# Thinking of the heat coming...how do you protect your poodles?



## Ainsley

How do those of you that live in rather extreme heat climates protect your poodle? We are in Texas so highs over 100 are coming sooner rather than later and it got me thinking.

Do you protect their feet from the concrete that can fry an egg? We will do walks early in the morning and after 7-8ish, but many days the concrete is still super hot after 7. I walked him out yesterday with bare feet when it was only 90ish out and my feet were burning so it made me wonder what August will bring. We never used anything with our lab, but as we gain more knowledge we make different decisions so I guess I'm looking for knowledge of how to keep our precious poodle pampered in the scorching Texas heat. He doesn't stay outside without us longer than 15-20 mins in an xpen when we are getting ready in the mornings and I make sure it's in the shade and has lots of water. He's already starting to enjoy water In a baby pool so I foresee lots of water fun this summer. Alby is 14 weeks old and is a fluffy furball right now, but he is getting groomed Tuesday so he should be cooler. I know the labs double coat helps keep them cool too so this single coat throws me for a loop yet again and I'm not sure it should.




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## Countryboy

It sounds like u've thought it thru quite well.

Look now for some grassy areas, even ones within a short drive maybe, where u can get out in the evenings when it gets really hot. Mornings, as u say, are usually good. 

I never use boots. Too bad they don't make flip-flops for dogs, eh? 

A cool floor and AC thru the day will keep even a 'puppy-coated' dog cool, but if they like a hose, or a kid's pool, that's even better. Tonka just goes thru his normal grooming schedule. So, at the worst, he'll have six weeks growth from his last clip with a #4. His outings at the dog park, every other day at noon, get shorter tho. I take my cues from him as to when he's had enuf.

Hope u get SOME relief down there from the heat this summer. When it gets over 90F up here I wouldn't leave the house!  lol


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## Indiana

It gets really hot where we live too, and so I agree with Countryboy, I just take our dogs on grassy walks and runs when it's that hot. It's better on his developing joints anyway! You could try boots too, I suppose, a lot of people use them in the winter time; I've never used them, but why not. We go for our runs at 5:30 a.m. all year long, but it's especially important to avoid the really hot times. I imagine what it would be like to wear a hot wool sweater everywhere I went like a poodle does, even if you clip it short for summer; yuck! Swimming is also good cool exercise for poodles, our dogs love it. And A/C inside is wonderful during the day


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## JudyD

I took Jazz for a three-mile walk last week, in the early afternoon. It was sunny, in the high 80s, and there are some steep climbs, but she's young, and I figured anything I can do (I'm not young), she could manage. We do this walk regularly, and she has walked as far as five miles with me, with no problems. I noticed about halfway through that she was panting a lot, more than usual. Soon after that, she began to lag a bit. Then she moved over into the weeds and had a BM, slightly loose. Then she walked a bit further, got over into the weeds again, and lay down, panting hard. I let her rest for a few minutes, went to the next patch of shade, and let her rest again, across from a neighbor's house. Luckily, the neighbor came home as we stood there, and offered to get her some water. Jazz drank just a few laps of water and seemed to feel better, so we walked slowly the rest of the way home. She was fine the rest of the day.

My husband thinks she can't tolerate heat well because of her black coat. She's clipped quite short, but not shaved, which you'd think would be more comfortable, but I've read that some dogs do better in the heat with a longer coat, because it insulates them. Have any of you with black dogs noticed that heat bothers them unduly? What about short versus long coats?


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## pinkteaji

Nova is a black and white parti but her head is full black so she has trouble with the heart even though we walked where it was 90% trees and shade. We walked three miles and was walking back and she was panting badly and went over to the grassy area and laid down. Luckily we had water with us but definitely I never seen her do that when we used to go hiking in the.mts. I think the heat got to.her. same thing happened with My white spoo Shelton. He laid down too and actually he started lagging really bad. Never seen him walk that slow before. I really think it's just the heat and also keeping cold water for them

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## Lou

When Lou has a play date in a warm day I make sure I have a big bottle of water and a bowl and even yummy treats to get her attention if need be. I am not experienced but i'm afraid of the heat and of the cold, so I wont let Lou out for more than a few minutes at a time in hot days or in the winter days... Than back in the house where it's always 68F to 73F
Thats just me though LOL


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## Gary5

If you live in a dry climate, evaporative cooling vests like this Cool Vest or the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler are effective. If you live in a humid climate, this RPCM Chilly Pup works much better. I have the human version and love it, so I'll probably order a Chilly Pup for Eddie.

...adding: The RPCM vests weigh about half the shipping weight shown in the ads.


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## Dawnsohma

i live in WA were is only hot for like 2 months out of the year and even then its not crazy hot. the problem is no on has A/C in there homes!!! lol so its blazing hot in my aprt. i use these...

The Cool Pet Pad for Dogs and Cats | eBay

as far as outside goes i read that if you touch the sidewalk and it feels hot to your hand dont walk your dog it will burn there feet. sooo pretty much the only time you could walk them with that kind of heat is in the am or late pm.


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## The Opera Poodle

I live downtown Houston so dealing with dogs in the concrete jungle is something I've had to learn to do. I did keep my dogs shaved down for the summer. Plus, I use Mushers Secret on their paw pads before we go out for a walk. Even with them shaved down and paw balm, I don't take them out on sidewalks except early morning and evenings. I'm lucky to have dog parks with ponds if we want to take a midday outing. 


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## WhosMyFluffyPuppy

JudyD said:


> Have any of you with black dogs noticed that heat bothers them unduly? What about short versus long coats?


I've always thought my dog was over-warm when he had a longer coat in the summer, and perks up when his coat os cut to an inch all around. It also helps his "cooling abilities" that he's in the water a lot during the summer. He's also much easier to dry and get the mud off with shorter hair!


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## Vixen

My dogs all have shoes for the scorching summer months and even then we don't do very long walks except in the evenings/mornings and I always take water. I was just told at Misha's class last Thursday that to cool down a dog you wet the feet, belly, and bum. Apparently wetting down a dog's back actually attracts more heat from the sun. I found that interesting. Also, I always take the dogs' water even for what I think will be a short walk. Better safe than sorry.

Here is Vixen wearing her summer shoes.


























Sorry for the photo spam. She's just too cute not to share. Can you believe this pretty girl's dad is a 60lb spoo?


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## Lene

OMG... what a cute dog...


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## Dallasminis

Those doggie shoes are so funny and useful. For us, it gets very hot in Dallas. We walk on the grass, not the sidewalk on neighborhood walks and we've been known to rest under someone's shade tree when it's wicked hot in August and September. For our off leash run it's on the school field and I bring water and a bowl. They drink alot and have rest periods in the shade, they seem to know when they've had enough. Except for Indie, the ball obsessor, I have to make her rest until she's not panting so much...


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## Kenzie

*Exercise*

We live in northwest Florida. We are a short walk to a bayou (no alligators at this location, too many people). Pierre loves to swim for exercise. Only problem is he has to get a bath every time so we only do it about once a week. Other days it is a few Frisbee throws in the grass. No long walks in the heat around here, its just too hot. Find some water. Poodles love to swim


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## pinkteaji

@vixen omgod cutest dog ever!! I absolutely love those gold shoes!!!!!!! 

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## HerdingStdPoodle

*How to Stay Cool*

Great Question!

- I freeze a water bottle and put it in my Spoo's kennel
- If I stop near a river, I take my hand and soak his head and belly
- Lots of shade and grass
- Hike near streams
- Early early morning exercise
- My Spoo loves to stand in the sprinkler
- Kiddie Pools are great
- Dairy Queen Puppy cones!
- Drink lots and lots of water

HerdingStdPoodle


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## pinkteaji

I used to wet a hankerchied, rung the.excess.water.out, and then froze it. Then I put it around my dogs neck so that the triangle part sets on the back so it's nice and cool when we go outside in the sun  

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## Carrie-e

Oh how lovely! What a dear little dog! Love those shoes,such a clever idea. When my wonderful standard Harley had to have two toes amputated,he had problems with his nails,we bought him special dog socks to wear in the house so his nails didn't catch on the tiles. He loved wearing them,used to wag his tail when I put them on. We do anything for our dogs don't we! I had a little toy poodle who became incontinent at 10,and wore nappies until he died at 15. It solved the problem and he even had a denim wrap around to go over the nappy, he looked quite cute!


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## pap2labc

Central Florida here...if we're going for walks on any asphalt or concrete, we get up at 5-5:30 to do it. Unless it's been raining for a while during the day, even once the sun goes down the asphalt holds a lot of heat and it's just not comfortable for me or the dogs.  Other than that we play lots of games in the house and they run around on the grass for short periods....


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## Ainsley

I wanted to say thanks for all the great replies. I posted this just before we left on vacation and forgot about it when we came back. Luckily it hasn't been a hot summer so far and has only hit 100 twice! We are going for a walk in the am around 7-10 then an evening walk around 8 and it's been working well. He does stop at every bit of shade like "whew, this is nice" then moves on.


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## wai_lai416

the temperature gets quite warm in my apartment.. so i bought my tpoo a portable a/c with all the custom mounting and everything just to keep my little girl comfortable at home. apartment with giant clear glass and windows that cranks open only about 2 inches + facing west with a clear view = an oven in the apartment :dontknow: cost me about 700bux for the a/c and custom window mounts for the hoses  big investment for just a few weeks in the summer ~~ time to take the little girl for a haircut this week so i don't have to have the A/C on all summer


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## murphys

It's hot and humid here in CT. I'm finding that when I take Fritz for a moderate hike in open space around a lake here, he starts to drool within 20 min. I have been limiting the walks to early morning or late afternoon (most of the time we are under the tree canopy). I also carry water for him and I. He recovers quickly once in the ac car.


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## hunny518

I live in western Washington where we rarely get hot. 70 degrees is scorching around here.. Lol but this summer has been great!!( I love the heat!) we have had mid 80s-low 90s- for weeks now and seems like its going to stay that way for awhile. Unfortunately for Aria, she has a thick coat and she is in the continental for show. So, I've been soaking her belly in cool water and keeping an eye on her. So far she seems to be handling it well. Thankfully we are one of the very few homes in western wa who have central A/C so our house is nice and cool.


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## Specman

Max is a black an I am amazed at how quickly his hair up in the sunlight. Even on a moderately warm day!


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## Critter

The SD group I'm in has mentioned special cooling coats/collars and I've seen something called Musher's Wax for dog feet, supposed to handle all terrains. Those are a couple of suggestions, but I haven't had a chance to try either. Has any one else? Heat can't always be avoided with SDs, as they stay with their handler, so this is an important matter to consider.


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## powertothepoodle

If your dog has a short haircut I would suggest some doggie sunscreen. I have been thinking about using it on my apricot mini poodle since his hair is so short.


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