02/01/2018
When will owners get the point that hot days are not the day to suddenly decide you are going to walk the dog. 🤔
Just witnessed a man walking his Bulldog in 33 degree heat. The owner was oblivious to the fact his dog was not enjoying the walk. The sun may have gone down, but the air temperature was too much for this breed of dog.
Many years ago I personally witnessed a French Mastiff die on the side of the road of heat exhaustion. It was 23 degrees that day and the owners had decided to run their dog. The look on the owners' face was absolute devastation as they attempted to save his life by throwing a bucket of water on him, but they were sadly too late as he was gone. What astounded me was they said the dog had heat exhaustion before, but clearly didn't learn from it. Even as a stranger, I will never get that image out of my mind, of that beautiful dog, dead on the side of the road. That poor dog suffered horrifically and it was clear the owners loved their dog, but just hadn't understood the risks.
Dogs do not cool down in the same way as humans, so please think about your dog's welfare before taking them out in summer. Adjust the activity by taking into consideration the conditions on the day and the needs of your dog. They rely on us to make decisions for them, based on what is appropriate for the individual dog.
For information on heatstroke:
https://www.facebook.com/perthpetsinneed/photos/a.746378045381253.1073741838.216278901724506/1085181044834283/?type=3&theater
Note: This is a GUIDE ONLY - it doesn't suggest to stop walking your dog in summer. Activity can be adjusted based on age, coat, nose length, breed, health, fitness, time of day, humidity, wind, temperature of ground, time of day etc.