K-9 Companion

01/06/2026

Welcome back rain, my old friend. 😁

29/05/2026

This Page

There's been a number of pet owners and those who work with them recently follow this page, so just to clarify with honesty...

This page is about one thing, education.
I will not tell anyone "you shouldn't be walking your dogs when it's hot, stay at home." I will also not tell anyone "it's okay to walk your dogs when it's hot". I don't know your dogs or your capability with dogs. You will not find temperature charts on this page advising so called "safe" temperatures, because there's no such thing as a "safe" temperature for all dogs. I've seen and helped very fit, athletic dogs, who overheated in temperatures down to 10°C (50°F), I know of dogs who overheated in much lower temperatures, and much higher. This is not just a summertime thing, it is an all time thing, it just gets more attention in the summer when the temps rise, which does increase risk.
I won't tell you you should, or shouldn't clip your dogs.
I'm not interested in getting into the arguments carers have, on which can be a very heated topic. I've heard all the arguments on how to cool dogs, and when it is or isn't safe to exercise/train dogs.

I do want dog carers (owners/professionals) to have somewhere to find information, facts, to better your knowledge and to help you make better decisions for your dogs, or others you care for.

Every summer I see dogs out struggling, dogs that shouldn't be out, I'll admit when owners are doing stupid things it does rattle my cage a little. On the flip side, I see dogs out in the heat doing okay because their owners are looking after them well, it makes me smile when owners are looking after their dogs in the heat.
I've seen dogs running in harness at cooler times of the year and struggling. On the flip side, I've seen dogs running in harness at the same time doing fine.

I've been around people who don't take it serious enough, those who refuse to accept they have more to learn. I also know some damn good handlers who look after their dogs very well in extreme conditions.
I've had 6 dogs of my own, and I've been very lucky to be around a fair few more amazing dogs, friends' dogs I've been trusted with and worked in harness, in 40 years not one of them has suffered a heat injury, I take this extremely seriously. The heat injuries I have experience with or have seen were other's dogs, I just happened to be there at the time.

It's taken some time, a few years, gathering all the information and putting it together on this page, organising it as best I could on a FB page. There is a lot of information presented in different ways, articles, webinars, podcasts, research papers, etc. There are short posts and large posts with a lot to take in, some link to each other because it all ties in. I wish I had it when I started out. But it's not easy taking it all in and applying it in the real world, it takes hard work and time with the dogs. Stay within your comfort zone and err on the side of caution if you're not sure.
Working dogs sometimes need to push to be prepared (trained is a better word), pets do not, that's not really the issue, the issue is some don't understand or realise when they are pushing too hard, some people think a dog is being pushed too far when they are actually okay, either way because many people just can't read dogs and what they are telling you.

If you get it wrong dogs can get hurt, if you get it very wrong dogs die.
I've seen dogs in real trouble, I've seen dogs die, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
This thing, Heat Injury, Heat Related Illness, Heatstroke, whatever you want to call it, is a killer condition, it is the leading cause of preventable death across all dogs!
If you have lost a dog to heatstroke, or come close and want to learn more, there will be no judgement from me, anyone looking to learn is welcome.

If you comment on a post, good or bad, ask a question, tag this page in your own post, bare in mind for some reason facebook doesn't notify me of everything, so I may not see it...

As per the previous post:

This page was originally set up for the working/sporting dogs, but anyone can use the information.
This page is about education, the description of this page says "a compilation of information from multiple veterinarians, medics, researchers, mushers, and K9 handlers experienced in this field."
You can find all their information in this index post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GXwJ6vY6r/ , information to better your understanding of heat and dogs, that will actually help, there's a lot there that will keep you busy... soak it up.

Here's a small selection:

Differences in Heat Tolerance between dogs and factors to consider:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B3GEDF1z9/

Reading Dogs:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18FVwXcyPw/

Cooling in the Field: Realities & Practicalities:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dk36UJ9J2/

Hydration Index:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ENSjcbDDC/

VTG's FREE Heat Injury Webinar:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C678shmMm/

P. S.
The dog who is the face of this page was my own dog, he was an amazing boy, he is gone now (nothing to do with heat).
He was exercised, walked, hiked, and ran in harness, in all sorts of conditions, sometimes in temperatures others didn't approve of. I also avoided conditions others were going out in because I knew they were too much for him, he had his limits, which were different throughout the year. He loved every minute of it.
There are posts on this page showing some of what I was doing with him, and how we were doing it in the rising temps, because some people have difficulty applying what they learn in the real world.
I don't care for the opinions of others who didn't approve of what we did. The only opinions I care for on the topic of heat and dogs are the opinions of the professionals I learned from, those who helped me look after, and keep my dog safe, those you will find all over this page, who are also good at teaching what they do.
Thankyou, stay safe.

28/05/2026

So many people really don’t understand heat tolerance, so please take the time to read this.

Differences in Heat Tolerance between dogs and factors to consider...

There is lots of debate over a safe or dangerous temperature for dogs to exercise in, temperature charts, formulas, people get very defensive or offensive about these things, they don't understand why other dogs can't handle what their dogs can, or the fact their dogs can't handle what others can, you hear people quoting numbers... 15°, 18°, 22°, 30°C.

Within the last 2 years I've seen and helped cool 4 Siberian Huskies in the UK that overheated at events in March, the ambient temperature was between 10-15°C, on the days this happened the temperature had increased rapidly from previous weeks so the dogs were likely not fully acclimated, hydration status may have been a factor also, there were also other dogs on the day that needed to be cooled but also dogs that completed the event without a problem. Also the dogs were working hard (full sprint) so producing more heat internally, humidity would also have been on the higher side making it harder to thermoregulate.
This variation was within the same breed, and also occurred on forest trails.

Then during the hot summer I see 2 German Shorthaired Pointers out running with their owner in full sun 25/26°C, the dogs looked very hot but they were not overheating, they also looked extremely fit, GSPs are known to have a good heat tolerance genetically (more here https://www.facebook.com/share/v/vSXZch8HwRvPNKhN/). It was also later in the summer so they likely had time to acclimate. As the temps were higher the humidity would have been lower. They were also trotting so not working so hard so producing less heat internally, and they were running (trotting) along a coastal path where it is more open to the wind.

Generally in the UK when the temps rise the humidity drops (unless it rains), high humidity makes it harder for dogs to cool by evaporation (panting) which they do more when working hard.

There's also the difference between ambient temperature and "feels like" temperature, many people focus on ambient temperature alone which is just that, and the temps I gave above were ambient. The feels like temperature takes into account the ambient temperature, wind speed, and humidity, even solar radiation, which all affect how a dog experiences heat.

"The temperatures that you normally see represent the temperature of the air, but this takes no account of how we actually experience the temperature. It is our ‘feels like’ temperature that gives you a better idea about how the weather will actually feel when you step outdoors, where wind and humidity can make a big difference."
(https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2012/02/15/what-is-feels-like-temperature/)

Nutrition, fuel sources, feed timings, hydration status also have an impact (more here https://www.facebook.com/share/p/WP772dRhH8yrSUwp/
and here https://www.facebook.com/share/v/EDqd271VTXUgUSg3/).

So it's not just the numbers or the ambient temperature, there are multiple factors to consider.

*NOTE - If you have a GSP that alone doesn't mean your dog can exercise in these temps, once again there are multiple factors to consider, heat tolerance is very individual dog dependant.

In Summary: factors that influence Heat Tolerance...

• Genetics
• Environmental Conditions: Ambient Temperature, Humidity, Solar Radiation, Wind
• Acclimation to the conditions your dog with be working in that day
• Conditioning
• Exertion level
• Body Condition Score
• Coat Density?
• Hydration
• Nutrition

Prevention of Heat Injury:

• Understanding the signs of increasing Thermal/Heat Stress and how they present in your dog
• The owner/handler/musher's ability to read their dog while working.
• It really boils down to you knowing your dog, what is normal for your dog while working so you can understand when something is abnormal.

I will leave you with some quotes...

"The most consistant thing available to anybody to prevent Heat Injury in your dog is to train and acclimate your dog AT or ABOVE the expected level of exercise."

"One of the most important preventive steps you can take with heat injury is to have a well-conditioned, physically fit dog that is acclimated to the temperature of the environment he is working in THAT DAY."

"One sign of a good handler is their ability to “read” their dog."

"Handlers can-and-should- also learn to read the signs of increasing thermal stress to help prevent their dog from becoming an actual heat injury."

"Behavioral indicators of thermal/heat stress are an important form of communication that we have to be attuned to receiving and understanding from our dogs."

- Dr. Janice Baker
www.vettacgroup.com


"Number one thing you're gonna see is they start to change their gait, for that we have to know what their normal gait is"

"This is the one danger you have when you drive what I call a really high drive dog, is that they don't care, they don't care about their body, they wanna go go go go and so they let things get worse and worse so you really have to watch out for those dogs, and protect them because they won't protect themselves"

"It really benefits to observe constantly.
You want to see honestly, truthfully what is in front of you, and then assess, and I see so many mushers they put the blinders on, they want to see that there team is doing well so they only look at the dogs that are doing well and it gives them a false image of their team and causes them to make mistakes.
We want honest information so that we can make the best decision from there."

"If I artificially increase the speed, it's only going to exacerbate the issue that caused them to be slower in the first place"

– Dallas Seavey
6x Iditarod winner
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2aw54Fns6LM&feature=youtu.be


"A dog that's staying aerobic can tolerate higher temperatures better than a dog that goes anaerobic... "

"Dogs are individuals and we were running teams of 16/18 dogs at a time so you gotta be able to read each one of those dogs and what they're telling you... "

– Dr. Arleigh Reynolds
2x Fur Rondy winner
https://youtu.be/4v7PlfHpJ38?si=65wvJ8zZzCgnfdXe


"There's part art and part science when you're running dogs... There are things I can tell you that dogs need and ways that we can support them, but when it comes down to it, you need somebody who can see what that dog is doing and respond to support that dog and you can't learn that in a text book, you gotta just be out there and get in snow or dirt or dog p**p on your shoes, you can't teach somebody that, they have to learn it themselves, and it only comes from hours and hours of really working with dogs."

– Dr. Arleigh Reynolds
https://youtu.be/os3fwygq6qY?si=c6lNMrZkvV3BnEbm


"Recognising Thermal Stress... that's the biggest prevention you can have... "

– Dr. Janice Baker
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=108093635609220&id=100092257509484

● Heat Page: Contents
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BojisnpPE/

27/05/2026

As the UK has been gripped with a heatwave and the highest ever recorded temperatures for May, we have a bit of a day off today before the temps spike again over the next few days. Well, day off is not exactly true, dogs overheat in all temperatures so never lower your guard.

Usually, when the heat arrives the arguments on how to cool dogs arrive with it, not this time, this time it's mostly about walking/exercising dogs when it's hot.
The amount of rude, abusive behaviour I've seen over the last few days is sad.

Sadly, as well as owners, I'm seeing dog trainers/behavourists putting up posts with the most foul, abusive language directed towards anyone who goes out anywhere with a dog and doesn't keep them at home, language I'm not going to repeat here. Some of these people have a large following and the potential to reach a lot of people, these posts often get a lot of attention, but unfortunately the only thing in common they all have is absolutely no educational value of any kind, they've helped no dogs, just maybe stoked a few egos.
I suspect in many cases they fail to educate because they don't really have the knowledge to put anything useful out that will help owners, which in turn helps their dogs.

There is a recent educational post put out by a Veterinarian who runs agility with her own dogs, a post far more useful for those dogs at events, that received a number of negative comments.
There have also been a small number of other more useful posts by some dog trainers receiving negative comments.
No one wants to see dogs getting hurt, people want to help, but there is a way to go about it.

To be clear, when it's hot, there are many dogs that shouldn't be out, some owners that refuse to listen, but, and people might not like to hear it, there are some dogs, with knowledgeable owners/handlers that do okay in the heat, they are looking after their dogs.
As for working dogs, they do need to train, with care, when the temperatures rise, to prepare for working in those conditions.
Heat alone doesn't kill dogs, people do.
If you only focus on the temperature alone, the number, you have much more to learn.

Education, and people willing to accept they have more to learn is key.
As the saying goes: "if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room".

If you really want to learn and help dogs, surround yourself with people with more knowledge and experience than you, that's how you will improve.

With respect to those that don't understand, those putting out unhelpful, abusive information... do better.

This page was originally set up for the working/sporting dogs, but anyone can use the information.
This page is about education, the description of this page says "a compilation of information from multiple veterinarians, medics, researchers, mushers, and K9 handlers experienced in this field."
You can find all their information in this index post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GXwJ6vY6r/ , information to better your understanding of heat and dogs, that will actually help, there's a lot there that will keep you busy... soak it up.

Here's a small selection:

Differences in Heat Tolerance between dogs and factors to consider:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B3GEDF1z9/

Reading Dogs:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18FVwXcyPw/

Cooling in the Field: Realities & Practicalities:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dk36UJ9J2/

Hydration Index:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ENSjcbDDC/

VTG's FREE Heat Injury Webinar:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C678shmMm/

23/05/2026

It's getting hot, hot, hot... so let's share some heatstroke information!

Too Hot to Handle: The Truth About Canine Heatstroke

Heatstroke is one of the most lethal yet most misunderstood emergencies in veterinary medicine—and it doesn’t only happen on scorching summer days.
In this in-depth episode Robyn from Vet Voices on Air is joined by two leading voices in the field: Dr Emily Hall, primary care vet, educator, and researcher whose PhD focused on the epidemiology of heatstroke in UK dogs, and Emily Cockerill, referral RVN and Lowland Rescue search dog volunteer with extensive real-world experience managing dogs working in extreme conditions.

Together, they unpack what heatstroke actually is, why it’s so dangerous, and why time and temperature matter more than almost anything else. Using clear, evidence-based explanations, they explore what happens inside the body when temperatures rise—how proteins “cook,” organs fail, and why once a critical threshold is crossed, the damage is irreversible.

The conversation tackles long-standing myths head-on, including:
The belief that cold or ice water causes “shock”

➡Why wet towels can worsen overheating
➡The dangers of lemon juice in brachycephalic dogs
➡Misconceptions around double-coated breeds and clipping
➡Why ice cubes might not meaningfully cool dogs but can be used for indoor and cool enrichment

Crucially, the episode highlights that exertional heatstroke is the most common cause, not hot cars—and that heatstroke can occur in winter, during travel, stress, anaesthesia recovery, or even inside veterinary practices. Certain breeds and health conditions increase risk, but any dog (or cat, rabbit, or other small animal) can be affected if heat production exceeds the body’s ability to lose it.

Listeners will come away with clear, practical guidance on:

➡Recognising early and late signs of heatstroke
➡What owners should do immediately at home or in the field
➡Why pre-cooling before transport dramatically improves survival
➡Current best-practice protocols for active cooling in clinic
➡When to start and stop cooling based on body temperature
➡How prevention, timing, and informed decision-making save lives

If you’ve ever wondered when it’s too hot to walk your dog, how heatstroke presents beyond “just panting,” or what the evidence really says about cooling, this episode is essential listening—for veterinary professionals and pet owners alike.
Because when it comes to heatstroke, minutes matter—and myths can kill.

Read more: Cool, Icy, Cold or Tepid? What's Best for Heat Stroke?
https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

Listen Here on Vet Voices On Air

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MMO1STWzFzyhYiExBp9gN?si=achtyAFISSSt8bwmykDHqg

23/05/2026

Mr Frankie enjoying a stroll around Lumley Castle and its woodland yesterday. 🐾

23/05/2026

I would just like to remind all clients when the temperature gets too hot to safely walk dogs, there is no last minute cancellation fee for any client wishing to cancel a walk.

In extreme hot weather I will often be in touch first to cancel walks.

For my clients who are out at work all day, I can still come and let your dogs out for a toilet break and keep them company.

Safety always comes first!

Thanks, Andy

21/05/2026

Let’s talk about the “magica hand.”

Well meaning people reach out their hand so a dog can sniff and make friends. For some dogs, that is fine. For others, it is the fastest way to get bitten.

A reaching hand can:
• Feel invasive
• Reduce distance
• Corner the dog
• Predict restraint

Some dogs have learned that biting makes the hand go away quickly.

A better option:
Allow the dog to approach if they choose.
Ignore them until they initiate affiliative behavior.
Watch body language carefully.

And if:
🚫 You are unsure about what you are seeing
🚫 There is a bite history
🚫 Handling is not necessary

Walking away is the safest choice.

Preventing bites is often about reducing unnecessary pressure.


Dog Illustrations by The Drawables, Owned By: Liz V.

17/05/2026

Exciting things are happening please share to anyone who you might think will be interested in this unique program.

17/05/2026

Mr Baloo taking time out to pose on his sniffy sunny Sunday morning walk. 🐾