What do dog walkers do in this heat?

[SpanielsAreNuts]

Just wondering, especially since most dogs get booked for middle of the day.

I know mine uses the nearby woods a lot more so the dogs are in shade.

The first time it was hot with battendog she made a point of talking to me about how he copes with the heat.

She also carries more water, walks slower so covers less ground and for dogs likely to struggle she checks in the morning to make sure the owners still want them walked.

I know mine on really hot days takes them for walks near water so they can have a swim to exercise as well as cool down.

I wouldn't let a dog walker take my dogs out during the day in this weather. It's completely irresponsible, near water or not.

They just come in, change cooling mats, add ice to water, let them out for a wee and back in again.

I went to a country park a couple of weeks ago, when we had that hot week and I was absolutely horrified at the amount of people dragging dogs around on miles of walks in the blazing midday sun. It's disgusting. I'd like to make those people do it, in bare feet and wearing fur coats. Perhaps they'd think twice.

Mine wanders about in forests off lead so no dragging along and near water. I don't think that's irresponsible.

I don't have a dog walker but my dog goes nowhere in this weather except into the shade in the garden. I actually think it would kill her if she had to walk around in this heat.

I don't care where they walk them, they've got to get them there in the first place. Putting a dog in a hot vehicle to go somewhere or perhaps even worse making them walk on a boiling hot pavement is completely unfair; bare feet and fur coat is absolutely right.

I take my dogs out in an air conditioned car and park in the shade, we are close to woods and I check the ground with my feet so it isn't boiling hot. We don't run in the heat but my spaniel is more than happy sniffing about in the undergrowth and going for a dip. My dog walker does nothing different to that.

Just for the benefit of people reading this and thinking about their own dog (there are massive differences between different breeds' abilities to cope with heat) - there is a useful guide for understanding what temperatures might be safe...

www.gopetplan.com/uploads/media/17/12022.pdf

For e.g., Battendog scores a 3 in this temperature, 2 in the shade and 1 with water available.

I don't think that link works... www.gopetplan.com/blogpost/hot-weather-and-dogs

That's different Bitey if dog is permanently in the shade.

However you do see so many people still walking their dogs along pavements and in shopping area, or running in the park, where there is little or no shade, in this sort of heat. You do have to wonder what the hell goes through their heads.

There was a post on my local fb page yesterday about dogs dying in cars and people posted saying that they are still seeing dogs shut in cars.

I don't think that link works - but I have cancelled my dog walker until further notice. My dog is useless in the heat - she stays inside most of the day (old house that's quite cool in the lounge and stone floor in kitchen) and anything about about 20 degrees she is too hot to go out in the day. We take her out about 8.30pm at night. Luckily she doesn't need too many walks and we have a massive garden for her to go to the loo in. We also have fans in the house and cooling gel mats for her to lie on. She wouldn't survive for about 10 mins in the heat at lunchtime with the dog walker.. Same for horses, I either don't ride or ride at 7.00am in the morning whilst it is still cool enough.

Mine likes to sunbathe but won't tolerate walking around in it. I take him out very early or very late when it's like this.

I'll try a totally different one... tlcrescuepa.com/keep-your-dogs-safe-this-summer/

I'm a dog walker and I've moved all my dogs walks forward by an hour so 9.30-10.30 and 11-12 so all done by lunch time in high heat. Walked in the woods in the shade and water offered after each walk and all done at a steady pace. All my customers are happy with this and if needs be I'll go let them out for a wee in the afternoon if the customer requests it.

I don't take my Labrador out in this weather as she really struggles. I wait until it gets cooler in the evening.

My dog walker still comes at the usual times (11am-12pm then 2pm-3pm). She lets my dog out for wee, plays with her a bit and just keeps her company for an hour.

I've told her to help herself to a brew or a cold drink while she chills out with my dog

Last link worked missbattenburg

What I do have to check though in this weather is that we have a large artificial grass area for playing on. I do walk it with my bare feet to check if doesn't need cooling down with the hosepipe.

I just don't understand the need to walk a dog in this weather. If you're working and have a dog walker, a quick potter in the garden then some company is sufficient.
If your dog enjoys walks, early morning and late evening is fine. They don't need to walk during the day.

Mine has asked to take them at 9am but I'm on maternity leave so she knows that she can change the times to suit the dogs better.

They'll stick to shaded areas and places that have access to water - or at least they should.

It's not possible for all dog walkers to just come and let the dogs out in the garden though, because some will walk dogs as part of a big group with other dogs - which would mean the others are sat in cars waiting.

My dog walker is one of the most wonderful people I've ever met and I know she always puts their best interests at heart - particularly with my slightly overweight beagle, she knows he can't handle a long walk so hasn't been taking them for the full hour and has been walking a lot slower. She talks through all options with me too.

I have a pug so he is out in the (relative) cool at 6am for a walk/pootle round the park then that's it. He has the run of a big garden and our house has cool stone/tile floors down stairs. Once its cooled off in the evening its playtime in the paddling pool (as the long as the water doesn't come over his toes!).

When I popped out to the car for something at 8pm last night, the amount of heat radiating off the brick walls of the house was astonishing (and this part of the house was in the shade by this time) so I can imagine pavements/roads must be the same.

Ours goes to daycare three days a week and the daily rate includes a walk if we want it.

But in weather like this, I ask him not to include the walk. So I'll take him out early before work at 7am, and then DP takes him again in the evening when it's cooled down. During the day, he has free access to the (shaded) garden and spends most of his time there or flopped out inside.

He's a beagle and short-haired but he's only young so I don't want him outside in the sun when it's this hot. He obviously goes out to do his business but not for longer than a couple of minutes.

I am the house dog walker! I take him out in the morning - walk all done and home before 9:30am and instead of him getting a walk at 5pm like he normally does it is delayed until 7pm. He sleeps in the office all day but has access to the garden. The office is cool even on the hottest days and I am in here with him with a cardigan on so he is fine. I wouldn't walk him midday - too hot. But I might pop him to the petshop today at lunch as we can park right outside and he'd enjoy a mooch inside.

A dog walker I know has swapped her half an hour walks for time in her garden with other dogs, scents to smell, treat finding etc., and the hour walks have been shortened and will be slower and shaded with water and a fully air conditioned transport, on a field so limited pavement. I only walk my dog (not a dog walker!) at about 7am and 8pm because she's v. fluffy and overheats easily.

Last summer I pointed out to our local "Dog Nanny" that she was not setting a good example by leaving her barking dog locked in her van. My god she was nasty. She had a right go at me. It was her own dog. That's ok then She had plenty of cooling mats and water in the back of the van and window was open .

m.facebook.com/workwewalk/

This is my dog walker, she takes them out all day in a forest or to a beach or a park depending on the weather. They swim in lochs, chase rabbits and walk for miles and miles and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to let my dog do all that with her in any weather!