Will my dog be ok in my back yard on the hot days this summer?? (Scotland: 2014, felony)

[Danbo1957]

Originally Posted by lemonegg

No I will not kill during a walk because she won't let me. I tried to take her for a walk this week in the late afternoon. I think it was around 80 or 90. Every couple of steps she would put the brakes on and try to go back.

On a 90 degree day cement sidewalks can get to 200+ degrees. Put your hand down on the sidewalk - that's what your dog's paws are dealing with...

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Heartworm, perhaps?

No, he didn't have any heartworm symptoms.

[kleppekleppe]

Originally Posted by Switch10

I have a german shepard mix, she's almost 1 year old. I have been leaving her in my fenced in back yard during the day when I'm at work. She has a gallon bucket full of water, and we have 3 large trees that provide plenty of shade.

I moved here from a very high elevation where the temps rarely reached the low 80's and there was practically 0 humidity. So leaving my dog outside in the summer was not an issue.

My question is should I leave her outside this summer, or put her inside where it's air conditioned??

Thanks,

Dave

It also depends on (1) do you have a covered back porch? and (2) the direction of the the porch. If it faces east, Mostly it should be fine. My back porch faces east and I can sit in the porch for the whole afternoon without any problem even in the hottest days...(I haven't installed a ceiling fan in my back porch yet.)

[Austindmbfan]

Wow, great question! We just moved here last Fall and so haven't been here in the true heat and about 2 mos ago bought a Great Pyreenes, I have noticed that already he is panting non stop and so this info really helped me too. Is it REALLY the law that you have to have a dog house? I have never heard that but you learn something new every day. Ice block idea is great. If it is the law to have a dog house does anyone have good ideas for where to buy one and how much they are? We have a very shaded backyard but it doesn't seem enough and he hates his crate so we keep him in the kitchen at night with baby gates.

[FueledByBlueBell]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

She HAS to stay in the house! Please talk to your vet, do research on the breed, English Bulldogs and similar breeds cannot handle the heat. Period.

Yes, there are dogs who can handle central texas heat and dogs who can acclimatize, you do not have one of those dogs! You have a house dog. A dog for whom even going for a walk during the summer can be dangerous. You will kill her if she is outside for extended periods of time during our summers (May to October).

Again, do your research, talk to breeders, vets, etc. English Bulldogs (French Bulldogs, pugs, Boston Bulls) cannot take the heat. Keep her inside!

No, bulldogs or other dogs with "folds", or thick fur (I have a chow/pit bull mix, for example), CANNOT stay outside in Texas even with the ice. PLEASE consult with your vet!

[dobie_mom]

I see a lot of folks mentioning shaving their double coated doggies! Their fur is what insulates them. Helps keep them cooler during the summer and warm during the winter. By shaving them all you will accomplish is a hot, sun burnt fur baby. Instead of having them shaved, go to your local groomer and have them do a shed treatment to release the dead under coat and If they have furry paw pads have them shaved. Dogs sweat from their pads and having the hair shaved out helps them out a lot. Besides all of that keep a baby pool full of fresh, cold, clean water and provide a place out of the sun. If tempts get too extreme move them inside info a create. They will thank you!

[Dagumol]

In a shaded yard with lots of water they are fine. When it gets over 95 it is just decent to let them inside though. You gotta be careful because Austin is a bleeding-heart City. There are people who have appointed themselves as animal police so-to-peak.

[A-Tex]

Why do you people even have dogs if you're planning on leaving them outside all day? This makes me sick.

[Trainwreck20]

We had dogs for years that never set foot (paw?) in the house. They were mostly mutts (i.e. not genetically challenged like many pure breeds) and never seemed to have any issues at all. They had shade and water, and this was 'back in the day' when the dogs were not typically fenced unless they had issues 'playing well with others'. The real travesty is that we have dogs but then confine them to a house/apartment/yard, usually by themselves, not that we don't air condition them....

[hillcountryheart]

Dogs can't sweat. If you've got plenty of room to roam (I mean like more than 1/2 acre) and a lot of choices for shady retreat.... maybe, but I'd never leave a dog unsupervised for nine hours in this heat. The dog needs a water source that is fail-proof. Outside loses all interest when the dog can't run and is spending most of its energy cooling off.