Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 We have a long coat GSD pup and he is not good in this heat, last night (he sleeps in a crate in our room) he was panting so hard we put him in the en-suite so he could lie on the tiles which really helped. Today he is just moving from spot to spot around the house and flopping down panting away, he has a shell pool outside is there anything else I can do to help him cool down? Other than giving him a No1 with the clippers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 How hot is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Its about 31 today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest english.ivy Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 My Belgian Shepherd is fine in 35+ Perth weather and she has a double coat. She's jet black too. She's been through three Perth summers and shes fine and dandy Just make sure he has plenty of water around and gets lots of rest. You can buy cooling mats but the weather should start to cool down soon, we hope! What is his bedding? Maybe what he's sleeping on is keeping the heat in? Ivy sleeps on a silky feeling bedding and that helps her a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Shaving wouldn't help as it's the undercoat that will be keeping him warm. Has he shed properly this summer? Get a coat rake onto him and get out as much undercoat as you can. In the meantime, ice to chew and a damp shady place to lie in a cross breeze - be that wet towel on tiles with a fan going or damp sand under a bush outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Thanks Sandra, will try the wet towel. He's only 10 weeks so no shedding as yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mish13 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Get some empty plastic milk bottles or soft drink bottles and fill them with water ( not to the top allow room to expand) and freeze. Put them in the crate with him and he will lay up against them and they will help to keep him cool. Also a fan might help, I am in Qld and mine all stay cool by being in my family room on the tiles. By the way your puppy is very cute, I had two shepherds about 25 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Get some empty plastic milk bottles or soft drink bottles and fill them with water ( not to the top allow room to expand) and freeze. Put them in the crate with him and he will lay up against them and they will help to keep him cool. Also a fan might help, I am in Qld and mine all stay cool by being in my family room on the tiles. By the way your puppy is very cute, I had two shepherds about 25 years ago. Thanks mish he is sweet and great nature too so calm. Great tips I'll try that tonight . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelaa17 Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I think this has been suggested but you can actually fill up a ice cream container (probably a small one at this stage but once he gets bigger it can be one of the 1kg tubs) and fill it with water. Put bits of cheese and other food he might like in with the water and put it in the freezer. next day you can tip it out as a frozen block and hopefully you're puppy will just sit there and lick it. Plus - the food will most likely float on the very top or sit on the very bottom which means in almost no time at all he will start tasting the flavours of the food you put in which will keep him licking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Our long coated husky does fine in this heat Rebus should be fine, lots of water and shade. I let my girl moderate her temp, she knows best. She loves her clam shell pool on a hot day (or a mild day or a cold day ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 just don't give him thick warm bedding - make sure he can CHOOSE a cool spot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCPuppy Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Lots of good advice, I worried about Marlin as she has very BIG hair I try to make sure that she is combed every couple of days to minimise the undercoat, shaving was not an option. She has now gone through her second summer, and we have lots of days where it is over 40. She is very good at finding the coolest spots, we allow her inside so she is happy when the aircon is on, she likes the deck when the breeze is up, and spends lots of time in the bathroom on the tiles. I worried about exessive panting, but the vet assured me it was a normal cooling mechanism. We are lucky in that we can take her to the beach daily but the clam pool and lots of shade.work for her too. In fact for a time the ocean was too warm - 30degrees! Fans are good too. Ice blocks are great, I use butter containers, and sometimes put a little stock in the water as well as treats. On days when even the clam pool water is hot just hose his belly and legs down. I did buy one of the gel cooling pads from daily deals, and they do work but she will only lie on it with a towel over the top, she just moves everytime a spot becomes warm. I have been known to rub ice cubes on her belly which she thought was divine Walks are only very early morning and evening, even then sometimes it was too hot and she would let me know by dragging her feet behind me with head down It will soon be cool again and your puppy will love it, there are lots of people on here with long and double coated dogs living in the tropics, they do adapt. Gorgeous looking boy btw! Edited April 8, 2011 by BCPuppy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Wow great advice lots of ideas that I wouldn't have thought of love the idea of make an ice block with treats in it. Thanks everyone Esky - will need to meet up soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninahartland Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Your pup looks gorgeous...reminds me of my boy when I first got him. We live up in the heat although its not too hot now summers over. Gus copes quite well and his coat is very thick, he doesn't particularly like being brushed but I always try and get his thick undercoat out in the summer. They usually find a cool spot to sleep, tiles in the bathroom is his favourite spot in summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poochmad Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Before we got our air con upstairs, we used to put wet towels in the crates and aim a fan at the beds. That seemed to keep them cool. Another good idea is to get a cool mat (the same people who make cool vests), but the good thing about getting the cool mat, is that the dog can scrunch it out of the way should they get too cold, which they can't do if they are wearing a vest. We were told that by our breeder and it made sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianed Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) I,ve got a long coat and she manages fine. I have a furminator comb and use that each spring and summer, to get her undercoat hair out. I dont believe in shaving them, I reckon it wrecks the coat. Plenty of hose downs or by the aircon on hots days. The panting thing you will grow used to, believe me. Its not only long coats that do it, my normal coat girl does it as well! Edited April 9, 2011 by dianed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornell Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I have found that some dogs feel the heat more than others. Just like some people feel the heat or cold more than others. I agree, please invest in a cooling mat. It is a life saver for my pup especially when we are traveling in the car. We found that they liked the Silver Eagle mats were the best. Also consider leaving the crate door open in the ensuite. We used a baby gate in the doorway of the ensuite to keep him safe in the beginning. PS Your pup is utterly adorable!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Will look into a cooling mat thanks again for the good advice. Cornell - His crate is in our room not the ensuite when we put him in the ensuite we used part of a playpen to stop him getting out. Last night we just left him to wander our room or the ensuite or his crate as he pleased I was worried he'd have an accident but he was fine . Your dog look gorgeous too I just wanted to add that I'm surprised that some of you actually took me seriously about the shaving!!! I was joking guys there's no way I would do that to him I thought I'd made it obvious I was joking with the little oh well just to confirm I was JOKING!!!!!! Edited April 8, 2011 by doggylovers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sooky Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 Where's the best place to get a cooling mat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 (edited) Thanks Sandra, will try the wet towel. He's only 10 weeks so no shedding as yet. That only traps the heat...get a proper cool coat/mat. Keep in mind, many dogs won't willingly lay on a wet item. Cooling mat: http://www.coolweave.com.au/k9_cooling_mats.htm Edited April 8, 2011 by MEH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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