Cool Hot Weather Dog Training Tips
Dressing your dog in a giraffe costume is not recommended....
Good article at gundogmag.com, worth a full read. Here are a few highlights that stood out for us, either paraphrased or quoted.
> In training, your dog works harder than you do. So watch out when the temp gets 65 degrees for pointers, and 70 for retrievers. Be especially careful if a dog is out of shape.
> “If the weather’s too warm for you, it’s way too warm for your dog….”
> An overheated dog can die very quickly if not cooled down. Thus you should watch for the early symptoms and take immediate action if they appear. Initially, your dog will start panting more and more profusely. If not cooled down, he will next start wobbling around in circles. Then he’ll have a seizure and collapse, after which he will die within minutes.
> Hal Cheney of Linden Kennels said, “When your dog shows the first signs of overheating,†he said, “stop training, get him out of the sun, give him a drink of water, and start wetting him down thoroughly. As you soak him, rub the water down into his skin with your hand. And then, above all, learn from that experience. Don’t ever let it happen again!â€
> “I’ve found that rubbing a little alcohol in his ears…helps cool him down,†said Roger Buddin of Big Country Kennel.
> In warm weather, scenting conditions are usually poor…so don’t expect too much of your dog. Mornings and evenings are the best times to train under such conditions.
> Greg Lister of Innisfree Kennels said, “When carrying a bird, the dog cannot pant, which is how a dog cools down.â€
> “One good shady spot,†he said, “is the front seat of your vehicle, with the air conditioning running full blast, blowing cool air on him.â€
> “Don’t give many reruns in summer. Dogs can’t learn when they’re not focused.”
> To keep your dog cool while traveling to and from the training grounds, Hal recommends plenty of ventilation plus perhaps frozen milk jugs full of water in the dog’s crate. He will lick them and rub against them.
Category: Dogs in general, Tips
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
My summer training tactic is to keep it short and sweet. 20 minutes in the woods where there’s shade. Keep it positive, so the dog can learn even though it’s hot out. Many things, like manners, can be reinforced indoors, at home, too. And if you’re lucky enough to have an indoor A/Ced training room you can work some other things a bit longer. I’ve been doing L & R retrieves, and “back” with hand signals indoors. This is a great time of year to do water work too. The dog will stay cool, and have an endless water supply. Swimming is fantastic conditioning too. The best part is jumping in and swimming around with the pup after the training is done. Hmmm,…Think I know what I’ll be doing tomorrow.
Just got back from training with my dogs at the gun club. It was a cool overcast morning with temps around 70. We worked on water retrieves in the lake and field work with frequent swims. Then while the dogs were staked out by the truck watching l shot a few rounds of sleet. I try to do this a least once a week this time of year.
Mike