# Keeping dogs cool at Hunt Tests?



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I am very interested in the answers to this, too...


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Most tests you will find there is shade to park under.
If not hang those reflective blankets over the windows of the vehicle to prevent the sun from baking it. Also pick up some battery operated fans. If you also do agility and obedience it is likely worth the investment to pick up one or two good ones. Home Depot/Lowes type stores sell great ones that come with a rechargeable battery pack. Ryobi and I believe Dewalt make them. For a more economical inital investment there is the O2 fans but these run off 8 "D" cell batteries but they work fine (I have two of these).
Keep a tank sprayer filled with water to spray your dog's belly to help keep cool.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I do not rely on fans. It is really hot here. Duh. I let the car idle with the AC on full blast for 20-30 minutes at a stretch. Will turn the car off when the dogs are sleeping and not panting. Always park under shade and monitor your car all day to make sure it stays in the shade. Use metal or plastic crates, not mesh. A wet towel in the bottom of the crate will evaporate and be cool, also, freeze 2 liter bottles with water and put one or two in the crate. 
A dog just being wet is no cooler than a dry one. The water trapped near the skin will heat up and the dog may actually be warmer.
When you start thinking you're hot, imagine trying to train in Florida during the summer.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Someone on my Lhasa Apso group stated they thought it was so irresponsible to leave dogs in a running car unattended. They said to just crack the windows.

They obviously don't live in the South. :no: In the summer some days I get nervous turning the car off long enough to get gas.


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## kgiff (Jul 21, 2008)

We did a 3-day field seminar the hottest weekend in August last year (it was close to 100 degrees and humid all three days). I was really worried about the dogs, but I think they fared better than I did. Most of the locations we were in, there was shade to park under, I kept all the windows open, and I used the reflective mesh shades on the two sides of the car most directly facing the sun (as the sun moved, I needed to move the shades). I waited until it got closer to noon to turn the fans on low and left the fans on low until after the dogs had their turn working and then the fans got bumped up to high for a little while after they worked before being switched back to low. I made sure they had plenty of access to fresh water and being the worry-wart I am checked on them constantly. Most of the time I checked on them they were just chilling in their crates and didn't start panting until they noticed me, so it was more excitement and anticipation than they were hot. I was pleasantly surprised how cool the car stayed with the mesh shades. 

I also have cool coats that I use on them at agility trials, but I've yet to pull them out at a field event as they've stayed cool enough. The one thing I keep meaning to get is a thermometer I can leave in the car just to check on the temperature.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I do both things Hank mentioned, park in the shade if possible and/or put a shade cloth over your windows. Dogs are in wire crates with the back of the car open. I have those Ryobi fans, they are worth the money! I use them at agility too. I also have cool coats that I use at field and agility. Mira has a pink one, and while some people have laughed at her at a hunt test, if you lift it up and feel how cool she is underneath most then ask me where I got it!

Good luck at your hunt test!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Thanks all  
SammyDog - can I ask where you got the Cool Coat?


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

I recently saw someone at a hunt test set up a pop up over the back end of their vehicle to assist with shade. 

Nice thing is at tests EVERYONE leaves their car open. You don't have to really worry about things. My biggest issue about leaving my car open is I HATE BUGS IN MY CAR!!!! Ok I am done now... thank you

Ann


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## RunsCreek (May 9, 2010)

I have a 4-hole crossover box that is insulated and has an exhaust fan. You never know if there will be a breeze or any shade so I take a small oscilating fan and an EasyUp tent. The combination of the above usually results in box temps that are about 15 degrees cooler. Definately recommend a fan and inverter (the inverter you can get one at Wal-Mart for about $35) and a tent (also at Wal-Mart for maybe $75). It's worth it to keep them as cool as you can.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Don't the metal dog boxes get really hot?


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Sunrise said:


> Thanks all
> SammyDog - can I ask where you got the Cool Coat?


Here's thee cool coat we use ( and love). We don't compete and our dogs aren't out in the extreme heat for long periods, but these are great for TX summer walks. http://www.aahpaws.com/The_Chilly_Dog_Cool_Coat_p/cc-large-xxlarge.htm


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Leave the windows open and the hatch if you can do that without him getting out; use shading devices and fans, a cool pack or cool blanket if you can get one in time. I agree with Annie, a wet dog in the car is hot + humid instead of just hot. Stake him out next to the car in a shady area if you can and he won't bark or run away. Put up one of those baby kennel fences, put a crate in the shade, these are all ideas I've seen used at HTs.

I used to leave Boomer in the car with the a/c running until a police dog in our state died from being left in the car with the a/c running and the a/c failed. I don't do it anymore.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Sunrise said:


> Thanks all
> SammyDog - can I ask where you got the Cool Coat?


These are the ones that I have, I will see if I can take some pictures next weekend. I have the medium long for both my 26" and 22" tall Goldens.

http://www.comfortbydesign.us/coolcoats.htm


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Wow - so shade tents can be used    I thought the vehicles might be moved around between series ...

I did get a couple of fans from Clean Run - and a cool mat


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## RunsCreek (May 9, 2010)

mylissyk said:


> Don't the metal dog boxes get really hot?


No, quite the contrary. Boxes built by national companies like Mountain Top Custom Kennels, Ainley or Deerskin use solid insulation in the top, sides, front and back to insulate from the sun and most install exhaust fans as a standard feature. They build them with breezeways between the kennels so there is a constant flow of air across the entire box. It keeps them cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. 

I've had a SUV with crates, trailers, toppers and crossovers. The boxes are far and away cooler than crates. I've used temperature gauges in both for confirmation.

Chance


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## RunsCreek (May 9, 2010)

Sunrise said:


> Wow - so shade tents can be used    I thought the vehicles might be moved around between series ...
> 
> I did get a couple of fans from Clean Run - and a cool mat


Most of the times you do move to different land so you have to break down, move and put up again.


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## Bogey's Mom (Dec 23, 2008)

sammydog said:


> I do both things Hank mentioned, park in the shade if possible and/or put a shade cloth over your windows. Dogs are in wire crates with the back of the car open. I have those Ryobi fans, they are worth the money! I use them at agility too. I also have cool coats that I use at field and agility. Mira has a pink one, and while some people have laughed at her at a hunt test, if you lift it up and feel how cool she is underneath most then ask me where I got it!
> 
> Good luck at your hunt test!


Jess, can you post a link to the Ryobi fans you have? I keep hearing people mention them and don't know which ones they are. Are they significantly better than the O2 fans? I have three of those and like them but they don't seem to have much gusto.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I have not used the O2 fans, so I cannot compare, but the Ryobi ones are great! They are pricey because the battery and charger needs to be bought separately.

Here is a link: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...-D25X-_-100485407&locStoreNum=674&marketID=12


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## Goldfeather (Jul 27, 2017)

Hi all

I run tests a lot. My solution to very hot weather (I rarely find shade) is to freeze gallon plastic water jugs and even the large laundry soap jugs to 3/4 full the night before. (Any fuller and it will pop the top. On the morning of the test, surround the crate with them. Keep all windows/hatch open and keep water in crate with dog. The silver covers are fab, but expensive, so I just bring white beach towels and drape them over door and close door on them. I also use a kennel fan. Once every so often I run the air conditioning, but if I cant stand sitting in back with dog, then he is too hot as well. Do NOT cool your dog off in water!!!! Water holds heat in. After his water marks dry him off. Alcohol on tummy is another good way to cool down an already overheated dog. Alcohol evaporates more quickly and takes the body heat with it.
I've heard some ppl give electrolytes, but my dog hates all of them.


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## SRW (Dec 21, 2018)

Goldfeather said:


> I've heard some ppl give electrolytes, but my dog hates all of them.


Dogs don't sweat so they do not lose electrolytes like those of us that do.
Mixing maltodextrin in their water and giving it to them right after they run is beneficial.
An article written by a good friend:








Maximizing Dog Endurance for Hunting & Competition - Gun Dog


When your dog is working their tail off, it's up to you to help your dog recover as quickly as possible. Use this method!




www.gundogmag.com




Big beach umbrellas and canopies are worth bringing along on hot days.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

I have O2 fans and they’re pretty nice. I’ve had them for years and I’ve never bought a second set of batteries for them. I saw that the Ryobi fans are on sale though and I’m cons buying one. Ohio gets extremely humid in the summer. I let one of my dogs do FastCAT. We have a cooling pad, water, and fans to keep her cool. Never leave your vehicle running unattended! There was a van stolen from a local agility trial recently that was left running with the doors locked. Criminal broke the window and drove off with 2 whippets in a matter of seconds. Dogs were found the next day. Van was found totaled a week later.


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## PalouseDogs (Aug 14, 2013)

At the tests I've been to, you cannot count on being able to park in the shade. I find the silver reflecting sheets to be the very best thing for keeping the vehicle cool. I have 3, but I think the size I use most often is the 7 x 14 foot. I have a bag of various types and sizes of bungies and ties, but usually, I just shut the edges of the sheet in a door or window. Makes it easy to pull off, wad up, toss in the van, and go to the next location.

One of the first things I do when I arrive is to find out which water you are allowed to let your dog take a dip in. On a hot day, I want to bring a wet dog to the line of a land series. I carry a five-gallon water container in case there's no swimming water. At some tests, there will be a kiddie pool of water near the line on hot days.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Abeille said:


> I have O2 fans and they’re pretty nice. I’ve had them for years and I’ve never bought a second set of batteries for them. I saw that the Ryobi fans are on sale though and I’m cons buying one. Ohio gets extremely humid in the summer. I let one of my dogs do FastCAT. We have a cooling pad, water, and fans to keep her cool. Never leave your vehicle running unattended! There was a van stolen from a local agility trial recently that was left running with the doors locked. Criminal broke the window and drove off with 2 whippets in a matter of seconds. Dogs were found the next day. Van was found totaled a week later.


You're so funny  Like my friend Joan in Cleveland who said I just don't see how it could be any hotter in Florida in the summer than it gets in Ohio HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHA
I come run hunt tests in Ohio in July & August, it's lovely LOL

Anyways, I LOOOOOOVE my Ryobi fans, I have four of them, although they are the old style which work better to hang on crates. 

I've noticed the sun shade silver sheet things are popular up north, I suppose they do an OK job in mild weather. Nobody has them in Florida.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

K9-Design said:


> You're so funny  Like my friend Joan in Cleveland who said I just don't see how it could be any hotter in Florida in the summer than it gets in Ohio HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHA
> I come run hunt tests in Ohio in July & August, it's lovely LOL
> 
> Anyways, I LOOOOOOVE my Ryobi fans, I have four of them, although they are the old style which work better to hang on crates.
> ...


The thing with Ohio is we have corn....LOTS of corn. Corn basically sweats. It releases tons of moisture into the air. So, while we don't get the high temps you get in Florida, we do get extreme humidity which can make it feel just as hot as Florida. Except you can't breathe! I don't think there's as much corn in Northeast Ohio where the hunt tests are. SW Ohio (where I am) gets horrible when the corn gets tall. I've had friends from the southern states not believe me about the weather until they actually spend a July/August day outdoors here. 

I'm seriously considering a Home Depot run this evening. Have to see what happens after the paperwork for the truck we're taking ownership of is taken care of . 

I think you mean those aluminet things. They are terribly expensive and will scratch the crap out of your vehicle. My friend put one on my van when the National was in Maryland. I've had people ask me for years how I got the weird scratches in my paint and it just recently dawned on me how they got there! They are aluminum mesh. I suppose they probably work fine. I don't have one. I have a couple of vent locks, a cooling mat, and the cheap O2 fans right now. That's enough for my dogs in a black van.


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## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

The humidity here has NOTHING on Florida or Texas. 🤣 even with the corn. Trust me.


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

I'll take all the corn in Ohio and give you one swamp in Florida LOL
I've been to Ohio plenty in the summer. It's delightful


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

It's freaking humid where I live in the summer. There's lots of farmland around me. Guess I've been lucky. Every time I've been to Florida and Georgia (my daughter lived in Savannah for a while) it's been blazing hot in the summer, but I've always been able to breathe. Ohio in August is horrible humidity wise. Obviously, not as hot as Florida. I honestly don't know what's different for me. Could be my allergies to most things green in Ohio. Who knows. Doesn't matter....the weather will go from 90 to 50 like it saw a State Trooper.  Then back to 90 again.

It gets humid. It gets hot. I use fans. I give water. I have a cooling mat if needed. If I have to leave them I use a vent lock. I never jumped on the Midwest aluminet bandwagon.

I bought them the nicer Ryobi fans too. I have lucky dogs.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I have an awning on the side of my van. It does an incredible job of keeping the interior cool. If it’s hot inside the van, I open the awning and it’s like magic how cool it gets inside. But the downside is, it’s an expensive awning. If you are looking for a cheap way to make your own awning, I found a guy on YouTube that shows you how to make an awning to go over the top of your van.


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## forgold (Feb 29, 2020)

August now —even hotter than 2 months ago! So, here goes.
Essentials/ ideal: WHITE car with hatch & sun roof or van w. sliding door or a pro setup. wire crate, not plastic. Silver tarp for top & silver shade for windshield —> as good as parking under a big tree. And except noontime, park into the sun if possible Also you want an extra pond. 

I’ve not used a fan in the past, would buy one now. Did use a cooling mat when had a 4-door Corolla in the 1990s.
Saw Betsy Sutherland run a very efficient JH years ago in the heat. As I recall, dogs only came to the line once, did the 2 water marks, then if passed, turned, walked a bit, did the 2 on land. If the gunners can’t be both places … well, many junior handlers can ‘pop’ & some can throw. Can’t recall if we had a winger then.

But at our National years ago, we ran the FT on private land, partially plowed under & rutted. Blazing sun, Sept., long marks, perhaps some older field Goldens there for one more outing. Anyway one dog staggered as it came back, probably from a multiple mark — obvious heat problems. Immediately got attention.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

forgold said:


> Saw Betsy Sutherland run a very efficient JH years ago in the heat. As I recall, dogs only came to the line once, did the 2 water marks, then if passed, turned, walked a bit, did the 2 on land. If the gunners can’t be both places … well, many junior handlers can ‘pop’ & some can throw. Can’t recall if we had a winger then.
> 
> But at our National years ago, we ran the FT on private land, partially plowed under & rutted. Blazing sun, Sept., long marks, perhaps some older field Goldens there for one more outing. Anyway one dog staggered as it came back, probably from a multiple mark — obvious heat problems. Immediately got attention.


Sherie Catledge also did the same junior type set up. Ran 2 water marks, then turned and ran the 2 land marks. I judged with her on that test. I had judged previously on that same land several time prior and never considered that set up as an answer. It was brilliant and saved a lot of time with a large junior entry. It wasn't hot, but it was sure nice for everyone. I can see in a hot climate that working nicely.

I ran the derby at the national specialty you're speaking of. Coming from Alaska the sweat was pouring off of me. It was in the 90's if I remember right. Dang thought I would melt away. My dog had been in the states for a few weeks prior to heading to the specialty, so he was acclimated. But I am shocked at what real heat is like. For us 60 degrees is a warm day in the summer! I'm so glad my dog was acclimated. For the older dogs, that must have been hard on them. 

I have rechargeable Ryobi fans for my crates. They work super well. 
I have a 30 gallon water tank on my van, I can hose off my dogs after a run and that really helps.


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