The temperatures here are still within the tolerable range 72 - 74.

When the extreme heat wave hits, I usually cut down on the leash walks and head for the cooler woods. On those trips I bring a water bottle filled half and half with ice/water.

At home we use the garden hose to keep cool. (No A/C here!) Last year I bought a kiddie pool thinking Yukon would enjoy cooling off in that. Nope, the only time he went in is when I threw treats and toys in or got in there myself.

[quote=OnePawtoAnother]Here in good ole N. Louisiana it is just Hot Hot, our days are usually in the upper 90's to lower 100's daily.

Yep! I'm your neighbor. Shreveport. It's hot as "the hinges..."

Jack and Sofie don't get their ball play much, but they do like to cool off in water.

Great topic! I am always afraid of leaving the window AC on if a t-storm has been announced. Metal sticking out, lightning? But gotta, it's just too hot. Thoughts, advice?

With Feli I got up at sunrise and drove down to the river, the only place during heat waves that still had some kind of a breeze.
With Chip I walk in the evening.

And doggie ice cream! The ones without additives. Or plain vanilla, yum!

AC is full blast, ice in the water bowls (multiple bowls around), pool is filled with ice and water on the balcony, lots of frozen toys. We do a lot of short walks and play sessions in the nice cool house. Swimming, hiking in the bush (cooler in the bush) are all things we do to keep cool in the heat.

If the dogs are outside, I have at least one full water trough. I spray down the patio (so it's not hot on their feet when they are drinking), spray the grass, or just spray the dogs. I do not work them and I let them move freely so they can go in the shade. There is also a moratorium on the digging ban so the dogs can find cool soil. I don't use ice or ice water as I've read this can cramp their stomachs? I just use water from the hose (spray out all the hot stagnant water first).

Inside, we've never had AC before recently (and even then don't usually run it b/c our house is tall and 75 years old so it does nothing). The basement always stays cool, so sometimes I gate the dogs down there for their own comfort (otherwise they'd rather follow me around the house or out in the sun). I leave an oscillating fan on.

At night, I leave the bedroom door open so they are free to find a comfortable spot. Nikon still insists on sleeping on the floor next to me, so I have a small fan sitting on the floor that is for him.

If we go on walks or train, I wait until the sun is below the houses.

The heat and sun is not so much the issue for my dogs but the humidity really gets to them. Sometimes it's just so hot and humid that even wetting them down doesn't help much. In generally I just make sure there is constant access to water and shade.

We always have the ac on nice and cool like 65 and he likes to lay on the tile by the door. I fill his water nice and cold and put ice in it a few times a day.

A friend just told me that a friend of his took his dog for a walk (Atlanta,Ga) and the dog died of heat stroke.

Don't know the details but you have to be careful in this heat.

We've been over 100º here with heat index up to 110º.

I try to just let my dogs wander the yard with me a couple of times a day and I have a pool so they can cool off.

They're going nuts getting so little exercise, but better that than heatstroke.

Max has been hanging out in the nice cool ac. Dad lets him out to do what needs doin' and maybe a frisbee toss or two but then its back into the ac. I tried a walk last night around 10pm but we got a block before Max was tripping over his tongue and I got tired of chewing the air before breathing it (temp was 87 and humidity was 95+) He was actually ready to turn around. He ended up doing steps: running up and down and up and down the carpeted steps in the house. Probably not the best idea but his energy levels needed tapped. He looked happy while he was doing it so we just let him go

We had his pool out before this heat wave hit. Dad said he just laid out there all day but its too hot even in the water right now. There's no shade until evening and its been too hot even then.

I'm pondering having a sleep over at my apt. for Max tonight (shhh, don't tell the landlord). That way, maybe we can get to the park at sunrise when it opens and have a bit of a romp before the heat knocks us both out.

Today was finally a little cooler but still very warm out. DnQ haven't been getting walks because of the heat. I have just been taking them out for short periods a couple of times when I get home from work. As much as Daisy loves outdoors she's running back up the steps to the door. lol Queen will sit under a tree in the yard (very shaded) ... I guess they are adjusting I haven't had a hard time to get them to go out at least. They were backing away from the door at one time.

Question on shepherds I heard that they love water .. we have a pool and one concern I used to have was I didn't want them to get in it because of the hair but they want no parts of it. They just run circles around it when I'm swimming they do love the water hose though.

We've had more than 20 days straight over over 100-degree temps. Some days it stays over 100 from 10 in the morning until 7:30 or 8pm.

We've become vampires. We take the dogs out for walks in full dark, usually around 9pm. During the day, we all stay inside and when the dogs go out, they come right back in.

In my neighborhood, and outside dog died from heat stroke.

We're doing lots of fetch, hide and seek, and obedience in the house.

OK,more heat stuff -- cooler today but due to soar again next week. So we have emptied the pool twice. Then in for a while (she didn't want to leave it) then back out laying in the damp earth from the pool (she digs the water out).
A few days ago I let her out when I had the pulse sprinkler on. I should have video-taped it! But I don't want her going full tilt even in water in this heat.

It's too hot to take her on trail rides with a newer horse. (With my old mare she'd have done fine because we could have gone for a very short ride. - Mr. new guy needs more than that or he'll get sour.)

Yeh i agree with Tarheel.. i have a big container of ice in his bowl for sax... and also he has fun trying to catch the water with the hose! when i wash the car, it cools him down ... i also brush him every day against the grain as it helps with the undercoat.. walks early morn and late arvo after sundown... its a nice cool day today in rutherford nsw... rainy and 16.5 deg C and he is inside lol

I got a kiddie pool to place under our tree for those hot summer days that DH and I would be gone all day. I used to take her on walks in the mornings but that was before my work hours changed and I wouldd have to walk the dog in the dark (not a good idea for a pregnant woman!)so I'm not walking her in the mornings anymore. I am going to hit the park in the evenings when it's cooler and on super-hot days that the dog needs a good long walk, I just drive a bit further to hit the wooded trails so Abbey can stay cool.

If we're going to be gone for several hours or less, we'd just leave her inside where it's cool.