Your GSD in summer - Heat

[TacomaGS]

I'm beginning to get worried about Tacoma, every summer she's been ok with the heat... but lately in Pa, it's been so ungodly hot. Tacoma is pretty much all black and yesterday she couldn't cool herself down at all, to the point where I was up with her till 2am trying everything I could but nothing seemed to help, I have friends who say shave her in summer... these past few years she's had her own baby pool to "swim" in.. (meaning she would go in... and lay there... for HOURS at a time)...

Is anyone else's black dog bad in summer/heat... and how do you handle it?


-Tracey

[GSD MOM]

Ace is all black. He gets hot fast. We limit how much time he spends outside during day light and save our walks for after the sun goes down. We also soak rags in cold water and put them on his belly to help him cool down.

[jocoyn]

I have a dark sable and a blanket black and live in SC where it is hot. Neither one has real heat problems though I can tell some less heat tolerance as they get older but Grim is working in the heat.

I have worked both dogs on a boat in the direct sun on 90 degree plus days where their coats were hot to the touch and they were fine. Actually excericse in heat more than sun seems to be harder and we take a lot of water breaks and forced rest. No issues outside but they always have shade.

First issue - if she really overheated that bad, she may have done some long term damage that will make her more susceptible to heat issues.

--Is her weight right
--what is her condition
--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons
--how old is she; it is harde for older dogs to handle heat
--does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?
--what was going on that kept you up until 2am?

[Lilie]

I have a 55 gallon drum that I cut into about 1/4. I fill it up with water and Hondo will stand with his front legs in it. He isn't really interested in a baby pool. Last year he just laid outside the plastic pool and chewed on the rim.

We place a fan both outside and inside that he can lay in front of.

Hondo isn't all black, but it gets really hot here in the south. When the weather begins to turn, it is the most difficult time for them to adjust. Same for us. You may find that she'll do a bit better as the months go by.

[CaseysGSD]

what about something like this for when she's outside The Chill Collar - Dog Beds, Dog Harnesses & Collars, Dog Clothes & Gifts for Dog Lovers | In The Company of Dogs

[TacomaGS]

Originally Posted by jocoyn

I have a dark sable and a blanket black and live in SC where it is hot. Neither one has real heat problems though I can tell some less heat tolerance as they get older but Grim is working in the heat.

I have worked both dogs on a boat in the direct sun on 90 degree plus days where their coats were hot to the touch and they were fine. Actually excericse in heat more than sun seems to be harder and we take a lot of water breaks and forced rest. No issues outside but they always have shade.

First issue - if she really overheated that bad, she may have done some long term damage that will make her more susceptible to heat issues.

--Is her weight right - she's about 95lbs or so... she BUILT, BIG... Probably could use to lose a few pounds which we're working on currently.
--what is her condition - she's still very active... she has a 2 yo pit bull and a jack X to play with
--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons - when she's at my parents house, she sleeps on the concrete in the basement... when she's over the boyfriends house (more and more lately) he farms so AC really isn't something he uses a lot... but the house isn't HOT hot... it's tolerable to sleep
--how old is she; it is harde for older dogs to handle heat - Coma is 4.5 years
--does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?
--what was going on that kept you up until 2am? - She was panting unlike anything I've ever herd her do... kept going up and down stairs, Downstairs is a little cooler, she actually got on the couch (the couch is right under a window) She NEVER gets up on that... so that was a HUGE red flag to me that she couldn't cool herself down... I had to let her out 2 times last night because of the amount of water she drank.

--Is her weight right - she's about 95lbs or so... she BUILT, BIG... Probably could use to lose a few pounds which we're working on currently.
--what is her condition - she's still very active... she has a 2 yo pit bull and a jack X to play with
--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons - when she's at my parents house, she sleeps on the concrete in the basement... when she's over the boyfriends house (more and more lately) he farms so AC really isn't something he uses a lot... but the house isn't HOT hot... it's tolerable to sleep
--how old is she; it is harde for older dogs to handle heat - Coma is 4.5 years
--does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?
--what was going on that kept you up until 2am? - She was panting unlike anything I've ever herd her do... kept going up and down stairs, Downstairs is a little cooler, she actually got on the couch (the couch is right under a window) She NEVER gets up on that... so that was a HUGE red flag to me that she couldn't cool herself down... I had to let her out 2 times last night because of the amount of water she drank.[/QUOTE]

I've thought about getting her one of those cooling dog beds... but I'm a little worried the other dogs will destroy it or kick her off of it... Any suggestions on good ones?

[jocoyn]

does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?

I really think her having that much trouble is way outside the norm and she should see the vet.

They get really hot playing but I have had dogs get hot enough that their ears were all red and the tongue started to widen and within 30 minutes on a cool floor they were back to normal.


She also may be overdoing it with the other dogs...maybe they need to be separated..... The fact that she was drinking water and peeing says well, not bloat.

OK Shade and moving air? I think that is more important than the bed.

[GSD MOM]

Any "red flag" from one of my dogs means a vet visit asap. Doesn't matter what any of us say. You know your dog and if she is acting that different from her normal I would take her to the vet.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

How long is she outside?

My dark dogs won't go outside in the heat.

[TacomaGS]

I'm thinking a vet app is in the near future... she needs her shots in may anyways so i'll just tie the two together. I forget the name of her food... it's from the vet.

She normally drinks a lot... I have a 3 gal mixing bowl we fill for her about 4 times a day... She's not dehydrated at all. She's in the house most of the day (she's at my parents house while I'm at work) and at night with me over the boyfriends house, windows are open so there is moving air.

I think tonight I'm going to try and put a fan of some sort up for her... maybe that will help her more than just the windows open... and maybe it will bring the other two dogs out of the room so they don't take up the bed... (to the point where they kick you out of bed - I hate it!)