Can I walk chihuahua when temp is 29c

[Workinghardeveryday]

If the walk is in the shade and there is a river to cool off?

We always say our old boy is solar powered, he always comes to life after a bit of time in the sun 😂
We've felt terrible keeping him in in this weather, he'd sit out in it all day but it isn't worth taking the risk. We're in Scotland so it isn't quite as hot as down south but it's still too hot to be walking around in for any dog.

The article linked is strange as the dog was "fine" and then died after being in the cool car.

However they do state the dog loved catching water. I would be more worried about secondary drowning than heat stroke if the dog was "fine" throughout the walk.

However maybe the article is not accurate to the actual event

It would be rare for a dog to be behaving normally and then just drop dow dead from heat stroke. There would be warnings eg panting, drooling, fast breathing pale gums etc all very visible to the owners.

Yes but the OP chihuahua lives in England so No its not used to this heat.

And it's been baking hot in the UK for weeks now, and many, many dog will have acclimatised to a reasonable degree, at least enough for a 30 minute walk with shade available.

I've taken mine these last evenings in temp around 28 and she's been absolutely fine. Plenty of water, shade and not too long. Keep an eye on your dog and go with it. Too much panting, you know it's too much.

Also the weather has been warming for decades anyway so every summer we have hot weather, today has not been extreme by any means, just hot

And we can expect it for many years to come

No definitely not look on the internet for safe temperatures.
If you put a fur coat on and no shoes would you be okay going out in 29 degrees. Definitely not. So no. X

I know that's the catchy slogan going around social media at the moment but it doesn't really make sense. Dogs don't dress up and down for the weather so the fur coat analogy would be like us putting an actual fur coat on them. Would you go out in bare feet? By a shady river? Yes of course!

Even if they like the sun, be careful they can still overheat and die, don't let them sunbath for long periods. I put a few parasols up and canopies so they can't get the sun. X

I have never heard it said that dogs take up to 6 weeks to acclimatise to the heat - do you have info on this? Usually 10 days to a month is suggested. A month being moving from cool country to another.

Annoyingly I can't find the article, but this entry about sniffer dogs and working in the heat is quite interesting.

nosework.huntersheart.com/2018/08/04/how-heat-waves-impact-sniffer-dogs-scenting/

It says it can take anywhere between 10-20 days for partial acclimatisation and up to 60 days for full acclimatisation, so even longer than I originally thought. There are lots of research papers linked at the bottom as well.

There are lots of other sites that will tell you that humidity plays a big part in whether dogs can cope and the heat here is a LOT more humid than the equivalent temperatures in Mexico and many other hot countries.

The % humidity in London at the moment - certainly today - is low (in the teens and twenties through most of the day). Nearer the coast, in the 30s.

In Madrid, it's in the 40s. In Ankara, in Turkey, in the 30s. In the 60s in Delhi.

I thought I'd check, and this really surprised me. I didn't think it felt humid here, but I'm surprised that's it more humid in 'dry' places like Turkey and Spain.

That being said, I was due to go for a group dog training session this weekend, and we'd have been out in the sun for over an hour. It's been cancelled which I think is the right call.

That's interesting- we're on the NW coast and humidity is currently 53%. It's definitely sticky though there is a gentle breeze.

The article is discussing training and getting used to sniffing and panting not acclimatising to heat.

Ironically I was at a scent competion this morning. Start time was moved earlier t0 6.30am. Worked in shady areas paddling pools. All dogs competed but 9.30 am and had a fantastic safe morning.

Dogs coats and heat is also missed understood. Some of my dogs are double coated and they are the happiest in the heat. The coat protects the dog from the sun and air actually moves through their coat to cool them down. It is not the same as a human putting on a fur coat and going for a walk.

It is obvious to keep dogs cool and watch them to check they are managing but life should still go on for dogs on warm days just make sensible adjustments.

I know for a fact that my dogs are acclimatised to this heat and manage to still have an active and fun life in the summer.

It is obvious to keep dogs cool and watch them to check they are managing but life should still go on for dogs on warm days just make sensible adjustments.

But for lots of people it clearly isn't obvious, or you wouldn't see dogs dying of heatstroke every summer, or stories of paws burning on pavements, or dogs dying in hot cars.

Several dogs have also died due to the heat while under the care of "professional" sitters, boarders and walkers.

I'm not doubting what you say - I'm sure your dogs are fine and happy but it's quite obvious that many people don't realise or appreciate the dangers and don't make reasonable adjustments.

We went out at 7am this morning for a 5 mins whizz around the block, it was heating up quickly at that time.

I saw a man running with his dog the dog the other day, it was a large lurcher breed, I really felt like running the dickhead over.

I disagree with this. You make it sound like 100s of dogs are dropping like flies due to the heat.

This is not true. There are always idiots but the vast majority of people are looking out for their dogs.

The over emotional dogs should not be walked posts are boring inaccurate and preaching to the wrong people anyway.

But for lots of people it clearly isn't obvious, or you wouldn't see dogs dying of heatstroke every summer, or stories of paws burning on pavements, or dogs dying in hot cars personally I have not seen many stories like this........and on a personal level have never seen it in rl.

@OneFootInFrontOfAnother I'm going to disagree with you, I saw a collapsed staffe the other day on the retail park, really distressing. There are many stupid people out there who don't make allowances for this weather.

Dispute all these emotive dont walk your dog threads......I rest my case

I cant genuinely believe that someone has used Mexico as an example of non humid heat

In fact I had to read it several times to be sure I'd read it correctly

@OneFootInFrontOfAnother
It is obvious to keep dogs cool and watch them to check they are managing but life should still go on for dogs on warm days just make sensible adjustments.
I agree completely with this.

I know that some gundog clubs are running trials starting at about 7 in the morning, so they're done and dusted before noon.

Ah yes, Mexico. That place with a huge range of average temperatures, and a record coldest temperature of -29 Celsius (location, Chihuahua).

I disagree with this. You make it sound like 100s of dogs are dropping like flies due to the heat.

That might be your interpretation, but it's not what I said.

This is not true. There are always idiots but the vast majority of people are looking out for their dogs.

I don't know if I would agree with that, tbh.

The over emotional dogs should not be walked posts are boring inaccurate and preaching to the wrong people anyway.

I agree. Dogs SHOULD be walked - at appropriate times and in appropriate locations. But, if that's not possible, then they should stay home

personally I have not seen many stories like this........and on a personal level have never seen it in rl.

This summer alone, we've had:

A pug died of heatstroke after a daycare owner forgot about it and left in a van for several HOURS.

A bulldog died after a sitter left it in a conservatory in the middle of a heatwave.

A Bernese Mountain Dog died after a sitter ignored the owners wishes and took it out in the car in a heatwave.

Two spaniels died after a walker left them in the car in the middle of a heatwave.

These people are supposedly "animal professionals" and dogs have still died because they haven't taken appropriate measures to keep the dogs safe.

Dogs DO die in this country every summer due to heatstroke. Yes, you can argue that it makes the news because it's (thankfully) so rare, but to me, it shows that are there still a large minority of owners/carers who don't know the risks.

I'm a dog walker myself and would rather lose income than risk walking dogs once it hits 23-24 degrees. I start at 6am where necessary and then do pop-ins in the afternoon for dogs that are left home alone. To do otherwise is too risky for me. Once a dog starts showing signs of heatstroke, it's often too late to do anything about it.

But as I've said several times, people are of course free to do what they like with their own dogs. It's just not a risk I would ever take with a dog in my care.

The moral of your post sunsetsandsandybeaches is stay away from dog walkers at all costs.

No - the moral is to do your research and not to trust that everyone takes the same
safety precautions that you do.