Root Beer Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 For those of you who trial in Agility, do you trial even if there is extreme heat on the day of the trial? If so, what measures do you make to keep your dog cool between runs? Also, do you know if there is any harm in running a somewhat wet dog (with dry paw-bottoms, of course) when it is hot? The reason I ask is that I am supposed to trial with Dean and Maddie this coming Saturday. It is supposed to be sunny and 97. 97 - Yikes!!! Our first run is early, so I think both will be fine for that. But we are supposed to do two more runs that day and I want to be prudent. I am most concerned about our third run which will probably happen close to noontime. There is a pond on site and the dogs are allowed to swim. Dean could swim between runs and he would be good to go. I did that with him at the NADAC trail there a couple of weeks ago. It was in the low 80's that day. But I wonder if there is a risk from the heat even if the dog has been swimming and is still damp. Maddie hates to swim so she probably won't go in the pond. She also flatly refuses to run in the heat. She may just quit when it gets hot, and that would be OK. I'll follow her lead on that one. I'm most concerned about Dean because he doesn't know to quit when he gets too hot. I thought I was nuts to trial outdoors in November - it was about 40 degrees that day - but now I'm thinking summer is crazier!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninso Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 I thought I was nuts to trial outdoors in November - it was about 40 degrees that day - but now I'm thinking summer is crazier!! I have you beat on that one! My disc dog club's first two competitions were held on a frozen lake and in a blizzard, respectively!! I'm interested in people's answers on this one too. I have several disc comps scheduled this summer, and I worry about my poor black dog in the heat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 For the average healthy Border Collie that is fit, a 45 second run in high heat is really not a big deal. The human (er..self included here) may pass out though eta - I am assuming you can crate and wait your turn out of the direct sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsofmenace Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 This past weekend I was at an outdoor trial and boy was it HOT. I was so hot I couldn't imagine how the dogs felt. But I didn't see any of the dogs having problems. As Lenajo said, running for 30 seconds to a minute wouldn't be that much of a problem for a fit dog. When the dogs weren't running, we had them in their shady crates with a fan blowing on them or in the pools that were provided. A lot of dogs ran wet and there was never a slipping issue, although it wasn't like they were sopping wet. All in all it was a fun weekend and no one died of the heat! As long as you don't over exert your dog (or yourself!) and always make sure they are cool and hydrated between runs I wouldn't be worried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 For some reason, our Regionals for the past 6 years have been during record-breaking heat waves. I think the hottest was a few years ago in Kamloops, where it was close to 39 degrees. This kind of weather doesn't fizz on Wick, who is sparse of coat and seems to be impervious to heat, but it's AWFUL for Bear, who is dense of coat and short on motivation. When he competed in very hot conditions, I had him wear a cooling jacket whenever he was out of the shade tent, and I made sure to soak his belly and groin areas with cold water prior to his runs. Also, I put some tasty powder in his water to make sure that he was drinking. If it was "just" a regular trial (i.e. not Nationals or Regionals) then I would scratch him, more so for me as it took a LOT of cheerleading to get him around a course at the best of times, and it seemed kinda pointless to put him (and me!) through that. Like other posters have said, it's not the actual 45-60 seconds of running that's going to overheat them (at least it shouldn't). So long as they have a shady, cool, quiet spot to rest for the other 10 hours of a typical trial day, they should be fine. Mine stay in an ex-pen in a shade tent, and the shade tent is draped with aluminet shade cloth. The ambient air temperature in the ex-pen never goes above 18 degrees, even in the heat of mid day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat W. Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 A couple of years ago my former club did a NADAC trial in August, the site was a park bordering a canal thank go. The temp was high 90's with a heat index of 107. Alot of peopl scratched for the remainder of the day. Some people ran but took their dogs for a quick dip before and after their run. The club also offered baby pools for cooling and hoses. I can remember the computer equipment shutting down due to the heat and we even had fans on the under the score tent. Rootbeer what trial are you going to this weekend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest blastoff Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Even in Summer most agility trials are outside in the South. Make sure to crate in the shade (Easy-ups are a way of life) and keep your dogs cool when not running (fans, hoses, etc.) and you ought to be fine. There is no harm in running a wet dog from my experience though I'd make sure they are not sopping, dripping wet. A good hosing-down a few minutes before they run should suffice and that will allow the excess water to drip off before your run. I've seen this done in both outdoor flyball and agility. Good luck at your trial! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Thanks, everyone, for the input! We will definitely have shade and fans. I might bring along Dean's little pool and 10 gallons of water for Maddie. I could douse her a little bit before her run. She might even lie in a few inches of water to get her belly wet. And Dean will go in the pond. He will be just fine if there is no problem with him running slightly wet! It's a small trial, and we are only doing the first three games, so we should be completely finished just a little after noon. Pat - I'm going to the CPE trial in Knoxville, Maryland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobcmom Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Besides the shade and fans, bring a squirt bottle for water. If a dog does not like a hose or pool the suirt bottle works well to cool them off. Make sure there belly is damp and this will help keep them cool also. Any place that has been in the shade for a while will be good. That way the ground start off being cooler than a location that hs been in the sun. If need be, don't be afraid to say no to the activity. Better to pass for the day than to risk injury to your dog. Just some thoughts... mobcmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orionbc Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 What i have done in the past, is have a cooler with ice and water and put towels in the water, and lay them in teh crates for the dogs. and eve put them over the crates (i have the mesh kind) and use a fan, its sort of like personal AC i also will wet them down before and after a run. you can also try using a sprayer meant for weeds ( they come in different sizes, and are pressured, have a little hose and nozzle for spraying) you can get them anywhere! home depot, TSC, hardware stores... Kelli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted June 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 I've got a squirt bottle packed. I forgot about that. Dean loves to be squirted. The towel idea is a good one, too. I'll bring a couple of those along, as well. That's a good idea for Maddie, who doesn't like to go in water! I will definitely leave if it gets to be too much for them (or me!), although with the use of the pond, I don't think Dean will have any trouble at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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