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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dogs and this heat

132 replies

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/07/2022 13:53

AIBU to be stunned at the amount of people walking their dogs in this heat?!
I popped out at lunch, it’s 27 degrees here with not a cloud in the sky.
I saw several people walking dogs, including in a local playing field which has NO shade. These included long coated spaniels, an English bulldog and a husky(!!!) the husky in particular was obviously struggling.
I also saw two men stood in the street both with dogs that were sat panting heavily on the pavement chatting for at least as long as I was in the post office.

I wish I’d had the guts to say something to them, especially the husky owner… is it ignorance or is it people just not giving a shit about the welfare of their pet…

OP posts:
AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 13:59

I think you have no idea what people's home circumstances are, and how long they were taking the dog out for.

Spaniels and huskies are high energy dogs who need mental stimulation, staying at home all day because it's hot might be worse for them than a walk.

Also long nosed breeds are much less at risk than short nosed breeds. And this is the UK so it isn't even that hot.

So YABU

Cameronnorrieisabitofalright · 11/07/2022 14:01

Just had my husky out. Car ride 6 mins. 2 hours under shade at the allotment.. 6 mins home. She is wrecked and won't be doing it again any time soon. Have filled the paddling pool for her!

NormaLouiseBates · 11/07/2022 14:03

I vehemently disagree with AdamRyan above. It's far too hot today; a dog never died from missing one walk. Dogs can and do die in this weather. Unfortunately many people are as thick as mince.

Original poster
Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/07/2022 14:04

I should add I grew up with working breeds - working line spaniels and setters.
We just did training games in the house in this weather for them so their brains got worked.

OP posts:
letsplanaholiday · 11/07/2022 14:08

Completely agree. My dog goes to a daycare kennel when I'm at work, I'm off today but I've still put him in daycare... because it's air conditioned! I almost asked if I could just sit with him in his lovely cool kennel for the day! 😆

Didn't walk him yesterday as was too hot, did brain training games in the house. Will maybe take him out for a walk tonight after 9pm

Blossomtoes · 11/07/2022 14:11

Ours went out at 8.30. She didn’t go out at all yesterday and showed no inclination to.

Simonjt · 11/07/2022 14:12

Our neighbour took her dog out yesterday at 10:30 am, she was back within five minutes as the poor dog burnt her paw pads on the pavement. So now no walkies at all until they’re healed.

Thelnebriati · 11/07/2022 14:13

YANBU, if its too hot for the owner to walk barefoot on the pavement its too hot for the dog. And dogs lose heat by panting; if the air is too hot, they pant and continue to heat up.

goforbroke · 11/07/2022 14:14

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 13:59

I think you have no idea what people's home circumstances are, and how long they were taking the dog out for.

Spaniels and huskies are high energy dogs who need mental stimulation, staying at home all day because it's hot might be worse for them than a walk.

Also long nosed breeds are much less at risk than short nosed breeds. And this is the UK so it isn't even that hot.

So YABU

I think YOU have no idea what you are talking about. There should absolutely be a blanket no-no on letting your dog leave your house/garden today, and days like today, unless early morning or late evening. It is so bloody dangerous for them. No dog ever died from missing a walk. But dogs certain do die, and will be dying, today if walked.

inmyslippers · 11/07/2022 14:14

We was out just after 9ish and it felt too hot. Only did a short walk and back home to the shade

goforbroke · 11/07/2022 14:15

I've just popped out to my garden in bare feet and got burned by the patio! That's in the UK. So imagine a poor dog walking out in this.

tinx · 11/07/2022 14:18

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 11/07/2022 13:53

AIBU to be stunned at the amount of people walking their dogs in this heat?!
I popped out at lunch, it’s 27 degrees here with not a cloud in the sky.
I saw several people walking dogs, including in a local playing field which has NO shade. These included long coated spaniels, an English bulldog and a husky(!!!) the husky in particular was obviously struggling.
I also saw two men stood in the street both with dogs that were sat panting heavily on the pavement chatting for at least as long as I was in the post office.

I wish I’d had the guts to say something to them, especially the husky owner… is it ignorance or is it people just not giving a shit about the welfare of their pet…

@Lastqueenofscotland2

I really don’t think it’s right at all, took my mums french bulldog out for a quick walk VERY early this morning when it was only 17 degrees and I had to carry her half the way we only did a 10 min walk and she slept after for 2 hours won’t be doing that again ! I think she would die in 27 degrees, we have had to close all blinds and windows to keep the house cooler

it’s not right at all poor pups

Soubriquet · 11/07/2022 14:21

No it’s not right and every year people still do it.

If they can walk barefoot on concrete with a fur coat on, by all means walk your dog. Bet they can’t go longer than 10 mins though

Wineat5isfine · 11/07/2022 14:21

my DH took our dog out at 6.30am this morning. He usually gets 2 walks a day, but not in this heat, just one in the morning until it cools down significantly.

Haphazardhacker · 11/07/2022 14:21

Far too hot to walk dogs right now, I see so many people walking them in the middle of the day it’s, madness. If I had a dog it would go out first thing (5.30/6am) and then if needed after about 9pm.
Dog owners are lucky in that they can keep them in the house or failing that take them somewhere cooler when it’s like this. I was washing down my horse at 8pm last night before putting her into her finally cooled down stable. Hate it when it’s like this as field does have shelter but they often don’t use it and the stables are wooden but they have to come in to bed as her field chum is pretty much blind after dark and needs her familiar stable. If I could fit her in my living room to keep her cool, I would do it in a heartbeat. Roll on cooler days.

Clymene · 11/07/2022 14:21

Heatstroke kills dogs. No dog will die from lack of exercise. But dogs can't tell you it's too hot for them so they'll just keep going if you do.

Quite apart from the burned paws thing.

Dogs and this heat
girlmom21 · 11/07/2022 14:23

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 13:59

I think you have no idea what people's home circumstances are, and how long they were taking the dog out for.

Spaniels and huskies are high energy dogs who need mental stimulation, staying at home all day because it's hot might be worse for them than a walk.

Also long nosed breeds are much less at risk than short nosed breeds. And this is the UK so it isn't even that hot.

So YABU

It's incredibly hot for dogs who aren't acclimatised to the heat.

Walking a dog in this heat is abusive. I wouldn't take my young children out for a walk as it is at the moment.

I hope you don't own animals.

alloalloallo · 11/07/2022 14:25

My dog went down to the beach at 5am this morning for an hour and we’ll go again tonight at about 9pm

She’s at work with me today and it’s pretty cool in my office, we’ve been across the car park to a grassy verge for a wee a couple of time but it’s quite shady.

It’s not unbearable here, I’m on the coast so there’s a lovely breeze, but I have a springer who doesn’t ever stop so we’re not going any further than the grass verge until It cools down a lot more tonight

RedCarsGoFaster · 11/07/2022 14:26

People are fucking idiots.

I took my pair out for an hour at half six this morning. I'm fucking knackered as I hate early mornings 😂 but it was only 16c and I still stuck to shady paths etc. Even with a slow sniffy lead walk, both were panting when we got home and it wasn't above 19c yet.

One is a husky/malamute cross, the other is a thick coated Romanian Street dog. They are currently flopped on either the wood floor or their cool mats in a darkened living room.

All curtains and blinds are closed, I sprayed water all over the garden this morning so they can lie on cool grass in the shade if they want, lots of water added to their breakfast and dinner as I'm not sure they are drinking enough, and minimal leaving the house - unfortunately neither will toilet in the garden, so we have to go out the house for that every few hours but I live with grass opposite the house which they happily use.

KarmaStar · 11/07/2022 14:27

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 13:59

I think you have no idea what people's home circumstances are, and how long they were taking the dog out for.

Spaniels and huskies are high energy dogs who need mental stimulation, staying at home all day because it's hot might be worse for them than a walk.

Also long nosed breeds are much less at risk than short nosed breeds. And this is the UK so it isn't even that hot.

So YABU

What a load of cxxp!
NO dog should be outside,forced to walk in not pavements burning their paws,suffering.
Do you see humans burning their feet on the street?are they wearing fur coats??no!
If they need to be taken out in the heat you get up at 4am and walk them then.
Keep blinds,curtains,Windows shut and fans on,plenty of cool water available.
So many hundreds and thousands of people should never ever be allowed to have a dog.

10HailMarys · 11/07/2022 14:29

When I had dogs I used to walk them daily without fail, but in weather like this I would always wait until the sun had gone down and it was cooler.

Given the general behaviour of my dogs in hot weather (they would invariably be no less lively when let out into the garden, and one of them actually used to want to sit in the hottest, sunniest spots she could find and would be quite miffed at attempts to shade her) I'm not really sure if it made much difference, but I felt it was the right and sensible thing not to be taking them on walks in this kind of sun. If they're in the garden, they have the option to do whatever's comfortable for them, but if you're walking them they're at your mercy really.

A few years ago I was really appalled to see someone in weather like this walking two schnauzers in coats. Schnauzers already have really thick, dense fur and the thought of them having to wear another coat on top of that in 28C sunshine made me feel ill. I wish I'd said something now.

Lightningrain · 11/07/2022 14:30

People are ignorant and assume it won’t happen to them.

Ours was out at 6:30 this morning. I wouldn’t fancy being out exercising myself in this temperature so won’t inflict it on my dog.

It will depend on the dog and breed how well they can cope with the heat. Ours has a single coat and she’s been out sunbathing on and off but that’s her choice and she moves to the shade when she gets too hot. If I took her out for a walk on grass she’d probably be fine but why risk it when she’s happy mooching and sleeping? If she gets restless I’ll get her some enrichment toys out or do a bit of training with her.

I understand people without a garden need to take their dog out briefly to wee/poo but for anybody else there’s just no need.

Cas112 · 11/07/2022 14:31

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 13:59

I think you have no idea what people's home circumstances are, and how long they were taking the dog out for.

Spaniels and huskies are high energy dogs who need mental stimulation, staying at home all day because it's hot might be worse for them than a walk.

Also long nosed breeds are much less at risk than short nosed breeds. And this is the UK so it isn't even that hot.

So YABU

I hope you don't have dogs. You are very misinformed

blackberrybat · 11/07/2022 14:32

Some people are just idiots. Of course it's too hot! We were out early in the car to avoid pavements / tarmac, little walk on shady cool grass for about 15 mins so Ddog could do her morning ablutions (anyone else's dog hate pooping in the garden?!) then straight home. She's been on the sofa asleep ever since, she wandered out to the garden at one point to try her usual sunbathing spot and lasted about 10 seconds before she trundled off back inside.

Alittlenonsensenowandthen · 11/07/2022 14:37

Collie owner here so high energy dog but he's only being walked briefly early morning and late evening. Even by 9am it was too hot here.
As for brain training games, he's not remotely interested. He's crashed under a hedge in the shade after a soaking from the hose.
Really upset me seeing ppl out yesterday and today on concrete. If it's too hot for your feet, it's too hot!