-photo by Ethan Banks
WHAT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT
With the news on the horizon that an Indian Summer is set to hit us in September, I’d like to share my tips on keeping my girls as comfortable as possible. When exercising during those more frequent bursts of hot and warm weather we have been having lately we must remember that our pets are not acclimatised to the bouts of heat. Keep in mind, you may be loving the sunshine blazing down on you, but your pet may be struggling.
I have energetic young/middle-aged, medium-sized dogs, mainly Border Collies. Please know your breed type and any medical issues that may surround that breed, as I am sharing my thought processes relating to my dogs. Please take into account a dog’s age and breed type when determining whether it is safe to exercise during warm weather. You know your own dog and its personality better than anyone else.
As most of my friends know, my dogs are literally my world.
Most of the time I think we are blue-tooth connected, they are stuck to me like glue… but I’m sure that’s the same for most of you canine-friendly people who find being covered in fluff and fuzz a normality.
Therefore, it’s essential that their health and safety are our main priority when it comes to exercising during the summer months. It’s well known that our bundles of hyperactivity and zero common sense cannot regulate their own amount of running like loonies and we have to be the grown-ups and assess the conditions, type of exercise, location, essentials needed, and for how long they are exercising.
Tips on how I keep my dogs safe:
Condition
16-19 Centigrade | 60-66 Fahrenheit – generally safe.
20-23 Centigrade | 68 – 73 Fahrenheit – at risk of getting heat stroke if exercised too rigorously.
24-27 Centigrade | 75 – 80 Fahrenheit – extreme caution (personally – at home training/no walk)
Unsure? if you are too hot then almost certainly too hot for your dog (remember they have unremovable coats and no footwear). Check out how hot the ground is… try grounding – take your footwear off and walk barefoot for 5 seconds. If too hot for you, too hot for your dog.
Walking on grass is a lot cooler than tarmac, pavements, and artificial grass. During hot weather, the cooling effect can be as much as 24 degrees centigrade. This is due to the grass absorbing the light, and having a lower solar reflectance. The grass is also able to retain more water than tarmac and releases the water via transpiration which again helps with the cooling effect.
Source: Science Direct
Type of exercise
So my small pack are loonies, who enjoy nothing more than running around like maniacs, chasing balls, each other, and their floating trainer toy when at the pond. But, during warm days I will leave their balls and toys behind and allow them to dictate their own walk, not encouraging their natural prey drive or to chase / herd.
Location
If the sun is shining and I’m warm, then generally I will select a walk that has a natural canopy (woodland) where the trees are naturally dropping the temperature due to nature’s sunshade. If you can visit a stream or pond this can also assist in cooling those hyper cuties down. If unable to visit woodland I would drive them to an open green area, where there is no need for them to walk on the warm pavement or tarmac, and allow them to meander the open green area at their own pace.
Essentials
Even though on warm days we will gravitate to water… ponds, streams, etc, I will always take a liberal supply of fresh water for them to drink before walking back to the air-conditioned van.
At least 2 liters of water (I have 6 medium dogs) and foldable water bowls. Foldable bowls are easier to carry when you already have liters of water in your dog walking bag.
How long
As I’m so in tune with my girls (dogs) I can usually ascertain that they’ve had enough. But, as a rule, if it’s a warm day (remember to check the temperature) between 20-23 degrees centigrade (68-73 F) personally I wouldn’t exercise them for longer than 20 – 30 minutes, even if it’s a passive walk. Remember, a missed walk or two is far better than dealing with a dog who has overheated.
Enjoy and Connect with Nature
Whilst walking your dogs, enjoy your surroundings and ‘be at one’ with the beautiful nature around you. The sights and scents, take time to feel the breeze or the sun rays hitting your face. Personally, kicking off that footwear and practicing grounding (learn more about grounding by clicking the link below).
https://nomadify.co.uk/grounding-connect-with-nature/
Having this healthy connection with nature does not only positively affect us, but also gives us an appreciation of our natural world, the way we live, and how we can positively and negatively affect it. In realising this we can make small changes within our lives to improve and sustain our planet for future generations.
Visit nomadify.co.uk to learn more ways to enjoy nature or visit BillAustinMedia.com for fun.