Dogs being walked when it’s too hot - do you say anything?

[Trumptontown]

I’ve just seen two brachy breeds (a pug and a bulldog) being walked when it’s 27 degrees outside. Both were clearly struggling. Every year I get really upset seeing dogs being walked when it’s clearly far too hot but am scared of saying something in case the owners react aggressively. Equally, I feel terrible NOT saying anything because those dogs have no voice.

How do you handle this?

Thanks for sharing.

Except for some heavy coats, dog fur provides insulation against heat and is protective on a sunny day.

On Dogsnet they probably post about how humans shouldn't be out in the sun because they have no fur -- and because humans can't cool themselves by lolling their tongues.

I am a retired dog walker. Anything over about 21 degrees and I moved walks to earlier times if I could or did garden visits. For pugs, bulldogs etc it was 19 degrees. Clients never questioned it. I would rather have lost the money for the walk than lose a dog from heat stroke. It was something I was really strict on. I find it hard not to say something when I see a dog being walked in the heat, but know I will probably get a load of abuse if I do!

This afternoon I took my dog out for about ten minutes because I had workmen in the garden. He's been fine today, I have not (chronic health problems). It's awful when you know that people are watching and judging.

Well you are ignorant and shouldn’t own a dog. You walk them early and late. Not in the heat of the day.

I have two french bulldogs and they do not go out if it is over 20 because of their breathing.
I know that 27 is fine for many dogs but if you have a breed like mine then you should know not to take risks with them.
I did speak to someone recently who has a fluffy frenchie and she got quite upset with me as I told her I didn't think it was a good idea to have her boy out in this heat due to the breathing issues they have.

That'll be a luxating patella. It's fine...my twelve year old dog has been hopping his whole life.

I disagree about the assumption that people who have dogs like this are cruel owners, I know a number of them and all are rescues and live like royalty. No they shouldn’t be bred but they’re out there in the world

27 isn’t too hot for most normal dogs! Ridiculous.
How do you think dogs survive in hot countries?

People just love any excuse to not bother walking their dogs if you ask me.
In winter it’s too cold or windy or “they don’t like the rain”, in summer it’s “too hot”.

Also the “fur coat” comments- a human wearing a fur coat is no comparison to a dog. Dog fur provides insulation and helps regulate their temperature, so actually helps to keep them
cool when it’s hot.

I’m another who has a dog that won’t toilet in our own garden so he has to be walked around the block multiple times a day just to do a wee or poo. We have tried everything to train it out of him but it’s simply his preference (and he’s very stubborn!). So I have to walk him in very hot weather, but it’s a very short trip and I try and stick to the shade as much as possible. I do always worry that people will judge me though!

Asphalt and concrete act like giant heat sinks. I read a tip that if you cannot hold the back of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds its too hot for your dog's paws. It can blister and burn them. So why not walk dogs (more briefly) when its dark or in the early morning. If you need to walk them in sun try t keep to grassy areas as this better than pavements or asphalt.

The little skip us a Jack Russel thing. Mine does it and gets a vet check at least once a year. She's fine

My cocker was out today when it was 25. She’s fit and healthy, was on grassed areas mostly, and I had popped one of those cool jackets on that you soak in water. She felt colder than she normally does when she’s runnning about when it’s 7 degrees. I was super impressed with the cooling coat and I know she’ll be lounging in the garden on Monday (doors will be open so she can decide whether to stay in cool front room or outside) and I’ll pop the jacket on her then too. I also check pavements if I’m thinking of taking her out and take extra water. The warm weather doesn’t last too long in Manchester but when it’s hot I do worry. I usually walk v early and through the day I do a treasure hunt for snacks around the house and garden. Keeps her occupied.

That’s really interesting, @CaptainMyCaptain , my wee JR has always done this, got her checked out as a pup, all fine. I didn’t realise it was a thing!

The thing is, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s objectively too hot for all dogs, too hot for those types of dogs or subjective to other factors.

Because you’re not giving them information they don’t have, they’re aware it’s hot and have taken their dog out, they’re not going to suddenly go, OMG! It’s hot?

They’re going to react to what you’re actually meaning and that is that you’ve just walked up to a stranger and told them you think they’re a bad dog owner…and that’s never going to go well.

Well, as the late, great Noel Coward said: ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun.’

He wrote it while being driven through Vietnam , (then Indo-China ) on the habits of the English colonialists in tropical climates. They didn’t like being told what to do either, apparently.😏

The agillity competitions were running yesterday in 26-28 degree heat in the south east. Madness.

You can't compare dogs somewhere hot to dogs in the UK.

Having lived overseas in a very hot country, and with most of my colleagues overseas, I can happily tell you that dogs on the continent are very used to the extreme heat. However, when said colleagues bring dogs from the UK to their postings overseas, they take months if not years to acclimate - some of them never do and some of them are even sent back to the UK because they cannot cope with summer in continental Europe.

My dog will only poo on a walk. She won’t in my garden. My blooming garden is an acre!

So I took her out yesterday and today at 6 for an hour. She hasn’t pooed ffs!

Yesterday I took her out for 10 minutes at 5pm which wasn’t ideal but she told me she needed to go out.
I then took her out at 10pm for another long walk.
I have a horrible feeling today she is going to need to go out when it’s scorching. I’ll have to take her in the car somewhere cooler.

I think it’s a combination of breed and environment if it’s grass or tarmac

Agree. I think you’ll find those brachycephalic breeds will look like they’re struggling on most walks. They’re prone to breathing difficulties and heat intolerance.

Our dogs love the heat. They had their ‘proper’ long walk at 6am yesterday. At lunchtime, we walked them to a pub and stopped to offer water a couple of times. Almost all of that was through shaded woods. We walked them back through a riverside walk, so they were in and out of the river and happy as clams. If any ignorant Facebook meme fan had said something to us, they would have got a lecture from me.

It depends on the dog, where you are taking it, for how long, access to water etc.

I've lived in very hot countries where people would be walking barefoot on tarmac in the heat of the day. If my feet - not toughened up by going barefoot everywhere - can take the heat on a road surface, I'm sure my dogs' feet can cope.

I was at an agricultural show yesterday in the SE with almost no shade and the temperature was about 27 degrees at 11am....there were loads of dogs panting and looking really distressed in the heat of the day (I was melting by 12.30). The pigs/sheep/cows/horses were being regularly hosed down or doused in buckets of water, but the dogs were being dragged around...

Of course dogs are walked in hot countries but they acclimatise...it was about 7 degrees on Monday last week and it's forecast to be 30 degrees today...it takes a bit longer to adapt. Most dog lovers/walkers/owners that I know don't walk between 8am and 8pm when the temperature is over 25 degrees.....but there will always be people who know better.. 🤷

(Goldie owner who was up at 6.30 to walk in the woods with an ageing fluffy goofball who would happily sit in the midday sun if allowed, despite cooling mats, a/c and shade inside.....)

My vets have issued a warning not to walk dogs during the heatwave. This is following several fatalities and burnt paws last year. Presumably those owners said their dogs were fine too.