Temperatures

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Hope we can stop this from being a judgemental thread, but I'm interested in people's personal guidelines about temperature and how high it has to be for you to pull the pin. Can you say what breed you're showing, and if it's different for different breeds you show. Or if it's more to do with your comfort than how well the dog will cope with it. Also, what cooling equipment do you routinely use.

So I'll start off, I have Salukis and they cope well in the heat, but I don't! So I will generally bail on a show that is going to be mid 30's or above but that is more to do with me than them. I will also consider what I know about the grounds. If there is plenty of tree shade I am more likely to go in hot weather than if it's a football oval baking in the sun. In our show kit are crate fans, silver shade and a water spray bottle for misting.

[Bjelkier]

The Samoyeds actually cope better in the heat then I do (I say this on a mid 30s day and two of the Sammys are trying to snuggle up with me on the lounge WTF? :laugh: ) but my cut off is generally anything over 35. Dry heat is easier to handle then a really humid day.

As for what we use to keep everyone cool. Silvermesh sides (best invention EVER!), a fan for each dog, cool beds and ice water.

[Allerzeit]

Pretty much anything over 30 degrees is too hot for me and the dogs to be running around outside. I don't love showing enough to bother with it when it gets to around that level :) Even obedience assessment last weekend - it was 27 degrees and I spent the entire time while waiting to go in for assessment trying to keep Radar shaded so he wouldn't be a wilted flower in the ring! Darn black dogs! :laugh:

[Keshwar]

Irish Wolfhound anything above 25C

Afghan Hound 27 - 28C

Strangely enough same equipment as SSM :)

[Keshwar]

Pretty much anything over 30 degrees is too hot for me and the dogs to be running around outside. I don't love showing enough to bother with it when it gets to around that level :) Even obedience assessment last weekend - it was 27 degrees and I spent the entire time while waiting to go in for assessment trying to keep Radar shaded so he wouldn't be a wilted flower in the ring! Darn black dogs! :laugh:

Funny story about obedience, black dogs and hot temps.

My black Afghan took himself off to the shade in the middle of the down stay in a trial. The Judge and lined all the dogs up in the sun, he decided it was too hot in the sun and slowly got up, moved to the shade and resumed the stay. Perfectly sensible in my mind not so the judge. :laugh:

[Chezy]

my dogs cope quite well in the heat and we only hide after it goes over 35

the agility comp for sat evening has been cancelled, I would have done it , at 7pm would have been round the 30 mark as predicted , my dogs would hasve been fine , i am sure others would not .

My older girl would not have gone she would have been home in the aircon :laugh: , but the younger competing 2 would have been fine . i dont mind the heat either

eta I have a kelpie and a kelpie x rottx ridge , mutley mutts thats will work in the paddock with me whatever the weather

Edited November 30, 2012 by Chezy & Chopper

[espinay2]

Pyrenean Mountain Dogs - I tend to pull out in the mid 20s (25 to 27 degrees at most generally).

Means I don't show much at all in Summer. For me it is not worth it.

The dogs don't like the heat and don't show well in it. By the time they get to Group they are well and truly over it and on 'go slow'. I would rather they enjoy themself and be comfortable.

I HATE the heat and don't do well in it (yep, a born and bred Queenslander - go figure! :laugh: ) .

I may do the odd show here and there (Royals etc or the odd night show) but that is about it.

We show a lot more in winter when we can all freeze and be happy :D

But then I generally dont show in the rain either ..... (though the dogs wouldn't care either way about that one!)

Edited to add - cooling equipment I use is silver sides and top, fans for the crates, ice bottles and ice for licking, plenty of water, and I use x pens with no mats apart from the gazebo mat so they have plenty of room to stretch out and a fairly cool surface to lie on. I try to set up in the shade if I can and whre there will hopefully be a breeze.

Edited November 30, 2012 by espinay2

[Allerzeit]

Pretty much anything over 30 degrees is too hot for me and the dogs to be running around outside. I don't love showing enough to bother with it when it gets to around that level :) Even obedience assessment last weekend - it was 27 degrees and I spent the entire time while waiting to go in for assessment trying to keep Radar shaded so he wouldn't be a wilted flower in the ring! Darn black dogs! :laugh:

Funny story about obedience, black dogs and hot temps.

My black Afghan took himself off to the shade in the middle of the down stay in a trial. The Judge and lined all the dogs up in the sun, he decided it was too hot in the sun and slowly got up, moved to the shade and resumed the stay. Perfectly sensible in my mind not so the judge. :laugh:

Pfft! I would have given him extra points for smarts!

[aussielover]

Doesn't the ANKC have guidelines for when an event should be cancelled?

This is the dogs NSW one:

No show/trial is to commence until such time as the temperature is below 40° Celsius

During the day, should the temperature reach 40° Celsius then the show/trial is to cease forthwith

Yes the HDAC agility trial has been cancelled this sat evening as it is predicted to reach over 40 degrees in that area during the day.

I personally don't think it would have been too bad in the evening but I am very heat tolerant and my dog runs fine in the heat as long as she can be cooled off after with a wet towel or similar.

But I totally understand the decision as I think a lot of dogs don't know when to stop themselves and sometimes we have to step in and do whats best for them. I know my dog will keep chasing a ball until near collapse and I have seen other dogs do it as well.

[Diva]

I seldom show but anything over 30 will make me think twice, depending on what time of the day my breed is likely to be on, how long the show is likely to last in total, whether there is good shade at the grounds and near the ring, and how far we have to travel to get there.

Equipment - silver mesh sides for the gazebo and crates, crate fans for each dog, 'polar' cool mats for each dog, lots of cool water and a spray bottle. I have one of the silver mesh cool coats but have never used it, and one of the ones you wet which I just don't like much. I carry some electrolyte mix but have never felt the need to use it. Also lots of sunscreen, fluids and a hat for me.

My Borzoi actually cope pretty well in the heat. Better than I do.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Diva

[Alyosha]

The Borzoi don't do extreme heat with any joy at all.

But, in saying that I have been to shows on very hot days and found they are probably more comfortable.

A few years back springs to mind - Black Saturday in Vic, and sweltering in NSW as well. We only had three dogs at that stage, an a house with no aircon. The garage underneath was normally pretty cool but nowhere was on that day. So we packed kids and dogs in the car (7 seater van, some seats were lifted out for dog space) and drove 3 hrs to Sydney. The car aircon was bliss and the dogs were very happy. We stopped and bought a couple of bags of ice on the way.

At the show the kids had one tub-trug with ice and water, the dogs had another. Start time was delayed until temp dropped to 35 (I think!! It was over 40 when we arrived). We were soooo much more comfortable, both humans and dogs. And the evening turned out beautifully once the breeze crept up and the temp started to creep down.

Whereas now we have aircon, but a much smaller house. Having our seven big dogs together in there with us and kids simply doesn't work, although it would in an emergency.

Last night when the temp dropped just a little (still over 30...) the dogs got excited and did a few laps when I got home from work. Then they were really feeling it and I had to soak two of them with the hose. Lucky I got home just then as OH was busy with kids etc and may not have had a chance to notice them overheating so quickly.

So I will go showing tomorrow. Just Boris and I. He will travel with me in the aircon. Then at the show he'll love sitting in a crate with fan, a wet sheet underneath him, a wet one over the crate top and getting spritzed every few minutes. He just laps it up. Plus I will be close by to watch for any signs of overheating, which is a load off my mind.

So I think it's very hard to generalise. Certainly I don't plan to take a team to shows in summer - 1 or 2 usually, although three fit comfortably in my big wagon with the rear seats folded flat and the aircon on. It's getting them out of the car that's the trcky bit!! My trailer doesn't get used over summer.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Alyosha

[*Lolapalooza*]

Mid 20's is the cut off for my bernese, too hot for me especially

I have generator with industrial fans, cool coats, shade mesh etc and used them when it was 22 degrees 2 weeks ago :laugh:

Some dogs seem to still show a treat in the heat ..not mine though

[Saffioraire]

Equipment - silver mesh sides for the gazebo and crates, crate fans for each dog, 'polar' cool mats for each dog, lots of cool water and a spray bottle. I have one of the silver mesh cool coats but have never used it, and one of the ones you wet which I just don't like much. I carry some electrolyte mix but have never felt the need to use it. Also lots of sunscreen, fluids and a hat for me.

Slightly sorry. What exactly is a polar cool mat & where is the best place to get a good quality cool mat?

[Diva]

Equipment - silver mesh sides for the gazebo and crates, crate fans for each dog, 'polar' cool mats for each dog, lots of cool water and a spray bottle. I have one of the silver mesh cool coats but have never used it, and one of the ones you wet which I just don't like much. I carry some electrolyte mix but have never felt the need to use it. Also lots of sunscreen, fluids and a hat for me.

Slightly sorry. What exactly is a polar cool mat & where is the best place to get a good quality cool mat?

I use these ones, they are not cheap but I have really found them to be very good. I have ones about half the size of their mats/show pens and they move on or off as they want to, so they don't get too cold.

I am sure there are other, probably cheaper, options.

cool mats

efs

Edited November 30, 2012 by Diva

[Dellcara]

mid 30's for me (Cavalier KCS) ....

yes - I have seen some dogs cope very well in the heat .. I'd rather mine were in the comfort of their own home.

[Saffioraire]

Thanks Diva. They don't look that expensive.

If I can add a question on top of SSM question of equipment - what crates do people use for showing in Summer? I normally have a c-crate but was about to get huge soft crates for each dog instead. Do people find soft crates stay cool enough (With a cool mat in there?)

[Diva]

Thanks Diva. They don't look that expensive.

They probably aren't. I'm just used to being told I spend too much on my dogs (which is true, lol).

I can't answer about soft crates, I use the wire ones, or just have the dog out with me if I am only showing one.

I have wondered if the soft ones would allow enough air ciruclation in summer, although some say they are insulated so maybe they are better.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Diva

[Bjelkier]

I actually find the soft crates get hotter then the usual metal ones or trolleys.

[Bisart Dobes]

Thanks Diva. They don't look that expensive.

If I can add a question on top of SSM question of equipment - what crates do people use for showing in Summer? I normally have a c-crate but was about to get huge soft crates for each dog instead. Do people find soft crates stay cool enough (With a cool mat in there?)

Soft crates are much hotter for our dogs. Don't use them over summer at all.

[Bisart Dobes]

About 30 does it for me - the dogs (Dobes) about 32 depends on the humidity. I would't even consider it if the forecast was in the mid 30's.

Cool mats (Silver Eagle), Cool coats (Silver Eagle), Fans, Silver Sides etc etc - Trailer is well insulated but has a cooling extractor fan which keeps temp to 21.

Still won't bother if its too hot and this is why I generally only enter 2 dogs over summer - Dogs can travel in car in aircon, easier to look after them well and negates worrying about losing hundreds of $$$ if the event is cancelled.