# Warm weather, pay attention to your dog



## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I took Waase with me on Saturday I had a therapy visit with Jige I was going to leave Waase in the car I didn't realize it was so hot in Bemidji until I got there it was cooler and I had a breeze lowing here at home. I took my ay girl over to my friends house and left her in one of her outside runs. No way I was doing any shopping afterwards either we just came home after visiting.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

One very, very easy thing to do is go to the hardware store and buy a cheap thermometer, hang it on the crate in your car. Then you know for sure how warm it is in there.


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

I really like the reflective breathable tarps from Sun Shade Mesh Fabric Tarp Shades Shade Mesh Tarps but I cannot really use it in the parking lot at Walmart!

I can drape it over an open door or lift gate. I have a couple of spring clamps to make sure it stays in place. 

Also remember that the majority of sunlight comes thru the windshield. A simple cardboard blocker can help to decrease the heat in the vehicle.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

hotel4dogs said:


> One very, very easy thing to do is go to the hardware store and buy a cheap thermometer, hang it on the crate in your car. Then you know for sure how warm it is in there.


Some recent days getting into my car has felt like death to me, no thermometer needed  

Any day over 70° for New England dogs (and me) is a heat wave :curtain:


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## Goldylover2 (May 1, 2014)

Great reminder gdgli..I have a 4 month old pup and I put him in the car dog crate. With the windows rolled up, the plastic dog crate can get quite warm. I was thinking of putting a wet towel down to cool it down.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

Wet towel or cloth type cooling jackets_ cease to cool and begin to trap body heat as soon as the wet fabric reaches a dog's body temperature - which quickly__accelerats overheating._ 
​The same type of problem occurs with horses when "wet toweled"; this information has been detailed in an article in *the Horse* magazine's cover story, July, 2003, titled*"**Heat Stress*", (page 30). Please make others aware of this often unrecognized and unintentional problem. When water reaches body temperature it can becomes an insulater that traps heat. Stay safe and cool.

Just read this on the Sun Shade Mesh Tarp page in the above post.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Great reminder, not only for sitting in the car but for running events.


I have picked mine up in the past when I thought it was too hot and humid to be running around like squirrels if I can't help them (aka I don't know where the bird is either).


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

We were at an event last year ( UKC HRC Hunt Test) that was right in the middle of hundreds of acres of corn humid it was horrible. I had heard this event was really hot and miserable so I took along extra jugs of water and I would pour water over Jige to keep him wet I had a big shade tent I set up and I never left him alone. About 5miles down one road was a nice lake we took the dogs there as soon as we were done running our event. I had a mild heat stroke( my 4th) but Jige and ATEM did just fine.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I'll let you know if it ever gets hot and humid up here (we keep waiting for that global warming). Which means we don't pay as much attention to our dogs as we should up here. Thanks for the reminder. We all need to carry plenty of extra water with us and get our dogs out to move around and not leave in their crates all day at events while we wait our turns.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

yes, this is just common sense but don't put a hot dog back in the crate after you run, or train. Walk him around, find some shade, let him cool off before you put him up. Unless, of course, you are running the A/C full for him!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

We are at the time of year here in Texas where you do your morning and evening walks before 10 a.m. The Texas and Dallas veterinary associations are being very proactive with TV and radio ads and signs up reminding people of the dangers of overheating dogs. This sign was posted years ago and more have gone up since:


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## FTGoldens (Dec 20, 2012)

Leslie B said:


> I really like the reflective breathable tarps from Sun Shade Mesh Fabric Tarp Shades Shade Mesh Tarps but I cannot really use it in the parking lot at Walmart!
> 
> I can drape it over an open door or lift gate. I have a couple of spring clamps to make sure it stays in place.


Leslie B,

Thanks for the link to the silver shade mesh, I will be ordering one this week. 

In my truck, I have a thermometer sending unit attached to one of the dog crates and the receiving unit mounted on my dashboard, so I can keep an eye on the temp at all times. Remote thermometers are cheap.

I have also installed a fan for each crate. The fans (I have Endless Breeze and NAPA fans) are wired to a marine deep-cycle battery mounted in the bed. For convenience purposes I have a "battery isolator," which allows my truck's alternator to charge the battery in the bed but which doesn't draw any power from my main battery under the hood. This is quite a bit easier than using a regular battery charger (which I did for years), but installation of the isolator takes the skills of someone who knows vehicle electrical systems.

We simply cannot be too careful. 

FTGoldens


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## Eowyn (Aug 29, 2013)

Ugh I hate the heat. Early morning and after dark walks help with not over heating when exercising for me. I get heatstrokes a lot myself, I feel horrible for the dogs. I have always wondered how outdoor dogs are ok when it starts to hit 90-100 degrees in the summer.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

For bigger fans, NAPA has inverters for pretty cheap. I picked up a 400 watt unit for $62 the other day. That can run a 3/8" electric drill or a very large powerful fan. You can get an additional motorcycle battery which are small if you don't want to run it while your vehicle is off. So if you want a bigger 110v fan, you can do it easily with this little inverter. It's so small it will fit in my glove box. Volts X amps = watts.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

yes the mesh silver drape really lowers the temps int he car, it is amazing! I drap it over the top of the car and over the side where the sun is coming in.


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## 2golddogs (Oct 19, 2009)

Last year I bought a mesh drape that covers my entire car. That and fans and the dogs are quite comfortable.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Huh.... my car let's me lock it while running.... I run the AC on high speed low temp and lock the car (afraid they'll steal Rem) and that's what I've done. Go eat lunch or something quick if need be. He loves having it so cold (; I hate the gas waste tho..

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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Be careful with cars still running, if the engine isn't moving the compressor isn't nearly as efficient and there have been reports of dogs dying of heat stroke in closed cars with the A/C running. I'm sure it wasn't "over the short time", but just a word to be careful.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Oh.... my car is always 60 or less when I get back in it. Is that even with brand new cars? I've never had any issues with mine. Now I had a really old car before this that if it wasn't moving it wasn't really cooling.

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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

There was a story in the news in CT a couple years ago about a police dog left in a cruiser with the a/c running who died when the a/c failed. I looked for it and found other instances:
Camden police dog found dead in cruiser - Municipal Insider

I don't trust it other than a couple minutes with continuous vigilance.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Well dang.... So what do you do if you're on a trip, by yourself, driving 2 or more hours away (which we do often being in the middle of nowhere) and have a dog with you....?
Cause sometimes if he goes to training or something then after training it is the only time we see this store or that and I need a home improvement item, or I have to pee, or I need to grab food, etc. I mean, golly.... Too bad he can't pass as a baby that I could take in everywhere =/

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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

leave the windows at least halfway down, use solar reflecting blankets and run a battery powered fan  Clean Run (and possibly other sites) sells anti-theft lift gate thingees as well that allow you to leave the back gate open in wagon and SUV's to allow extra airflow while locking for safety.

Always carry reflective blankets and battery powered fans - they really work and can even be used if your vehicle overheats on the highway and you end up waiting for help. Water too


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

I keep windows open, run two battery powered fans, provide shade if I can't park in the shade, and use windshield reflector.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Even in OUR heat? Even with a fan.... it gets 100 here easy, and humid. It's a death wish for myself even with all doors open.

Now... on milder days or evenings I don't want to leave windows open because Rem would be gone. How do you prevent that from happening? Not just him jumping out, someone opening the door and stealing him. They would in a heart beat. Dogs go missing here a lot...
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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

Just come to Anchorage. 65 and sunny yesterday with probably 40% humidity. Super nice day. Yah we did get snow last weekend, but you can't have everything. Is there a perfect climate somewhere?


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

Alaska7133 said:


> Just come to Anchorage. 65 and sunny yesterday with probably 40% humidity. Super nice day. Yah we did get snow last weekend, but you can't have everything. Is there a perfect climate somewhere?


Haha.... have you ever met someone who has never really been around snow? You'd laugh at me  I am sure I'd be a disaster for anyone within one mile, that is just with me walking around haha!

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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

gdgli said:


> I keep windows open, run two battery powered fans, provide shade if I can't park in the shade, and use windshield reflector.





tine434 said:


> Even in OUR heat? Even with a fan.... it gets 100 here easy, and humid. It's a death wish for myself even with all doors open.
> 
> Now... on milder days or evenings I don't want to leave windows open because Rem would be gone. How do you prevent that from happening? Not just him jumping out, someone opening the door and stealing him. They would in a heart beat. Dogs go missing here a lot...
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I think what is important is to let the dog make use of his natural cooling system. A lot of water to keep the dog hydrated, circulating air so that you don't have the greenhouse effect in the car, shade which will keep the car from heating up. After all, how do wild canids survive in this hot weather? 

I keep my dog in a crate and put a padlock on it. I prefer the crate for transport in the car.


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## tine434 (Nov 24, 2013)

gdgli said:


> I think what is important is to let the dog make use of his natural cooling system. A lot of water to keep the dog hydrated, circulating air so that you don't have the greenhouse effect in the car, shade which will keep the car from heating up. After all, how do wild canids survive in this hot weather?
> 
> I keep my dog in a crate and put a padlock on it. I prefer the crate for transport in the car.


I can't fit one in my car....  at least not one large enough.
Told the husband he has to get us a big vehicle

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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Ah-ha! Time to use your feminine skills to guarantee a new car, I mean truck.


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## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

I never thought about the a padlock on the crate, that is a great idea, can't believe I never though of it.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Careful out there. A dog went down today at a hunt test. I am waiting for more details.


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