silhouettestable Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Canadians and Americans have different views on what constitutes moderate weather, as evidenced by the following Canadian temperature chart:50° Fahrenheit (10° C) Californians shiver uncontrollably; Canadians plant gardens. 35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C) American cars won't start; Canadians drive with the windows down. 32° Fahrenheit (0° C) American water freezes; Canadian water gets thicker. 0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C) New York City landlords finally turn on the heat; Canadians have the last barbecue of the season. -60° Fahrenheit (-51° C) Mt. St. Helens freezes; Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door. -100° Fahrenheit (-73° C) Santa Claus abandons the North Pole; Ottawa Canal opens for skating. -173° Fahrenheit (-114° C) Ethyl alcohol freezes, Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg. -460° Fahrenheit (-273° C) Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops, Canadians start saying "Cold, eh?" -500° Fahrenheit (-295° C) Hell freezes over; Ottawa Senators win Stanley Cup. True enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4pack Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 HMMMMMM!!! And then there is the other end of the thermometer.... Let's see, the past few night's LOW temp was 80 F ,high's around 97 and humidity...well, a steam bath (heat index about 110). And anyone ever had to work a dog in Calexico, CA in July/Aug? Or Nogales, AZ or Laredo, TX ? And yeah, have also worked a dog in -20 with windchill about -60. Any extreme isn't exactly fun for either dog or handler but the better acclimated they are, the better able to do their jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger's Dad Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 This past winter we had a day when it was snowing so I took the oportunity to walk the dogs. I didn't pay much attention to it since both dogs and I walk all year round except when it gets too hot, like today. Cold does not bother me like heat and humidity. Anyway, while on our walk I stopped and talked to a guy that was getting his mail. Casey our Springer started shivering. I still think that was kind of odd. The only thing I could think of was her coat is kept groomed on the short side. She is okay as long as she is moving and active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silhouettestable Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 She is okay as long as she is moving and active. I think that is the key. Lightning is my only dog without any undercoat so he wouldn't do well with being just left outside in the cold, but he will quite happily stay outside with me for hours in the winter when he's busy running around playing or sledding. Noah on the other hand gets so much undercoat that you can't even see his skin if you part the hair. The dogs can all be out with me for 2-3 hours in the dead of winter and as soon as we go back into the house Noah is standing at the back door asking to go out in the yard. Then he lays down on the deck leaning up against the door and stays there for another hour or two, even on the coldest days. He also won't drink water once there's snow on the ground, he eats snow instead. There is fresh clean water available all the time but he chooses snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I think that is the key. Lightning is my only dog without any undercoat so he wouldn't do well with being just left outside in the cold, but he will quite happily stay outside with me for hours in the winter when he's busy running around playing or sledding. Noah on the other hand gets so much undercoat that you can't even see his skin if you part the hair. The dogs can all be out with me for 2-3 hours in the dead of winter and as soon as we go back into the house Noah is standing at the back door asking to go out in the yard. Then he lays down on the deck leaning up against the door and stays there for another hour or two, even on the coldest days. He also won't drink water once there's snow on the ground, he eats snow instead. There is fresh clean water available all the time but he chooses snow. All this talk about frigid climate is making me yearn for my computer, reclining office chair, two BC's, my fiance, and a nice "warm nudge". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCBERRI Posted August 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Ok, sorry I have been MIA. I am in class all week. I am getting my licence to be an insurance agent. Don't do it! It is tuff!!! Ok, I feel better now. Ruger's dad, I don't plan on working him any harder than he should be in this heat. We are actually in the Sango area so you know it has been awful hot this week. But Marylynn is right. I don't get to have the luxury to "wait till fall". Katrina happened in 100 degree weather. Heat is a very real thing for these dogs. He is getting better every day. We are trotting about 1.5 miles a day in late eveing or early morning with the bike. He is doing good. I am carefull to have the baby pool available to him when we are done too. Inu, thanks for the link. This summer is his first in training so I know next year will be even better. My BC who did this for several years has a much better heat tolerance. I will definately be working him up to the heat just like you do with you pup. It sounds like a great game plan. Thanks for all the great advice guys! I know I can count on the boards to help me out when my own brain power fails! Off to study insurance law, bleh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger's Dad Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Amy: Do you do SARS with Mike Sal...? I believe he is on the sheriffs department now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 Nobody's mentioned it but a treadmill is a good option for part of a fitness plan. Pulling is good as well - a simple harness, a motorcycle tire for weight to start, a little training and you've got oomph added to a shorter bike ride. They condition off season Pointers down here by harnessing them like sled dogs to an ATV. They "help" by pushing the gas more at first, then more and more the dogs do the engine part, and the ATV is just a good handler ride with brakes Rugar's Dad there is a big difference between becoming over heated with overstimulation/over the top playing, than tolerance to sensible, steady exercise. You need to be careful regardless, but I see far more dogs getting in trouble with out of control play than being biked a few miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLloydJones Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 I think my favourite time for working the dogs is when it's nice and sunny and the temperature is about -10C to -15C (14F to 5F). That's cold enough to be a dry cold, not a damp cold, but it's not super freezing. I used to live a hair's breadth short of 70 degrees North and always thought that the "good" cold started when the temp. dropped below -20C. I have been out skiing with a dog (not a sled dog) in -30C -- and the dog loved it. Worst part was helping him clean out the hard packed snow from between his paws when we got back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesney's Girl Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Could it be that he is getting mentally tired as well? I am sure he could run for a lot longer then 30 minutes if he didn't have to think. I would do the type of training that he will be doing in his job. Do mental things that make him tired AFTER he has been mindless (i.e. running next to a bike) exercise for an extended period of time THEN have him work on mental stuff so that he gets more conditioned to keep thinking and 'working' while his body is tired. Its like working Chesney on sheep. He can run all day long if I wanted him too but at the point he is at to work, I get about 15 minutes of great work out of him then he starts getting sloppy and slowing down, so I push it a little farther each time to increase his endurance for work. Best way to improve your work is to train what you will be working and how you will be working it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCBERRI Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Actually Danielle, we thought about that. But no he will keep working himself to the ground. His mind was ready to go go go, but his body wasn't. But since I first posted this he has shown so much improvement it's unreal. Swimming was the key to his change. Easy on the joints, kept him cool in the process and he loved it too. We now also have moved up to a 4 wheeler to get his cardio. He has done so wonderful. He gets praises from my team leaders all the time now! Now if we could just get his seasonal allergies under control... I can't wait for the first frost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay7347 Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 That's great to hear that your dog is getting in better shape for SAR. You're doing a truly awesome thing and I wish you all the best! Sorry to find this thread so late but just wanted to chip in. I side with the running for training, especially over biking, unless one is going slow on the bike. I've run with all of my 3 1/2 BC's. My 2 1/2 year old Derry used running to come back from a double TPO surgery about a year and a half ago. Now, she does around 40 miles a week of that type of training. Its kind of discouraging when I finish a ten mile with her and my nine year old BC. Derry, still being a teenager, instead of being tired asks for a toy and proceeds to run around for more fun while I eat breakfast. Guess I'm not wearing her out. We also do a higher intensity session of long ball retrieval which gets her running at a faster pace until she acts tired. I try to do that with her about four or five times a week. Derry's about 38 lbs of solid lean muscle who seems like she can go forever. I think that mix of slow steady distance and the quicker burst stuff really has made her strong, if not beastly in shape. Again, keep up the good work! -jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy in AZ Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 My thought was that if you put a backpack on him it might increase his endurance as well. Sort of like jogging with weights. And JohnLloyd, poor you! Living in AZ and loving the cold? I hope you live above 7000 feet at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnLloydJones Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 And JohnLloyd, poor you! Living in AZ and loving the cold? I hope you live above 7000 feet at least. I live in Gilbert, close to the Cosmo dog park. And yes, I was comfortable with the cold, but not with the mountains of snow that I had to shovel just to get in and out of the house. Not much snow to shovel in Gilbert . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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