Dogs and this heat

[Lastqueenofscotland2]

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…

I can’t believe people like you are allowed to vote for our government 🤦🏻‍♀️

If I took my dog (Labrador) out for a walk in this heat it will make him seriously ill / kill him.

I pray to god you don’t have a dog!!!

I've got a big labrador, she hasn't been out on a walk for a few days as it's been too warm and she isn't in the best health anyway. She's had her cool collar on most of the time, in her paddling pool or lying on the wet grass in the shade, I can feel how hot the paths are outside just walking to the garage and back....far too hot for a dog's paws.

Dogs won't have any negative effects from not going out for a walk for a few days but that one walk in the heat could kill them.

These conversations do stress me a little! Ddog is only happy in the river in this heat, so after work I'll take him in an air conditioned car, to a place where we can park in the woods and walk in the shade to a river. And I dread people looking at me like I'm mean...

Ours went out for a walk at 7am this morning and won't go out again until past 10pm. It's too hot.

I grew up somewhere hotter. Dogs were out in all weathers. On pavements, too.

I now live in a flat and have no outside space of my own so I walk my dogs around 6am for an hour, they are getting on a bit so it's just a walk, no running around, then at midday they are needing to go out again for a wee, so I just take them to a grassy and tree covered part behind my house for that, same thing around 5pm. Last walk is around 10pm, but it's usually still warm so just out for 10-15 minutes.

I think all of those who say dogs have to stay indoors from 6am to 10pm live in houses and can just let their dogs out for a wee in the garden. It's what I used to do when I lived in a house, but not all people do and my dogs gets really distressed if they can't go out and wee when they need to.

They do normally enjoy their exercise, but when it's this hot all they like to do is sleep.

No dog will ever die from missing a walk. There's plenty you can do to entertain them at home. My 'high energy' spaniel had a little splash about in the river at the end of our road very early this morning and has been snoring on his cool mat ever since, apart from a few calm sessions with his snuffle-ball. He won't be going out again until at least 9.30 tonight. No way should any dog, whatever the breed, whatever the owner's circumstances, be walked in this heat.

Spaniel went nowhere yesterday. 6am this morning he had a quick cool walk in the woods then fishing on the boat with OH he's flat out lying under the open window in our north facing bedroom. He's dead in this heat

It’s waaaay too hot. I took our dog out at 5.30 this morning and he was uncomfortably warm by the time we got back. No more walkies today, just some lying on a cool, tiled floor and having a splash in the paddling pool.

And those dogs, just like their humans, will be acclimatised to the local weather conditions. British dogs are, like us, far more accustomed to moderate temperatures and rain year round.

Most of us will have a (comparatively) pampered pet dog that lives indoors in a home, sleeps on a nice bed and is otherwise not abandoned outdoors in all weathers and all temperatures including scorching sun without shade or water and snow on the ground with minus figures and no shelter.

Working dogs are different as they'll have been acclimatised as well, but I bet even farming, police and prison dogs are being kept cool this week unless the crap hits the fan and there's no option but to work them.

We were at a very large county show yesterday. it was fucking hot. They had put warning on SM and at the gates about not bringing dogs as it was too hot for them. it's on a county showground ie acres and acres of fields with no shade.

I was astounded by the amount of dogs there. The stalls that had cooling jackets were doing a roaring trade but still too hot. They scaled back some of the shows for the other animals and those that did do ahead were appropriately cooled down afterwards.

I wont take ddog out until 9/10pm tonight and only a quick around the block trip as he will not poo in the garden.

Dogs were acclimatised to that temperature. Dogs here are not. You'll also manage the heat much better than those of us who have grown up in the UK.

Our utter idiot of a dog kept sneaking out of the open back doors today to sprawl on the paving in the sun. It's far too hot for bare feet (as I found on tiptoeing wincingly out there to drag her back inside). Doors now firmly shut (sob).

Either she has a death wish, or she really likes the smell of Roast Dog Fur.

It's far too hot for dogs , mine are under the trees in shade and only venture out to go in their paddling pool . Big dog hates water so shows how hot it is for him to get in .
YANBU

Couldn't get out with my lab earlier than 9 this morning but even then realised the pavement was already roasting. Chauffeured instead in air conditioned car to forest with river where he paddled alongside me while I tripped over tree roots

But like pp he's now lying melting on the grass outside in full Sun. I keep calling him in to lie on his cool mat but if I shut the doors the house is scorching. Silly doggo

Try walking barefoot with a fur coat on- if you can't because it's too hot, that means it's too hot for dogs! People are so stupid and selfish.

Yes I agree, I have a Westie and have literally just taken him out to toilet whereas normally he has a daily adventure with my dog Walker
It's just not worth the risk
A dog never suffers from missing a walk, but in this weather it could be his last walk

I was really appalled to see someone in weather like this walking two schnauzers in coats

I really hope they were cool jackets, rather than actual coats.

I walked DDog early (back by8:30) and might take her out again this evening, depending on how the day goes. Right now she's zonked next to me.

She's ignoring the cool mat. I'm adding a bit of water to her food, and am feeding only wet rather than usual wet/dry mix.

lunch time a pug type dog crossing the road, stopped in the middle of the crossing, i could hear his grunting breathing, she ended up carrying him,
otoh she didnt walk far home
so think about people without gardens who need to get their dogs to do their business

People are ridiculous. Even high energy breeds won’t die or be seriously unwell from missing the odd few walks. Heat kills dogs.

dog's paws can withstand more than us to be truthful

but so much judgement when you do not know the full story

how can people look at you like you are mean?
you sound very pleased with yourself tbh

Ddog did a stroll in complete shade on grass at lunch as well as early morning proper walk and will have an evening proper walk once it's cool again. I'm sure some people will have something to say about it, but it does depend on your dog and what surface they're walking on! Ddog plays in her pool the rest of the day.

However other ddog, who is older and vulnerable to the heat, is inside on the cool floor with fresh water and frozen food, having had a slow walk early doors this morning..

Think it's more about using your common sense..

Total crap. I have two spaniels and them bring bored is far less detrimental to their health than heat stroke.