Summer walks

gimmick

Myself or my wife or both walk the dog every night for a good hour. During which we will fling a few sticks for him to go searching for etc etc etc.

Now, there was never anything remarkable about this until the nicer weather kicked in a few weeks ago. When we get home now, he is breathing extremely fast, often for up to 15-20 minutes. It doesn't happen on cooler days. There is always plenty water for him waiting once we get back as well which is usually refilled pretty much straight away as he laps the whole lot down.

Is this normal for a 1 year old dog? Should he be exerted less in the heat?

tk123

Sound's like he's getting too warm. Do you take water for him with you? I always bring a bottle of water and a folding bowl - the reason I use a bottle instead of the dog bottles with the drinking thing attached is so I can have some too! The foling bowls are only about €3

bluecherry74

It's normal. My dogs (age three and two) are a lot more exhausted after their walks at this time of year too. I try to walk them as late as possible if it's warm, ideally after 9:00pm.

Bringing some water with you is a good idea, although my two have no interest in water when they're out an about. They'd much rather wait until we get home so they can drink tepid rainwater out of one of the watering cans. :rolleyes:

tk123

bluecherry74 wrote: »

They'd much rather wait until we get home so they can drink tepid rainwater out of one of the watering cans. :rolleyes:

My guy drank week old water that was cooking in the car for a week the other day! :rolleyes:

Tranceypoo

You have to be so careful in the hot weather with them, although you say you go out in the evenings by which time it's normally cooled down. I always think, how hot do I feel, now how hot would I feel with a fur coat on as well, maybe cut the walk down to half an hour and don't let him do so much running, also I think you need to be careful with them drinking water in such situations, as in don't let them drink a huge amount all in one go if they are overheated.

I speak from experience as I foolishly let my two off running up one of our fields where my husband was doing/making/baleing sileage (I don't know the correct term!) a couple of years ago on a hot afternoon, older dog had to be brought back home on the digger, vet phoned, mild heatstroke, too much water drank, horrible shrieking crying when he wanted to go to the toilet as he'd had so much water. Learned my lesson. So just be careful and aware!

kylith

tk123 wrote: »

My guy drank week old water that was cooking in the car for a week the other day! :rolleyes:

When I had a pond Ra used to ignore the lovely bowl of fresh, clean water and drink the stagnant, algae filled yuck-pond water for preference. They're odd creatures.

tk123

Tranceypoo wrote: »

don't let them drink a huge amount all in one go if they are overheated.

I've heard the same thing too - I think our vets may have posted it on FB last month when it was really hot all of a sudden and they'd had the first case of heat stroke. I always share the water out among whoever's on walks - they all line up lol :pac:

jsabina

Oh Jago as well is breathing a bit faster now and resting more (few seconds )
.....
But I remember the summer in Italy with 34+ degrees and my poor Samoyed... really we couldn't walk him during the day!!!
I don't think that on walks here they can really get overheated (if they drink enough water)??

gimmick

Ya, Ill start bring a little bottle of water, though there are a few streams around which he generally has no interest in drinking from. Thanks.