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…

No, your posts are

Not sure if you are stupid or naive

Occurs to me that many on MN live in awful crime ridden druggy dog-abuser-gangland places.

Neither stupid nor naive … just don’t live where you live, obviously.

And my answer would be 'yes I am aware, thank you',

Well you obviously aren't aware, or you don't care about your dog then. As if you are out in the hottest part of the day (on a hot summer day) walking your dog on the pavements with no shade or water, and your dog is clearly suffering because of it, then by saying you are aware of it, you are actually saying, "yes I'm aware of that, thank you, but I don't actual care that my dog is suffering in this heat so you may as well keep your opinion to yourself"

In any case, if that was your passive aggressive reply, I wouldn't pursue it any further "just to make a point", because it would be obvious that you were a pompous selfish twat and you don't actually care about your dogs wellbeing.. nothing good can come from continuing the conversation with such a person.

But if I passed someone with their dog clearly in distress, I'd ALWAYS ask if they were okay and if they knew about heatstroke, you only have a limited window with heatstroke to take action and I'm betting most the people out walking their dogs in the blazing heat would have no clue what to even do if it happened to them, some of them don't even carry water.

Sorry that’s the world you live in, it’s really sad your environs are so grim. Sending you thoughts and prayers.

I actually live in a safe area but I would never ever leave my dog tied up outside a shop. I think far too much of my dogs to ever take the risk

Wow some of you lot are grumpy today! Even by MN standards! Maybe it’s the heat 😂

I will outline what I have said and I stand by all of of it. My opinion is based on living in the UK, and Australia, and have owned and bred different breeds, and never had an issue with heat.

I also believe (or rather I KNOW) that -
Dogs feet aren't human feet.
Dogs aren't human so you cant compare.
Dogs absolutely tell their owners when they are struggling.
Dogs of all breeds in all different places will adapt just fine.
There are very very low incidents of heat stroke in dogs.

These are facts. All the other stuff is hyperbole designed for British people to want to kick off at others for absolutely no good reason. There's more deaths by spider and snake bites, parvo, and ticks than heat fgs.

I dont know why Im bothering to engage really. I just was really wound up this morning because I went to a coffee with a friend on the waterfront and a large gorgeous goldendoodle was on the deck after clearly having a swim and lying in the sun with its owner and someone was huffing and puffing about it. Pissed me off.

How naïve you are.

Dog's are stolen for all manner of reasons, breeding, baiting, selling on, all a thief needs is opportunity, it matters not where you live or how affluent your area is, the fact that you think it does is what thieves rely on, peoples complacency.

A few years ago after lockdown when dog theft was rife, and dogs were being literally snatched from people's hands all over our county, there were some thefts from our local area outside shops, especially sought after breeds (spaniels if I remember correctly) and young dogs.

I walked to the shop and a woman was just tying her dog up outside and going in, the most beautiful looking spaniel puppy, I had to stand outside with it, I couldn't believe that she would leave it outside when the week before a dog was stolen from outside that same shop.. crazy.

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?
VetsNow reported 167,751 dogs under their care in 2022, of which only 384 was for heat-related illnesses. Again, that's related, not forcibly directly caused by it. 102 of these poor dogs died.

That means that for all the dogs seen in the UK outside in the heat, 'only' 384 should have been avoided.

That confirms OPs point that the public is making much too much an issue of it, and berating anyone who is seen outside with their dog when temperature hits over 20 degrees is an overkill.

That same year, almost 3000 people died due to overheating. Do you also berate anyone you see outside in temperatures over 30?

Yeah, the craziness is weird. Our dog couldn't cope with the heat (but was always up for a walk in the winter - even if it's -5 and snowing. I was always convinced she was going to get hypothermia but she LOVED IT!!!) but I'm always bemused by all the people who seem to think the dog walking along happily at its owner's side is being abused. One of the many signs that our dog was nearing the end was how clearly she was able to let us know that she didn't want longer walks anymore. My last walk with her she had a great time, tail up, lots of happy sniffing - but at a point much earlier than normal, she let me know she wanted to go home.

Our local facebook page is imploring people to only walk dogs before 7:30am and after 8pm. Bloody hell. DDog, even in this hot weather, LOVED a little trip to the park after the school run!!! Becuase it wasn't crazy hot at that time!

That same year, almost 3000 people died due to overheating. Do you also berate anyone you see outside in temperatures over 30?

Were they being dragged along on a lead by another person?.. if not it is really not relevant.

We’ve been walking ours in shady woods before 7am.

Then we let them into the garden and they hare around chasing each other like two demented loons.

We’re flagging, but the dogs don’t seem remotely bothered by the heat. And they have black coats. 🥴

You may well stand by your opinions but they are just bullshit.

Dogs paws DO get burned by hot pavements/roads FACT
Dogs of all breeds DO NOT all adapt just fine FACT

Lots of dogs do not tell their owners when they are struggling. This could be because they just want to please their owner or because their owner is a cruel dickhead. Never heard of abused dogs showing loyalty to their owner?

I don't know what the figures are for incidents of heatstroke in dogs and neither do you. I do know though that my friend who is a veterinary nurse says they have quite a few dogs every year with heatstroke and some of them die. That is in ONE vet practice.

Possibly in Australia more dogs do die from spider or snake bites but, again, I don't know for sure and neither do you.

In any case, if that was your passive aggressive reply, I wouldn't pursue it any further "just to make a point", because it would be obvious that you were a pompous selfish twat and you don't actually care about your dogs wellbeing.. nothing good can come from continuing the conversation with such a person
Oh the irony! What do you call people who jump to conclusion based on what they read in the media with absolutely no basis behind it. Yous be making so many assumptions. That my dog is suffering, despite having no idea of its history, that our walk is long, in the heat and maybe that I've even let it run for a long time (since most deaths are due to exercising in hot conditions, not just the hot conditions), and that I didn't love or care for dog. All assumptions without a hint of understanding of the specific circumstances.

A typical example of where people really need to focus on their own business. If you are soooo concerned, then do something about it and ring the RSPCA. That might actually be useful!

19° is definitely too warm for my brachycephalic rescue, she ends up really struggling hence we’re out before 5am and that’s it for the day. She’s got free access to the garden and doesn’t seem to mind too much.

Were they being dragged along on a lead by another person?.. if not it is really not relevant
It is relevant in that the attention should be on why people die of the heat and what can be done about it.

Losing 100 or so dogs a year to the heat is sad, but it's not half as dramatic as 3000 humans.

Also many more dogs die because of poor diets and being overweight. Do you go and berate every owner of fat dogs you come across in the street?

Dogs wont walk on pavements if they are too hot for them. FACT. Seen it with my own eyes.
Dogs of all breeds do adapt - FACT. Ive seen it multiple times with my own eyes, in two different countries, and several states.
I do know the incidents of heatstroke because of statistics.
I also know that more dogs die from spider, snake bites in australia because of statistics. And also lived experience.

You are determined to be 'right' and make out Im just claiming something nonsensical with no experience, no knowledge, no informed logic.

You are wrong. Its not a matter of opinion.

I will keep treating my dogs, like dogs. And will know when they are struggling.
Because I have the gift of eyesight!

I don't know what the figures are for incidents of heatstroke in dogs and neither do you
They were shared, are you not bothering to read? 102 seen by the emergency vets die a year. Again, you vet nurse friend is very unlucky to see MANY of them.

I'm on my way to walk my dog now, I'll report back!

You dog abuser!! Lol.
Best of luck - theres some right loons at there at the minute!

You're the one making assumptions, I said if I SEE a dog suffering, not if I "assume they are suffering" because they are out in 20 degree heat.. I don't give a shit what the media "says", I have eyes. in other words if I see dog clearly distressed, panting, swaying, looking frightened or ill I would ask the person if the dog was okay and ask them if they knew about heat stroke and how dangerous it can be.

EVERYTHING else you have just made up because you seem to think that anyone enquiring about a dogs health is not out of concern but of a holier than though type place to prove some sort of point.. that says more about you than it does about me I'm afraid, I've got three dogs, I'd never walk past a person with a dog in distress without engaging with them.

If I saw a dog being walked in the heat that looked perfectly happy I wouldn't say anything to them, why would I? If I walked past a person with a dog who looked unhappy in the heat I still wouldn't say anything, but I would think they were a selfish twat!

I think breed has something to do with it, too, not just each individual dog learning to cope with heat.

Why don't you do a bit of AI/Googling about "why don't dogs die in hot countrues", then report back here to us on what you've found out?

Dogs are all so individual too - even within the same breed. Eg, I had four St Bernards, in outback australia. One absolutely LOVED the heat, would be in 40+ burning sun all day, and when it got in the minuses would have to sleep in bed with me (a 120kg beast called Nelson!). One hated the heat, and spent all their time in the shade and in the river at the end of my garden or in a big kids paddling pool we had for them. I had a lab that would just lie on the floor and refuse to budge if it nudged over 30. I had a cockapoo who would run around from morning til night in all weathers and never ever stopped. All different. All fine. As their owner I knew them, and what they needed and when. Its not rocket science really.