told and irresponsible owners won't listen.

Small trips out of the front door to the grass there for a pee etc in the day, but no walks before 8.30pm here in Cornwall. They are both flopped on their cool mats in front of the fan downstairs while I swelter upstairs in my office!

All south facing windows have closed blinds etc, back door open to allow dogs on and out and all windows open as far as they'll go plus loft hatch open!

Mine is getting a shady walk at 8am. He’s then being driven to the river in the afternoon and spending 30 minutes playing in the water. Very little walking involved and all in shade. He’s happy!

We live in Spain so more of the year is this hot. When it is we take the dogs out before 8am and after 9pm. During the day they get access to the garden and plenty of water. They don't need as long at this time of year - 20-30 mins each time is plenty. They spend most of the day seeking out cool spots on the stone floors!

I've been setting the alarm for 6am every morning to take them out for a good long walk. The early starts are killing me but it's better than the alternative. Roll on Saturday!

My big black lab mix had half an hour through cool and shady wood tracks at @730 in the morning and then a walk round the block at 10 at night. We drive to the woods (less than a 5 minute drive but too far to walk to in this heat even at 8am!). He’s then allowed to lie in the shade with his bowl of water for an hour and then I make him come in for the rest of the day. He hates me he would be outside all day in his hedge den under the tree if I let him, but it’s even too hot in the shade here atm.

I went out at 5am this morning with mine, I was so pleased i did as the countryside was really beautiful then. I went down to the canal and boatyard where there was mist on the water, through some shady woodland. I'll certainly go again another morning. Usually she is getting a 10pm walk round the block at the moment and regular hosing down in the garden during the day.

Was out at 5am with mine and won’t take them tonight it’s just too hot (although small dog is desperate to get outside I’m keeping them in the house apart from pee trips to the back grass)

No.
My chihuahua might be Mexican but he likes to be out of the heat

No, but ours sleep in the conservatory which is obviously roasting right now so they're both in the yard where there's an abundance of shade from sheds, trees, the garage etc. Paddling pools dotted about the garden for them to splash in and regularly topped up.

Both big Alaskan malamutes. Think the heat would be the end of them to be honest.

@Xiaoxiong yup he’s a rommie too. They’re built differently aren’t they? My boy is young but loves sunbathing too, he does know where the shadiest and coolest spots are though, usually under something like a bench lol!

Only in the morning - as early as possible.

I'm a dog walker and cut all my walks short today - we stuck to the shade, I carried plenty of water and we just did slow, sniffing walks with no running about. All walks past 10.30am were converted to garden breaks and toilet walks only.

It's far, far too hot. I saw someone walk their doodle dog at lunchtime today - the poor thing was panting like mad and was being dragged along the pavement

I'm surprised those that have said it's still too hot in the mornings. On the days it's been 30⁰c by 2pm it has been a pleasant 17⁰c at 7am.

You just need to get up early, dogs need their exercise.

Have walked my dog properly about 3x in the last few weeks and I'm not even sorry for it tbh. She's been lounging in the garden or hiding beside the fan. It's too hot for me so it's definitely too hot for her

Mine copes with heat up to about 90F as long as we are in shady woods. Beyond that he struggles. We had a week at the lake last year where it was 95F several days in a row and he didn’t want to go anywhere.

He also has to cope with below freezing temperatures through the winter. We have a coat for him and some gloop that goes on his feet.

Mine are being walked in the morning or early morning, finished by 8.30. Most evenings late but not yesterday as it was soooo hot. Did drive them down to dd to stroll for 15 mins on the lead under the trees at the park 5pm earlier in the week as the sky had clouded over. Dd tested the tarmac for the few steps to the trees but it was not hot. The dogs weren’t really interested in walking so she came back after 10 mins and they got walked at 8.

Both young and cope well in the heat and have just been groomed very short. The youngest dog sunbathes with no ill effects and is wrapping herself in a blanket still 😱, she loves the heat and gets cold easily. The oldest stays inside for the most part.

We did have a lab in the past. He suffered much more in the heat than these two. Not surprising as labs were bred to swim in cold rivers and are designed to be in the cold. Mine are just more lethargic and not playing together much.