Only one of mine has dropped her coat & I'm wondering what people with long/double coated breeds do in this heat? The hose has been out earlier today, cooling my lot down, but it's now 3.46am & I have 1 very uncomfortable boy who just can't cool down. It's unbearable indoors & no better outside :( xx LG

I bought a portable aircon unit (A rated for efficiency) and we use this
it helps cool down the room for my Boxers.
It was bought because we had one (sadly no longer with us) that couldn't cope well in hot weather.
She loved the aircon unit - and would lay close to it to get maximum 'coolness'.

Also keep blinds, curtains pulled over windows it helps keep the house cooler when the sun comes up.
Big difference to leaving the windows not covered - when I've not used the curtains and returned home
the room was pretty hot. So pull the curtains/blinds early in the morning and keep them closed
Also have the desk fans which I use if I've managed to keep most of the heat at bay instead of the air con.

You could also try te soaking a towel in cool water - for extra cooling you can either pop the towel in a carrier
and then place the slightly wringed out towel in the fridge or freezer for a while. Once you have to desired
coolness lay the towel out in the room which your dog lies in - pop the towel on the floor (can protect your carpets
by using plastic sheeting/bin liner etc if you know you don't have chewers) and let your dog lay on the towel.

I have double coated breeds.  They have different ways of coping with the heat.  My dogs will stand and shake throughout the day which is their way of getting cooler air between the hairs of the coat to cool them down.  When it gets too hot, I leave all doors (kennel and house) and windows open to get maximum air flow and the un-restricted access means they can get to where it's coolest.  My house is stone built with a concrete floor so it never gets uncomfortably hot but the bathroom tiled floor is where I usually find everyone!  I've tried it, it's brill!!  Although my spaniels are usually in the pool with the kids.

by luck all my flooring down stair is state tiles so that helps to keep the dogs cool.
plus all the curtains/blinds are pulled closed windows open.
a fan on
a paddling pool fill every morning with toys in that sinks so they have to try to get then out
walks early or late in the evening.

I live right by the sea so we've got a bit of a sea breeze going most of the time but I also keep my blinds shut during the day to keep the heat out of the house. I've got one of those plastic shells where you can fill in water so that's out in the garden and whenever they want they can go and jump in that. Penny loves the hosepipe but up here in Cumbria we are facing a hosepipe ban so we can't really use it too much. During the day both, Penny and Dexter enjoy lying on the kitchen floor tiles which are nice and cool.

Maybe you can treat your dogs to a little "Doggy Ice" just use low fat yogurt and chop some fruits, like apples or even herbs like parsely and mint, or both together etc mix it and fill little ice cube tins or even little muffin tins, if your dogs are bigger breeds and then put it in the freezer and wait till it's frozen and give it to your dogs to lick on it. I am sure they'll love it...mine do :-)

Air-con system in the house and stone flooring for me and mine.
  My two also enjoy their bones frozen and frozen kongs when the temp really rises.

A good question to raise right now LG, I'm always surprised at how many novice owners of Double coated breeds get it accidentally very wrong when 'cooling' their dogs (wondering wether to clip them or draping wet towels over their coat.. etc) <- I'm not saying this is you! Just think it's worth mentioning as these threads often get thrown up on google searches and maybe a new owner may see your thread title, so I'm going to put a link on that's  useful reading, I post this link every year :-)

For anyone with a Northern breed / double coated breed unsure of how 'cold weather dogs' do in hot weather:-
(Article first posted on the Samoyed Club of Colarado)
really good article please read!
Temperature adaptation in Northern Breed Dogs- click here to read

HTH

I though i was the only nut job that sat around all day with their curtains closed when the weather gets warmer lol

all the windows and doors open, ceailing fan and a free standing fan going. and cool wet towels on the kitchen floor for the dog to lay on if they want

The best thing I've ever bought has been the polar collar.  I'm sure you must be able to get them in the UK, though I've just done a quick google and can't find any.

The collar is filled with water retaining beads which expand once soaked.  They stay cool for a long time.
Worked wonders during 38 degree heat / 85% humidity.