How are your dogs coping in the heat?

[blueskypink]

My 11.5 year old black lab is really struggling. I'm so worried about her. She's panting really hard all the time and glaring at me at the moment because I haven't taken her out since 8am. She won't do anything in our garden but it's 34 degrees outside so I can't take her for a walk. I'm working on the principle that, if she's desperate she'll just have to do a wee or poo in the garden (door is open).

She will allow me to direct a fan at her. And I've been draping wet pillow cases over her (the looks!!!). But I wish there was something else I could do. Any ideas?!!!!

Short walks for my old girl. She gets very slow and plodding in the heat. Her bed is in a cool room at home though, so she's fine indoors.

Paddling pool for my lab

Treats as reward every time she goes in, and towels on the floor for her to lie on so she isn't drying off in the sun

2 black cockers one with the thickest fur coat you have ever seen. Luckily not in SE but live near coast so we walk on beach at sea edge and we all wLk in the sea. At home they lie on tiled floors in kitchen where I keep the blinds closed. Some one told me to freeze a plastic bottle of water and let them lick off the condensation.

My 10yo collie x poodle is not coping well at all. We ended up not walking this morning as the plumber turned up early and then it was too hot, and it’s currently still 27 outside and I’m real can’t to walk her until it’s cooled down a bit more, so looks like we’ll be out at midnight! She’s been clipped, got a cool mat, damp towel and a fan but she’s moping about panting and looking generally miserable :(

We've got a very unhappy black cocker spaniel. We took him to the river tonight but he's got no idea where his off button is and just keeps on going so he had to go back on the lead. He's still glaring at me now.

He's not had a decent walk for weeks, he's getting 15-20 minute walks early morning and late evening.

@Honkyzeke did they send it to you or have you picked it up somewhere? That exact picture is doing the rounds on Facebook and is generally receiving negative feedback from all sources, including vets.

Our kitchen has always been a cool room. Not at the moment though. She insists on lying on the hard floor in front of her memory foam bed - obviously cooler but won't do her rheumatism any good. She's currently stretched out there with a large fan pointing at her. I found a large block of ice in the freezer so have put that in front of the fan. Thanks for the tip MissB

Mixed reviews about cool mats on Amazon - quite a few say they rip easily. Will have to give one a go though. If she won't lie on it I will!

Dog just pottering around panting and looking grumpy. No walks till after 8pm- although he really isn’t fussed anyway so not a problem if he doesn’t get one.
Short coat so probably not as bad as some. Sleeping a lot but coping- just. He’ll be terrified if it thunders but I really hope it does, I’ve had enough!

She's fine. She's a little old jack russell and I'm not walking her. She has taken to sleeping on the floor rather than the snuggly faux fur bed, but she's not panting or distressed.

My girl has epilepsy and is really struggling. Her baby brother however has not a care in the world and is spending all day sleeping as usual 😂 she has a cool mat and a cool shirt that you get wet and then wrap around her, they both seem to help a little. We made her ice lollies out of water and strawberries too, after researching ice for dogs I wasn't convinced that it was bad for them, and she enjoyed it very much.

Our labs are finding it hard work too. The elder one sleeps a lot. They do pooter in the garden, and we do a couple of ball throws every now and again in the shade. Luckily our 300yr old damp, stone house comes into its own in this weather, and it's cool inside. My water loving lab won't contemplate a paddling pool. I haven't walked them properly for ages, even early and late tires them. We do a 15 minute walk morning and dusk, that's all.

My horses are hating it even more.

Honeyroar - it's bizarre isn't it? My old lab has always loved water. Take her to the beach and she'll charge into the waves and swim right out. Take her to the river and she'll hurl herself in. Offer her a paddling pool ... and she'll look at me like I've lost my mind.

My little one is loving it. Out all the time and still coming on walks everywhere with me but she's a wee rescue from Afghanistan so probably feels like autumn to her. My husky is just asleep on the cool kitchen floor most of the time, he's not even wanting walks. Poor boy

Sadly my little Pomeranian deteriorated suddenly and we had to take him to the emergency vets where we had to make the very difficult decision that we had to let him go 😢

Oh, I'm so sorry evenstar, that's tragic especially as you'd tried so hard for him.

It's not so hot where we are in Lancashire -my bedroom is down to 24 now and downstairs where the dog sleeps overnight it's cooler. We took him out for a decent walk this morning before it got too warm (got caught on the way home by the knock-on chaos caused by the m6 being closed... thank goodness cars have a/c at least). He behaves like a cat - basks in the sun then flops in the shade.

My gsd is not happy, totally off his food. short walks and mostly on lead. He’s going stir crazy. Even at 10 tonight is was still too warm for him to have a good run. It’s not easy when they’re used to 5 miles

Oh Evenstar, I'm so sorry.

Blueskypink, it's strange, isn't it! I wondered if I filled it up with mud he may go in.

He used it once years ago, then they popped it swiftly!

Sebastian is ok but only a dinky thing so doesn’t need lots of exercise. I’ve been taking him for short walks in the evening if it’s cool enough, wet towel and fan on, I trimmed his fur as it’s long coated and really thick and regularly wipe him down with a wet towel.
The cats meanwhile are loving it!

Evenstar - so sorry to hear that. How awful for you

Sorry about your little dog, Evenstar.

Thank you everyone xx

Oh so sorry Evenstar how sad 😔

My little short haired chihuahua isn’t bothered. Still wants to bury herself in blankets and isn’t bothered about going out really
She potters around the garden and will sunbathe for short bursts

The petrol station nearby is selling cooling blankets for £5 - think I’ll get one today