Hot weather

How are your dog's coping with the hot weather? Mis just plods around the garden, first laying in the sun then getting up and throwing herself down in the shade lol. I don't take her for a walk when it's so warm during the day. I take her out in the eve when it's cooled down a bit. Tomorrow will be different though as we are going to a dog friendly beach and she loves the water so will keep nice and cool. Also she loves the Josephine and will catch the water lol. So funny to watch. What do you do to keep your fur baby cool?

Darcy is much the same sunbathing then flopping in the shade, she has a bandana that I wet and rub her down with & tie round her neck

Daisy has seemed a bit more lethargic when its been warmer lately, she doesn't like water though so can't use that to cool her down!! She'd hate me!! I've just keep filling up her water, encouraging her to have a drink but it's not been hot here yet really, just warm!! I could probably do with some tips too

Chance suffers very badly in the heat and overheats and gets him self poorly very easily.

But i have bought dog cooling collars that i got from america and he's copying soooo much better

Ledger loves to sunbathe but is quite good self regulating by heading to the shade I just have to stop him from gulping too much water, just cut his walks shorter and keep ball play for early morning or late night

Chilling in the house in the AC is what mine do. That and get a good hose down! We just have to walk really early and late after the sun is gone down and it cools off.

I know we've had a long 7 month winter and now suddenly we are having our few days of summer - hooray! But it's just pleasantly warm isn't it, not a heatwave or anything like.

Kuchar's the same as the dogs above - he'll play for a bit then go splat-dog into the cool grass, panting like a steam engine.

Are Staffies basically cold weather dogs?

My two seem to prefer summer this side of the globe - and our winter's can't even compare. So far our lowest has been 19 degrees C! But it does get very hot, even on summer days, so they tend to plop down in the shade. They have a little shell pool to paddle in and I keep the freezer stocked with ice treats: anything from stock ice cubes to frozen carrots and frozen peanut butter in hooves. I also keep a freezer full of plastic bottles filled with water and frozen which keep them busy for ages. Most importantly, keep them well sunblocked!

Ella's cooling collars look really cool, check those out too!

sash loves the sun and will just lay there panting away ,she's loving her early morning walks up the fields near us as the grass is getting longer now and is really wet first thing so whilst she is running through it she gets to cool off at the same time

It doesn't seem to affect Moo which is good as I am a sun worshiper as is she

Tank is out laying in the sun at 8am ! Comes in to lay on the floor to cool off - then bk outside to cook for another 20mins - then in to cool off - then out n so on.
I filled up their pool - and they have been in n out of it - or just drinkin it !

Diesel isn't a sunbather - she's happiest chillin indoors.

This is Loubys first proper summer, and we only got her in Nov. She is still a loon on her walks, which are about 6.45am then 5.00pm. the later one has still been hot the last few days, she doesnt let up at all with her pulling, but once we get home she flops down on the kitchen tiles or living room wooden floor, not panting to much though. We are having to keep the living room curtains shut through the day as the sun shines in our house from around 10am to sunset, and its sooo hot in the house.
I have put another post on about hypoallergenic stuff that can go in a kong and then be frozen for her. I have no idea what to do as her normal food is kibble.

I got a pool from Morrisons for £1.95 so had that filled up, also fill water balloons with water and freeze them so its a big ice cube

The frozen water balloon idea is great. Will try that

Hiya Debs,

Ours don't mind the hot weather as long as there is shade where they can chill and cool off. In regard to walks we only take them out in the sunshine if there is a water source where they can cool off (stream, river, sea etc) otherwise they overheat as they dont realise how hot they are getting and we don't want to risk heat stroke!

If we aren't going for a long walk I just wait til 7/8pm then its cool enough that they can run around. Just be aware of not having them in direct midday sun too much as they are prone to heat stroke with their short muzzles

Rocky does seem to get quite warm fairly quickly so I walk him early in the morning and later on in the day when it's cooler. He will have his bed outside in the sun in the morning for a while then retire to the bedroom for a snooze.

Have you tried these?

http://www.ebay.com.au/bhp/dog-cooling-pads

Sorry if you scroll down the page there are some cheaper ones didn't see the price of that 1st one

Exact same here with my guy, lies in the sun for about 20 mins and then goes to the section of the garden that has shade and cools off for 5, repeats this process until either food is smelled or the sun goes in. As for walking... well that is a little more awkward. I have to take Gringo out early otherwise he will just cry and look at the door all day. Since he is all black though he heats up really fast and when you factor in I like to do long walks and walk at a very fast rate it becomes a real problem. But I just get a 1 liter bottle of water and a small lunch box thing and we will stop every 20 mins and Gringo will get a drink in the shade to cool him down. Works well!

Wetting their ears and head is another good way to cool them off, I think they lose a lot of heat from ears and top of their heads.

early and late walks and sunbathing in the garden

Shéara loves the sun but stuggles with the heat...I give him a frozen bottle of water with a little bit cordial in to give it some taste and put it in the shade, it keeps him occupied and cool.

Thanks for the bandana tip Haley

Ledger also drinks from the sports cap bottles which is always good for a few aww comments from passers by I'm also lucky that my kitchen is an extension so my living room is in the centre of the house and doesn't get the sun it stays cool and dark which is great when I have to go out, still put an extra bowl of water down for him just in case

Neither of them have been to bad this year, gave them a good groom a few weeks ago and got rid of most of the undercoat so that may have helped.
They have slowed down though and seriouse play seems to start early evening. During the day they have fits and spurts but mostly sleep and I walk them in shadey woods if its sunny.

Im wondering if there thicker coat is actually helping as the guard hairs keep most of the sun off the skin and with next to no undercoat at the moment there must be a good air flow through it. Riley who has a normal coat suffers alot more than my two when its sunny and you can feel the heat when you touch him.