People are really mad about dogs and heat stroke?

[Brayndrayn]

In Italy there are dogs out in the midday sun with no shade with their owners for bloody hours. Personally I walk my dogs very early in this heat but it is kicking OFF on the local FB page about dogs being out today. People shouting at those with dogs as they go past in a car etc. Nobody knows others’ circumstances or where they are going or for what reason. Yes I know about paws on hot pavements but by Christ those pavements/sand in Italy were boiling and the dogs didn’t seem to care. My dogs also ran out of the house onto my patio and wanted to stay there this afternoon. I’m not saying there is no risk but this country loses the plot over dogs to point of being really very rude to other people about it. Realise I’m probably going to get flamed…

In other countries, dogs may be used to it, but there is also the thing that maybe they are not educated as much as to what can happen to a poor dog.
i would also like to add taking dogs out and letting them into cold water can be fatal. I know of several dogs that were out then into the river. when they came out the died from shock so please do not think that a dip would be good

It completely depends on the dog breed, what it's used to, their fitness level, the activity level on the walk, where you take them in terms of shade and water both for drinking and bathing, etc. it's just about using common sense but also monitoring them carefully, e.g. if they go into a full pant instead of a half pant then the level of exertion is too much.

We have an extremely active and fit short haired collie, and we've been in Spain for the past month in a van. He's been on 30 mile walks in the mountains for 9 hours and it's been consistently over 30 degrees. He's sometimes been tired and hot, but essentially not TOO hot. Just like we were sometimes tired and hot because we are active people. We were very careful to chose high elevations with lakes, woodlands and flowing rivers, and took routes with additional shade. We also took water and had regular breaks. We monitored him very carefully and paced his activity level.

I use the golden rule that if he starts a full pant then we stop and rest and cool down.

He's been on two walks a day since we got back, at relatively normal times, in normal places. But again I have balanced his activity levels and pace with the heat, and choose the right locations like woodland with water, he is no hotter than if he is fully active in colder weather.

If I had a different breed that was less able to regulate its temperature or I was only able to do street walk with my boy then I would behave differently. I would not take a pug or an elderly dog out in this weather.

Everyone foaming at the mouth about all dogs at anything over 20 degrees isn't considering that dogs absolutely can 'live' in hot weather as long as their owners are sensible and careful.

Perfectly healthy youngish dog (I can't remember exactly how old she was, it was a while ago)

I have a very elderly staffy and live in a flat - so if he needs to toilet he HAS to go out. I walk him really early (before 6am) and then its home to stay cool. He goes out again once it cools down at about 10pm.

In between, if its morning the pavement outside my flat is in the shade, and I can walk him 20 yards to a couple of trees where he has a wee. In the afternoon the pavement is in full sun, and I'd rather put puppy pads down and keep him inside (he thinks he loves the sun but his 15 year old body doesn't cope as well as he thinks it does!)

Right now hes asleep on the sofa with the fan on him and a cold tea towel laid over him - spoilt boy!

I'm sorry, this is moronic.

You don't need to know the full story to know that it is unwise to take a dog out in hot weather. It's either good for the dog or it is not. And general consensus is that it is not.

Many dogs die needlessly because of irresponsible owners who don't have two brain cells to rub together. Honestly-if you're the type of moron to not know not to take a dog out in hot weather or leave it in a car-you shouldn't be in charge of any living creature. Ever.

It's just not worth the risk. Dogs don't die from missing out on a walk every now and then. They do die from heat stroke. Or they can also have seizures from it, too, and suffer greatly. You can't compare dogs that were born and raised in hot climates to dogs that are not used to it over here. They're not the same, and dogs can suffer from heatstroke over in places like Italy, too.

@Stripeysuitcase

I’ve got a very similar collie to you, all black except for a few solitary white hairs. We follow the same common sense ‘rules’, monitoring her and ensuring we have water etc. She can easily run off road with us in 20 degrees because like your dog she’s young, fit and strong.

Too many people seem unable to recognise that different dogs have different capacities and I’m not up for getting harangued by people who can’t tell the difference. There’s a reason I chose a working bred, active breed over the deliberately malformed, invalid dogs that seem to be popular now. Because if going outside at 20 degrees when not elderly or unwell poses a risk then that’s a generally grim existence for the poor dog and it appalls me that humans have deliberately created this misery.

Once got shouted at by a neighbour when running with my previous collie - it was 16 degrees and we were headed to the forest! She said I was being cruel ‘dragging him along in this heat’. I just laughed at the idea of dragging a collie anywhere, then quietly said ‘race pace’ to him and tried to keep up as he pulled me along. 😂

I was going to say this. If it's too hot for human feet, then it's too hot for dog feet - quite aside from actual heatstroke. A shady walk on grass by the river/ lake is a far cry from a walk on concrete in 30+ heat. Dogs can't tell us how they feel, and invariably just want to be with their owner so aren't going to put up a fuss. So it's the owner's duty to protect them accordingly.

I am genuinely interested to know where you got the statistics from of the number of dogs that die of heatstroke. I am pretty sure vets don't record the cause of death for all dogs and, even if they did, where would that info be recorded? Also how many dogs die because they have idiot owners who not only let them get heatstroke but then did not take them to a vet? Plenty of people bury pets in their garden and irresponsible owners would not want to pay a vet bill.

I have seen plenty of dogs definitely reluctant to be walked in heat. The owner has to pull them along. Very heavy panting is a sign the dog is struggling

@LaLoba absolutely!! A full collie life is the best life. Here he is trying to herd the vultures 😁

Ooh, he’s not black, beautiful boy! 😍 The best dogs.

Only if we upgrade our buildings to stop keeping in the heat then we could all....dogs included go inside to cool down after our walks ...last time I've been to Spain and Italy everyone was inside between 12 and 3 ish...over here everyone carries on. So I'm guessing the dogs are not out in the hottest times.

I have Spanish rescues too. Mine have dug themselves ‘bunkers’ in the cool shaded areas of our garden, despite the fact we have fans on (for them!) all around the house 😂

We have a Cyprus rescue dog - a black pointer cross - and even though we are in Scotland, so it hasn’t been as hot as it is in the South of England, she has been finding the heat too much. Dh has been walking the dogs early in the morning, and later in the evening, when it’s cool enough for them.

I would talk to someone if I thought their dog was suffering to see if they are aware of the dangers, so many people have dogs and have no idea how to put the dogs needs before their own selfish wants
And my answer would be 'yes I am aware, thank you', but I bet it wouldn't end there because people making such comments are more interested in making their point and being proven right then actually listening and realise that in most cases, the individual dog circumstances have been considered and they are fine.

Statistics come from Google. I do expect they come from insurance companies, but even if only half or even a third of dogs are insured, it still shows that the numbers are extremely low, much ro low for all the warriors to assume that every dog they see outside in temps over 20 is being abused is at risk of death or serious harm!

I really really hope you don't find out the hard way about tying dogs up outside shops - it isn't just the attractive/expensive breeds that are stolen.

Dogs are also stolen for people to abuse - beat, kick, stab, drown..
Dogs are also stolen to ransom back to owners.
Dogs are stolen if someone thinks there is the possibility of breeding from them - and whilst you'd think being neutered would stop that, I've known of cases where the dog was taken, and then when checked and found to be neutered, dumped or, killed then the body dumped.

I just can't imagine putting one of my dogs at risk of any of that simply for conveniences sake!

I once left my scruffy terrier mix (neutered) with someone I knew 'ish' outside a shopping centre (he offered to mind the dog)... As I walked back through, some scruffy townie lad was running toward me with my dog! I grabbed the lead without even thinking and he ran off, but he had snatched the lead from the guy minding him and just taken off with him, very very luckily, in the direction I was coming from and he had no idea what I looked like.

A second or two later or if I had dithered or if he'd gone the other way, and I'd have almost certainly never seen my dog again. The guy who had been minding him was shocked and really upset but thought the lad had taken him to sell for drug money.

Please don't think it can't happen to you. It can, it happens to other people every single day.

That’s really scary!

What makes you think a thief has any interest in paying the costs to look after your dog?? 😵‍💫

You do realise Dogs used for bait in fighting or other animal abuse situations are just any dogs thieves can get their hands on. Is this not a worry for you? Your dog trusts you, and you tie him up and put him in this position? People are right to berate you. The world can be a nasty place with some evil people in it, please open your eyes for the sake of your lovely lab who adores and trusts you.

I presume by the same insane reasoning you would also leave your toddlers alone outside places. They also have loads of ongoing costs associated with them and anyway it's perfectly safe...right?? 🤦🏼‍♀️

The world has changed, in some ways for the worse and it's not the 1950s anymore

Thanks for that story,
I’ll take my chances.

You'll take your chances of your dog being stolen for someone to abuse horrifically, because you wanted to look in a shop.

beggars belief.

there is not a single thing inside any shop that could make think risking losing my dog to abusers was worth it.

Overreact much? Dog abusers, roaming the streets … what crock of shit. Where do you get this information? Maybe you live in a hell-hole. I don’t.

I’ll assess my own risks thank you - as if walking into a local pharmacy, tiny shop, big window - dogs don’t belong in a pharmacy.

Sad you live such a fearful life. Don’t need you trying to push your irrational fears into others.

This. A sensible person.

My dopey springer has chosen to leave the sitting room with his fan / cooling mat / drawn curtains to sit outside!
I did walk him earlier than usual though 07:00 and it was v v busy with dogs!

Except...Vets Now reported that 26.6% of dogs presenting with heatstroke died, and that exercise during heatwaves was a major contributory factor.

That's a pretty high number, don't you think? So the question is...why risk it?

Wow. It’s interesting how emotionally charged your response is, considering you are very secure in your choices.

You’re right that you’re free to assess your own risks. But when an animal is left tied up and vulnerable in a public space, those risks aren’t just yours anymore, they’re the dog’s. And the dog doesn’t get a choice in the matter.

You’re welcome to disagree but doing so without profanity or insulting someone's home environment might be a better starting point next time.

This is complete bollox