More Dogs Die From Exercise Related Heat Exhaustion than in Hot Cars

Your dog walks in warmer temperatures should look very different to your dog walks in cooler temperatures. Even at temperatures as low as 20 degrees.

🌞 AS WE MOVE INTO SOME WARMER WEATHER 🌞
🐕 PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR DOGS ARE STILL WEARING FUR COATS 🐕

If you are stripping off to t-shirts, shorts & vests, remember your dog is still wearing their fur coat and in addition, many Romanian and overseas dogs have double coats. If you are going out for walks wearing a lot less clothing - it is too hot for your dog to be running around.

If you don't believe me, go home and put on a fur coat and then go run round for half an hour and see how you feel 😉

Our dogs rely on US to adjust their activity levels in hot weather - most of these dogs if they were free roaming, would spend the majority of a hot day simply lazing in the shade with the odd mooching scavenge.

YOUR WALK IN WARMER TEMPERATURES SHOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT FROM YOUR WALK IN COOL TEMPERATURES EVEN AT 20 DEGREES, which we might not consider to be 'too hot' your dog can begin to overheat quickly, and once past a certain point, you can't help them.

Shorter walks
Shady woodland walks
Slower walks
On lead walks
No Walks
And definitely No aerobic exercise
And of course, take some water with you

I’ve heard many people tell me ‘but my dog loves to play fetch/go for 3 hour walks etc, they’re happy, they would stop if they didn’t want to or were too warm’

I can tell you with 100% certainty, if I took my Border Collie out for a walk on a hot day, and played fetch with her, she would keep chasing that ball until she collapsed.... it is my job as her guardian to NOT do that with her, but at the same time ensure she has adequate and appropriate environmental enrichment of course.

My Romanian boy on the other hand has more common sense 😉 He does not enjoy long walks in hot weather, he much prefers to mooch, hang out, hunt out some treats in a shady area under a tree and mostly just watch what's going on around him.

Hanging out in the shade by Tramps favourite log where we do treat snuffling and have some climbing fun

Over the last few days when I have taken my dogs out for their lunchtime walk, even though it has been around 19-20 degrees and cloudy, they have pretty quickly started to pant. As soon as a dog starts panting, it is a physiological sign they are having to work harder to regulate their body temperature.

Certain breeds are more at risk of heat related illness and injury, but ALL dogs are wearing a fur coat, they have not evolved to get too hot.

Please adjust your walks when the temperatures pick up, including cloudy humid days 🙏

MORE DOGS DIE FROM EXERCISE ASSOCIATED HEAT INJURY THAN DIE IN HOT CARS

That is of course not to say we shouldn't continue to hit home the message that dogs should not be left in cars, but I think an equally important message to hammer home is regulation of exercise activities in warmer temperatures.

Please keep them safe in the warm/hot weather - they rely on US to make the right decisions FOR THEM 💕🐕🌞

Tramp having a nice chill out in the cool woodland on a warm day

Categories: : Dog Health, Living with Romanian Rescue Dogs, Understanding Your Romanian Dog