# Keeping Drive Through The Summer Heat!?



## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

Hey guys, I have a question for ya'll. I JSUT got in not to long ago, with Maddie from training. Ugh...she did ok warming up etc...and on the Halti. But today she lacked drive. I'm not sure if it was because of the heat, she's just been in a REALLY pissy mood lately. It's frustrating me and I know EVERY good trainer runs into this, but is it just because of the heat? Should I be training inside now that it's coming to the dog days of summer? 

She came VERY S-L-O-W on the fronts, we have a front box made, to control her, she comes crashing into me. I'm just soooo tempted to give up on her, but I know I can't and I know I won't. 

I was reading an old Front and Finish magazine last night and it was the BIG issue of the year, with all the Top Breeds of Dogs...etc., and this one lady with a BC said that her dog had no interest in this sport...but they worked hard and they now have an OTCH and UDX. I just don't know what to do and it's killing me to see her in a slump.

Any suggestions would be nice! 
Thank You!


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

If you think it is the heat, I would recommend practicing in the early morning hours or late afternoon and somewhere with shade if you can (if you aren't doing so). I have a cool coat for Augie that is made from synthetic chamois that really helps. There are several types of cooling coats out on the market now (I don't recommend the one with the water absorbing crystals as it is VERY HEAVY when wet). I bring ice water in a cooler for him to have something cool to drink. Since you are also just practicing you can wet her down too with a squirt bottle while you are working.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

If you're just practicing in the backyard, I would suggest short sessions. One to work on heeling, one for fronts and finishes, one for whatever else you want to work on... 15-20 minutes tops. And make sure you have plenty of water available after the session. I've never used a cooling coat, but it sounds like an interesting idea that could help also!! And of course, try to stick to cooler parts of the day and stick to the shade, especially for heeling which may be a bit more stressful for her... if you have to go out when it's a bit hotter toward the middle of the day, pick her FAVORITE thing to do. Good luck!

Julie and Jersey


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Train when it's cooler out and/or hose her off and let her work wet. Also, if she's slow and frumpy, you need to speed things up and make them more fun. Why allow her to rehearse a slow recall? For example, if you see that her performance is slower than desired, don't even give her a chance to come in slowly for her front... Call her to you for the recall and then turn and run away getting her to chase you! Don't even worry about the front at that point --- a perfect front isn't worth as much if you got it on a slow, frumpy recall. Keep her guessing at what might come next. 

That's great that you decided to build the box and incoporate some box training into your program!


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Train when it's cooler out and/or hose her off and let her work wet. Also, if she's slow and frumpy, you need to speed things up and make them more fun. Why allow her to rehearse a slow recall? For example, if you see that her performance is slower than desired, don't even give her a chance to come in slowly for her front... Call her to you for the recall and then turn and run away getting her to chase you! Don't even worry about the front at that point --- a perfect front isn't worth as much if you got it on a slow, frumpy recall. Keep her guessing at what might come next.
> 
> That's great that you decided to build the box and incoporate some box training into your program!


 
First of all...I'd like to say THANK YOU GUYS!!!! It WAS THE HEAT! I took her back out around 8 o'clock (still light out here!) and she was all happy and came a lot faster. 

I have water sitting in a pail on the ground, one of those doggy stainless steel ones, and I make sure she gets some!

I think I'll follow Julie's and Steph's advice when it comes to this. I *thought* about stopping after the halti...but then I thought we should keep going!:doh: What was I thinking?!

I also have to keep in mind that last year one of the days in late July or so, it was pretty HOT out, I'm talking likt upper 80's to 90's, and she vomited due to it, not to get into too much detail but it was that spitty yellow stuff..yuck!:yuck: Anywho, we took her to dog class that night and she did it again, I think she's like me...I get heat headaches when I'm out in the hot sun, I think air conditioning treats us well!

Thanks for ALL your help! I REALLY appreciate it...I'm also going to take in consideration of that cooler coat. We have a store credit at SmartPak Canine, and I think we'll use it on that!

Thanks again guys!!:wave:
-C


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## gabbys mom (Apr 23, 2008)

We don't bother to train in the summer after 9 am or before 7 pm unless it is in our air conditioned club. Gabby just can't handle it.

I'm sure I missed a post on this somewhere, but why are you training with a halti if you want to show in obedience and agility?


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Just like us, dogs can get dehydrated. This weekend with it being so hot, in addition to cool water I also gave Augie electrolyte enhanced water (not gatorade) which I got at Trader Joe's.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

I agree with most everything that's been said. Short sessions, train in the morning/evening, get her wet with the hose unless she absolutely hates that, and above all be happy and positive. 

Heat greatly reduces the dog's willingness to put up with corrections, not enough reinforcement or not good enough reinforcement. Boo normally never stops bouncing and would definitely not be called a "soft" dog, but this weekend he was so hot that when he went behind me on a front cross and I just went "hey where'd you go?" he stopped and didn't want to keep running (so I didn't make him).


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## hawtee (Nov 1, 2006)

Another thing you can do is get a small baby pool, hard plastic ones I think they are like 8 bucks, work 10-15 minutes and have pool time..


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Boo likes to go lay down in his little pool after agility practice


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Our agility instructor has a pool set up during class for the dogs to cool off in. I was tempted this weekend to sit in it myself.


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

katieanddusty said:


> I agree with most everything that's been said. Short sessions, train in the morning/evening, get her wet with the hose unless she absolutely hates that, and above all be happy and positive.
> 
> Heat greatly reduces the dog's willingness to put up with corrections, not enough reinforcement or not good enough reinforcement. Boo normally never stops bouncing and would definitely not be called a "soft" dog, but this weekend he was so hot that when he went behind me on a front cross and I just went "hey where'd you go?" he stopped and didn't want to keep running (so I didn't make him).


 
I have to giggle about that one! Maddie LOVES water! The hose is her best friend! Yesterday I didn't do much with her except the broad jump, so yeah...hehe. Anger gets to the best of me...I need to STOP BEING ANGRY!! hehe....I'm working on it!

To gabby's mom: I'm using the halti for VERY specific reasons, some of the people on here don't understand why I'm using it, but her attention has improved imensley. A lot of the top guys are using them with their dogs. We have a mentor who I am in good hands with. That's all I will say about this, it has started some "heated conversations" on here.

I'm *hoping* to get that cooler coat with that store credit. Hopefully they still have something on file for me! (let's say we misplaced the card!:doh:)

Augie's Mom- you had talked about some electrolyte water. I think I've seen that...any brand name that's good? Did it do good for Augie?

Thanks!


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Augie's Mom- you had talked about some electrolyte water. I think I've seen that...any brand name that's good? Did it do good for Augie?

Thanks![/quote]

I don't have a specific brand but look for ones that don't have sweetners or flavorings. I don't know if you have a Trader Joe's in your area but that was their brand that I got. It was just water with electrolytes.


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## Goldendogx2 (Sep 2, 2007)

I agree. Short training sessions in the late evening or early morning. I usually pick just one or two exercises to work on...make it seem more like play and call it a day. If I can get out really early on a Saturday morning, we might do a full session. But that's it. 

When I say "make it seem like play". What I mean is, if he's bugging me to go outside and grabs a tennis ball and wants me to play. I trade the tennis ball for a dumbell. Do a couple of throws and stop. I can do articles without too much exertion of energy, and trade gloves for a dumbell to work on retrieve. Signals can be done in a matter of minutes, and heeling can be thrown in as a surprise in the middle of an evening walk.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I love late evening training sessions! I just came in from a little dumbbell work and it's 8:45pm! We're just now getting ready to go out on the bike for a lap around the elementary school that's across the street!


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## Soda (Feb 23, 2008)

Heat doesn't make for good training sessions does it?

We've done some heeling work under the lawn sprinklers. Rusty loves it and it actually has been some good distractions/training for showing in rainy weather.

My boss allows me to move my schedule to allow me to train in the mornings. I appreciate this as normally I would be training in the dark.

Speaking of heat they are calling for 102 here in OK on Saturday and 105 by Monday. Yikes!!! Eggs on the sidewalk anyone???


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