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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:
CuppaTeaAndSammich · 11/07/2022 15:28

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

And you are a typical example of the type of person OP is (rightly) complaining about. You have absolutely no clue about the dangers of dogs in hot weather do you?? I really desperately hope you don't have any dogs or pets at all. It is neglectful to force your dog through a walk in this heat. We may be in the UK but we still get hot days in summer.

OP, you are absolutely not being unreasonable. As the owner of a beautiful, extremely high energy German Shepherd girl, I have been getting up extra early morning to walk her and haven't been taking her for her usual evening walk. IT. IS. TOO. HOT. She really stuggles in this heat with all her dense fur. I have cool mats, curtains/blinds closed, fresh cold water and a paddling pool in the shade out for her. I could never forgive myself if I forced her through a walk in this heat and she got heat stroke and/or died. If someone is so concerned that their high energy dog isn't stimulated enough, get off your lazy butt and play with them in a cool room in the house, give them doggy puzzles to work out, etc. A dog won't die from missing a few walks but could die from the heat!

Rant over :)

StrangeCondition · 11/07/2022 15:32

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 15:21

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

Give an example of the full story then? What possible reason is acceptable to walk dogs in this heat?

shockthemonkey · 11/07/2022 15:34

Same here Guppy, mine likes roasting in the sun and I can't let her outside in this weather.

If I catch her I have to sponge her down with a cool damp cloth which she seems to really enjoy - but why sunbathe like that in the first place???

Walks are 7am. Then again at 10pm IF it has cooled down sufficiently.

Heat stroke is the worst kind of death and it happened to our idiot neighbours' lovely St Bernard. Neighbours are both working professionals - GPs no less - and they left him in the garden in very hot weather from 8am to 7pm. They thought it would be fine as there was shade and he had access to a bowl of water.

It is truly a terrible way to go. That chart from a PP with the temperatures and risk levels is an eye-opener.

ChrisReasBathEggs · 11/07/2022 15:34

I've just took my dog out for a dump as we have nowhere at home it can go. It took 5 mins, mostly shaded, so not a walk (very active dog used to walking loads, but could look that way at quick glance/ill-informed judgement. Filled pool up for him to cool down and giving him iced water, but you wouldn't see that on a walk.

He will go out later, but will spend most of the walk in the water, so that is probably better than staying in.

I agree with what you are saying, but you might not see the whole story.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 15:35

@StrangeCondition
toileting needs
surely it doesnt take a genius to know this

SimonaRazowska · 11/07/2022 15:35

I am walking my dogs, but early and late (7am and 9pm) , we walk to the river (10 mins from here) where they swim, then back home

do you all think that a bad idea too? It’s about 20C around that time, so warm but do-able?

do you reckon no walk at all is better? They are deerhound and lurcher

BoredatHome321 · 11/07/2022 15:39

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 15:35

@StrangeCondition
toileting needs
surely it doesnt take a genius to know this

So let them in the front garden/flats area. They don't need a walk. How hard is it to not walk a dog in dangerous heat.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 15:41

@BoredatHome321
i dont need telling
posters are just judgy judgy dogooders.

BoredatHome321 · 11/07/2022 15:45

@MrsLargeEmbodied yeah, when it can quite literally kill a dog I'd be judgy too...

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 15:48

i personally do not walk my dog but you do have to see people's reasoning for doing so,
every poster knows heat and kill
no body needs telling
it is verging on obession

Iheartmysmart · 11/07/2022 15:48

I was out with my spaniel before 6am this morning and it was already getting too hot for him when we got home at 7.30. Similar to a PP I live in a flat so it’s been very quick toileting breaks since and we’ll go out again around 10pm. He’s currently sound asleep on the laminate flooring with the fan on him.

RedHelenB · 11/07/2022 15:51

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.

This can't be right. If we walked all the time in bare feet we 'd be tough enough to walk in this heat. My dog will have a short walk , it's his highlight of the day. Credit owners with a bit of sense.yabu.

Arashi · 11/07/2022 15:51

We had a woman banging on the door a couple of hours ago because her dog has collapsed on their walk.

They've walked that poor dog (husky x) 3 miles along country roads in no shade to get to the woods where they thought it would be OK "cos its cooler and shaded" and she "needs her exercise" and had her barrelling round chasing her ball.

We've cooled the dog down as best as we can and my Dad has taken them to the vets and whilst I hope the dog makes it ..... people like that don't deserve a dog. Its just sheer idiocy.

We've got German Shepherds and we were out at 4am with them today. Even then after what was (for them) a much shorter, much less active walk they were panting when they got it.

Even DSs sun worshipping Husky Cross has retreated to the cool pads today and instead of running round like a nutter is sleeping the day away.

No dog will die from a day (or even a few days) lack of walks, but they will die from this heat.

caramac04 · 11/07/2022 15:52

I’m getting up early so that I can take my dogs, in the car, to walk by the canal. It’s a bit cooler there and grass rather than concrete. Back well before 0900.
I would be horrified and devastated if I caused problems for either of them by walking them in clearly unsuitable conditions.

SchoolNightWine · 11/07/2022 16:03

Firstly, I do agree that dogs do not need walked every day, and I also live in the north so it's early 20's here and not that hot.
But I don't agree with comparing us walking barefoot to dogs paws - their paws are so much tougher, especially if they're regularly walked on roads/pavements/trails. I do check the ground with the back of my hand, and walk where there's grass verges that my dog can walk instead of the road, but she often doesn't bother.
At home she mostly lies in the sun on the grass or patio slabs, and just has 5 minutes in the shade now and again.
I've been 'told off' when walking her in the early 20's, but I know my dog and what she can cope with, so don't appreciate the interference.

VioletInsolence · 11/07/2022 16:05

I’m sure there are some irresponsible owners out there but I’m sick of all this ‘I got up at 3.30am to take my dog out. We were under trees and most of the time he was swimming in a lake’.

Well I took mine out at 9am in woodland and it was fairly cool. I used a thing called common sense and knew that if I was cool then they were most likely cool too. I took them for a shorter walk, poured some water over them and then put them in an air conditioned car. I then brought them back and they’re lying in front of the air conditioner.

What I also think is that the owners of dogs who die of heat stroke lie about how long they’ve been out. So they say ‘Oh Fido was only out in 23 degree heat for 5 minutes’ because otherwise they’d be in serious trouble. Then everyone believes them and panics.

goforbroke · 11/07/2022 16:18

Well, if you're getting judgy looks for popping for a quick loo or river break, that's fantastic because it means walking your dog in extreme heat, just as leaving your dog in a hot car, is a widespread taboo. Take it on the chin because it means that people are vigilant and rightly so, so all responsible dog owners should be delighted with funny looks :)

Yorshiregass32 · 11/07/2022 16:22

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

Nothing can be worse than burnt paw pads and a dead dog.

I have a high energy breed. He had an hour at 5am this morning and that'll be it for the day. He's flopped on the kitchen floor.

It doesn't matter what someone's home situation is, you shouldn't be walking your dogs in this mid day heat.

Serenity45 · 11/07/2022 16:24

There are some ignorant twats who think if they 'stay in the shade' and other pearls of wisdom that it will be fine. It really isn't.

Our very active one year old lab LOVES a run and play in the park, but was limited to 15 minutes just after 8am and we will take her for a longer, sniffy woodland walk after 9pm tonight. Meantime she has the run of the garden with lots of shady options and her paddling pool. Our slate kitchen floor is coolish and we keep curtains / blinds shut until evening . She's currently spark out on the landing after we did 5 minutes tugging with her rope toy.

thereisonlyoneofme · 11/07/2022 16:26

Well on the news today, two dogs rescued after being left in a camper van when it was 36c inside. Really concerned that someone this stupid is allowed to drive never mind own dogs

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 16:28

Way to miss my point 🙄
I have a dog and get very annoyed for being judged for taking him out for a quick stroll on the shady side of the road because "it's too hot".
It's 27 degrees here, yes hot but not horrific. My dog is very keen for his walk as usual, I mainly stick to shady places in the evening/morning but to get there, shock horror there might be a short bit if sunny walking.
Most dog owners are sensible and care about their dogs. I basically think people should mind their own beeswax. This is all exacerbated by click bait on Facebook about burnt paws

Serenity45 · 11/07/2022 16:28

Oh and people talking about paws being tougher than feet - great point. Now pop a fur coat on and nip up the road barefoot

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 16:32

thereisonlyoneofme · 11/07/2022 16:26

Well on the news today, two dogs rescued after being left in a camper van when it was 36c inside. Really concerned that someone this stupid is allowed to drive never mind own dogs

that is different
they were specifically not taking them out in the heat but leaving them inside the van

MrsLargeEmbodied · 11/07/2022 16:33

Most dog owners are sensible and care about their dogs. I basically think people should mind their own beeswax. This is all exacerbated by click bait on Facebook about burnt paws

AGree, of course it is - and facebook dogooders drive me nuts on this very topic as well

AdamRyan · 11/07/2022 16:33

Yorshiregass32 · 11/07/2022 16:22

Nothing can be worse than burnt paw pads and a dead dog.

I have a high energy breed. He had an hour at 5am this morning and that'll be it for the day. He's flopped on the kitchen floor.

It doesn't matter what someone's home situation is, you shouldn't be walking your dogs in this mid day heat.

Show quote history

It matters what someone's home situation is if they live in a flat with no garden for the dog to have a wee or a crap.

Lots of people do and have no choice but to take the dog outside in a public place. Doesn't make them irresponsible or deserving of being judged.

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