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AIBU?

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Original poster

Should you take dogs out in this heat at lunch

197 replies

Happynappys · 28/05/2023 21:10

Went to a food festival today and saw about 10 dogs there in 23degree heat. To get from the car park there was a long tarmac road. The festival also had no shade or water I did see one owner with a dog bowel.

OP posts:
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5
allthewoes · 28/05/2023 22:01

I think people are getting in too much of a pickle about dogs and heat these days.

Firstly - the bottom of a paw pad is not the same as the skin on a human hand, it's far tougher. A dog trotting along a tarmac road from a car park in 23 degree heat isn't going to burn them. In fact, having been involved with dogs/knowing hundreds of people with dogs at any one time, I've never heard of anyone in real life who's had their dog burn it's paw pads on a hot pavement, I've just seen one photo on fb that's been shared on repeat for the last 15 yrs, with no actual evidence it was caused by that.

Secondly, hanging around a food fare for a few hours, with access to shade and water, isn't the same as taking a dog on a hike in the heat.

Thirdly, 23 degrees really isn't that hot. Everyone started making a fuss about dogs being out in the heat when it was 30 degrees plus, and now that has turned into people being worried to death if it's anything over 18.

I say all this as a massive dog lover, who's involved with dogs for my job. I wouldn't do anything to put them at risk.

Aprilshowers23x · 28/05/2023 22:04

BarelyLiterate · 28/05/2023 21:44

Also, people obviously shouldn’t even consider taking ghastly brachycephalic things like Frenchies, which have enough trouble breathing at the best of times, out in the heat. Anyone who understood that wouldn’t have Frenchies in the first place, of course…

Are you including people who might have rescued this breed or similar breed. I volunteer for charity who supports this breed and have fostered around 8 frenchies.

BarelyLiterate · 28/05/2023 22:08

Aprilshowers23x · 28/05/2023 22:04

Are you including people who might have rescued this breed or similar breed. I volunteer for charity who supports this breed and have fostered around 8 frenchies.

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The point is that mutant dogs which can’t breathe properly shouldn’t be bred in the first place and the people who do breed them are morons, not dog lovers.

Strawberrypicnic · 28/05/2023 22:08

My dog is quite sensitive to the heat (big breed and black) but I had him out in the park today, to be honest it gets equally as hot if not hotter in my house and at least outside there's a breeze. He was lying on the grass in the shade under a tree and we were sitting close by in the sun. He had water too of course. I don't think you can apply a blanket rule, you have to be sensible. Of course you can't have them walking/running around for any great amount of time but chilling/lounging outdoors is the same as doing so indoors really.

CountryParsonPetal · 28/05/2023 22:10

It's not that hot at the moment! I'd say over 27 degrees you should start being careful.

NotReallyBotheredByThis · 28/05/2023 22:15

It's not blooming hot yet!!

Back in your box & let the owners make their own decisions....

PlantDoctor · 28/05/2023 22:15

It was 20 here today and my dog (oldish greyhound) just can't cope with walking around for hours in that temperature with no shade, so it definitely depends on the dog. An old dog trainer friend told me that most dogs have two layers of fur, which insulate them from heat and cold, so his fluffy dogs did better in the heat than my grey. I don't think the pavements were too hot today though.

I saw people last year walking dogs during the middle of the day in the heatwave though - some people are just stupid.

Greengold123 · 28/05/2023 22:18

23 degrees is fine, especially for an amble round an event, with water on offer, rather than a hard exercise session.

Exceptions of course are the youngest, old, unwell and brachycephalic dogs.

NotReallyBotheredByThis · 28/05/2023 22:20

allthewoes · 28/05/2023 22:01

I think people are getting in too much of a pickle about dogs and heat these days.

Firstly - the bottom of a paw pad is not the same as the skin on a human hand, it's far tougher. A dog trotting along a tarmac road from a car park in 23 degree heat isn't going to burn them. In fact, having been involved with dogs/knowing hundreds of people with dogs at any one time, I've never heard of anyone in real life who's had their dog burn it's paw pads on a hot pavement, I've just seen one photo on fb that's been shared on repeat for the last 15 yrs, with no actual evidence it was caused by that.

Secondly, hanging around a food fare for a few hours, with access to shade and water, isn't the same as taking a dog on a hike in the heat.

Thirdly, 23 degrees really isn't that hot. Everyone started making a fuss about dogs being out in the heat when it was 30 degrees plus, and now that has turned into people being worried to death if it's anything over 18.

I say all this as a massive dog lover, who's involved with dogs for my job. I wouldn't do anything to put them at risk.

Exactly - we seem to live in an age of continual, simmering low level hysteria.

People need to mind their own business & stop flapping over every little thing!

Although it's probably not helped by things like this...

Should you take dogs out in this heat at lunch
maddiemookins16mum · 28/05/2023 22:22

Where are these heatwaves that I keep seeing happening this week on MN?

WantToBeHappyAndHealthy · 28/05/2023 22:24

Aprilshowers23x · 28/05/2023 21:23

Yes when you are wearing a fur coat. Try it and come back and let us know!!

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Yep and walking on your bare feet, too.

tobee · 28/05/2023 22:28

Out of the woodwork come the Mumsnet anti heat fetishists

Cosyblankets · 28/05/2023 22:34

Your average healthy dog shouldn't bat an eye lid at 23 . I have my heating higher in the winter.
An elderly dog or one with s health condition fair enough but for most dogs 23 is nothing

stillherenow · 28/05/2023 22:37

My greyhound doesnt enjoy even his short walk of the sun is out and it’s above 20. I don’t take him out in the middle of the day in the summer. He’s been in the garden all day today but has lain in and out of the sun , very different to being on a lead and no choice.

Notimeforaname · 28/05/2023 22:38

23 degrees is fine.

LivingInFlorida · 28/05/2023 22:40

If I only took our dogs out when it was below 23 Celsius, they’d never go out. I don’t walk them on asphalt though.

Teder · 28/05/2023 22:41

YABU.
I hate the heat but 23 isn’t hot. Many dogs are fine, although I’m sure some are not.

My young, fit and slim dog is very happy on a walk at 23 degrees. We go to the park; there’s grass and shade and I bring water for him. I probably wouldn’t walk in the midday sun but otherwise, I am not denying him a walk unless it’s really too hot.

Stopandlook · 28/05/2023 22:42

23 degrees is not heat. Give over.

Dodger101 · 28/05/2023 22:51

How would you know if they were giving their dogs water? We always take a bottle of water just for the dogs with us on walks and if they finish that they drink one of ours.

RampantIvy · 28/05/2023 22:59

What is it with the number of threads this weekend with posters getting hysterical over a pleasant 23 degrees?

We had a sunny 23 degrees in Sheffield yesterday (where there was a food festival. Is that where you were @Happynappys?)

Then down to 16 degrees and cloud today where I live.

Branster · 28/05/2023 23:01

23C is not that hot at all. I think temperature where we live was a bit higher today but breezy on and off. One of my dogs decided to lie in full sun when we came back from a long walk today. Plenty of shady spots but he wanted full sun and has lots of fur.
And it also depends on the breed and age of the dog but most would be absolutely fine as long as they get offered water and a rest. Most dog owners do look after their pets properly.

frockhopper · 28/05/2023 23:02

Mum2jenny · 28/05/2023 21:16

Our pup has been in and out the house all day and no problems, although it’s def not 23 degrees here

😂 what a useful input!

uncomfortablydumb53 · 28/05/2023 23:11

Absolutely not A dog won't suffer if he misses a couple of walks,

user1477391263 · 28/05/2023 23:14

LittleDonkeyKong · 28/05/2023 21:23

It is when you've got a bloody fur coat on!

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I keep seeing this kind of thing, but a thin layer of dog hair on top of skin is hardly the same as a coat, made of the thickest kind of fur from the furriest type of cold-weather animal, lined with something warm like silk, and then worn on top of a bunch of extra clothes.

I mean if we are supposed to imagine that a dog is the same as “a human being wearing Aunt Agatha’s mink coat,” that would technically mean that a dog is not allowed outside in anything EXCEPT freezing cold weather, as that is the only temperature when I would feel comfortable wearing a fur coat.

Mammals continue to have hair even in tropical parts of the world, suggesting it does not cause them to automatically become overheated.

I agree it is probably different for different types of dog. Would help if people could stop breeding dogs that can’t breathe properly because their faces are so squashed etc.

ichundich · 28/05/2023 23:20

23 degree heat? Give me strength.