Too hot for dogs - and family FB row. :-)

Clodagh

Clodagh

Playing chess with pigeons
Joined
17 August 2005
Messages
29,023
Location
Devon
Visit site
Seeing how many dog events are being cancelled, very sensibly I think, I was surprised to see my neice was doing flyball yesterday. (With her labrador!).
She posted this on FB and her uncle posted that it was too hot for dogs even to be walked, let alone to run up and down. I agree with him. (But was the grown up and kept quiet). Cue family row! All posts have been removed this morning.
Still, it made me think that sheepdogs must still be working, or would you only move sheep early or late in this weather? And gundogs will be out in a months time for the twelfth.
 
Last edited:
Our sheepdogs are only working in the cool of the day at the moment. It's a busy time of year for us - gathering, marking lambs, shearing etc. Gathering is started at 4am and any other jobs the dogs are needed for is done later in the evening. I would imagine we are all becoming more acclimitised to the heat (I read somewhere it takes up to 60 days) but still wouldn't risk heat exhaustion for dogs or sheep during the heat of the day.

There are definite benefits to being out at the crack of dawn though ...

vndw6b.jpg
 
What a beautiful view. My husband was out after foxes at 4am yesterday and took some pics, and even Essex looked lovely. Not quite to that standard though!
Are your sheep recently sheared?
 
I was at flyball yesterday - am I right in thinking your niece runs with Solar? If so we were at same comp (apologies if not!)
The venue I was at started racing at 7, was located near a river and had additional hoses and sprinklers as well as paddling pools that were frequently changed.
There seemed to be plenty of shade (certainly Mrs Spaniel was lovely and cool in my car - I sat in it for half hour as it was coolest place to be!) and they minimised the number of races and warm up to prevent over exertion.
And we were done by 1.40 (if only all comps could finish that early!!!!)
I was at one last weekend as well which was equally prepared for the weather.
 
Clodagh said:
What a beautiful view. My husband was out after foxes at 4am yesterday and took some pics, and even Essex looked lovely. Not quite to that standard though!
Are your sheep recently sheared?
Click to expand...

My own small flock of Herdwicks were clipped a couple of weeks ago but as we now have a contract farm with 1500 cheviots as well as the 2500 blackies on here we get contractors in. They made a start last week and are coming again for a day next week and two days the week after, which should see the majority of them done and dusted.
 
Karran said:
I was at flyball yesterday - am I right in thinking your niece runs with Solar? If so we were at same comp (apologies if not!)
The venue I was at started racing at 7, was located near a river and had additional hoses and sprinklers as well as paddling pools that were frequently changed.
There seemed to be plenty of shade (certainly Mrs Spaniel was lovely and cool in my car - I sat in it for half hour as it was coolest place to be!) and they minimised the number of races and warm up to prevent over exertion.
And we were done by 1.40 (if only all comps could finish that early!!!!)
I was at one last weekend as well which was equally prepared for the weather.
Click to expand...

Ah - not Solar but yes she was at a comp with a river. Suffolk I think? I did think the river must help and a good call to have hoses too. How did you get on?
 
WorkingGSD said:
My own small flock of Herdwicks were clipped a couple of weeks ago but as we now have a contract farm with 1500 cheviots as well as the 2500 blackies on here we get contractors in. They made a start last week and are coming again for a day next week and two days the week after, which should see the majority of them done and dusted.
Click to expand...

I don't know how hot it is up your way but shearing over a thousand sheep probably raises a sweat in any weather!
 
I think there’s too many shades of grey between ‘fat pet dog (or brachycephalic dog) being dragged up and down a busy tarmac high street’ and ‘fit, heat conditioned working dog in its natural environment with plenty of water stops’ to be too critical of what others are up to.

I would say that, I’m at an agility show. :p
 
neighbouring sheep dogs aren't doing much-they are out for a run at about 6am when I am walking mine-mind you there isn't much happening there apart from hay atm anyway, they finished shearing about 3 weeks ago. if the sheep are moved they are just doing it with quads. If mine are out during the day they are wet-paddling pools and hoses turned on them and then in front of a fan.
 
I have just come back from an agility competition, I only did my morning runs because of the heat, as did many others, but the organisers had done absolutely everything to keep dogs comfortable. Courses had been shortened, paddling pools and buckets of water everywhere and the usual requirement to queue for at least 10 minutes before your run had been abandoned. I covered my car with aluminium net sheets, my dog was on a cool mat and his cage was surrounded with bottles of frozen water. The tail gate and all windows were open, it was actually very pleasant sitting in the car. Virtually every car was similarly kitted out, and the many folk in caravans had large shaded areas and paddling pools.
My dog used to do flyball and from what I saw the flyballers were probably the first to provide paddling pools etc for dogs, and like agility they are only running for a very short time. I think my biggest concern with competitions in this heat would be the travelling, todays show was only about 20 minutes from me, had it been an hour or so I might not have gone.


ETS. Missed you bc, that was the other thing, nobody was hanging round the rings. :)
 
blackcob said:
I think there’s too many shades of grey between ‘fat pet dog (or brachycephalic dog) being dragged up and down a busy tarmac high street’ and ‘fit, heat conditioned working dog in its natural environment with plenty of water stops’ to be too critical of what others are up to.

I would say that, I’m at an agility show. :p
Click to expand...

Fair point, and when I lived in Northern WA as long as I was OK outside my dogs were with me. At least when it was hot the snakes were wide awake and moved away quicker. :-)
 
MurphysMinder said:
ETS. Missed you bc, that was the other thing, nobody was hanging round the rings. :)
Click to expand...

I too was holed up in the back of the nice cool car, only stayed long enough for two runs per dog and then home. :)

Agree that agility folk for the most part have got it sussed, the courses were shortened, winning times for some of the jumping classes were as little as 26-28 seconds, water was freely available, everyone's cars were caged out and covered in reflective/shading kit. Even furry nordic dogs can manage 2 x 30 second runs in the sun, if they go home with the air con on. :p
 
I have to say that personally I wouldn't do anything like that with my lot in this heat - and they are anything but fat and/or brachycephalic :)

I walked them at 8am today in the nice cool shady woods, and even with that Hoover and Flick were very steady. Amy slightly less so, and Millie went back on her lead after one run as otherwise she would run herself to exhaustion. That was with any number of water bowls. paddling pool etc etc being available.

Maybe it is horses (dogs) for courses? I would expect greyhounds and lurchers to be perfectly adapted to hot weather but they really aren't, Hoover in particular hates the hot weather, pants all the time and gets really bothered and beside himself.

Mind you having said that a running friend has just completed an ultra marathon on the Isle of Wight yesterday and today, and I wouldn't do that in this heat either :D :D :D
 
i have been to agility today,everyone has their cars rigged up with shades and silver sheets.
there were paddling pools around and gazebos for waiting for your run.the queues were kept short too.
i didnt see one dog who appeared too hot.
my dogs had 4 runs each,being less that one min on the course for every run.
any doubts and i would not have ran them.
i have been home an hour and they are wanting to go to the yard to check for rabbits :)
 
I've said it before but ime short haired dogs suffer in the heat more than hairier dogs so I'm not surprised your greyhounds really feel it Lev. Fitz also feels it but is double coated (although most of it seems to have been shed in my house right now). the short haired dogs I've had always seem to not realise they are too hot until they are really hot.
I don't have air con so reluctant to take mine anywhere far and they've not been to work with me for weeks (OH has been wfh). Yesterday I thought I would take them to the woods and burn as thought it would be cool but actually it was just stuffy, airless and buggy lol. But it is possible to fit your car out and have the right kit to keep your dogs right while at a comp.
 
Clodagh said:
I don't know how hot it is up your way but shearing over a thousand sheep probably raises a sweat in any weather!
Click to expand...

It’s been very hot up here for weeks and weeks and, you’re right, clipping 1000s of sheep is a hot, sweaty, grimy job at the best of times. Thankfully we have large sheds so it’s not done in direct sunlight.
 
I agree with BC.
I haven't been walking until about 9pm and just a quick dawdle/leg lift in the morning.
I've still been going training but the vehicle is kitted out for it, parked in the shade with all doors open and there are two standpipes. Keeping sessions very short.
My longhaired dog actually copes really well in the heat but I am inclined to think that his drive carries him through all sorts of things, and he is too wired to self-regulate, so I don't let him overdo things just because he thinks he can.
I however can't tolerate the heat at all :p

I was quite upset to see all the overweight, ungroomed, often elderly and lame dogs being trailed over hot tarmac the last few weeks. Including one which could hardly walk and had a tumour on its back the size of a rugby ball :(
Dogs that I never see the rest of the year as they obviously don't get walked unless the sun is splitting the stones.
OK rant over......
 
I think Fizz is one of the few dogs in our team who gets faster in the heat :rolleyes3: bloomin’ whippet!

As others have said, there is always lots of shade (man made or otherwise), paddling pools etc at Flyball and they have change racing times to mean running in the coolest part of the day. Most also have cooling costs, bandanas etc.

It’s our home comp next weekend and trying to work out the water logistics isn’t fun but at least Jacks truck will come in handy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top