Numerous reports in the media of dogs dying in hot cars over the last few weeks. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) had no less than 22 reports of dogs trapped in cars yesterday alone. Temperatures reached 31.9C in parts of Scotland yesterday. The SSPCA have taken 521 calls so far this year about dogs in trouble! WHEN will the message get through that DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. Leaving a window open an inch and leaving a bowl of water is NOT enough. If you want to keep your dog alive, do not leave it in your car - not even for "5 minutes". Conservatories and caravans can also be death traps.

When will people learn

We're holidaying in Scotland in the motorhome and it is HOT.
We're parked up near Oban by a beach with some light shade but it's difficult to keep us cool let alone a large hairy dog. We tow a little car and have to take Isla with us everywhere as the MH gets too warm but it warms up quickly even after a few minutes parked in the shade. Any place we visit we make sure dogs can come in too or we just don't go or we just sit at the caravan site in the shade of a Rowen tree on our pitch.  Thank heavens for sea breezes however slight.
Saturday we move to the east coast which I understand is a little cooler

Further, when it's stupid hot outside, LEAVE YOUR DOGS AT HOME in hopefully, the cool.   What happened to Common Sense eh.

Further, exercise first thing, or late evening.   A previous neighbour of mine always took her dogs out for their daily exercise at around 1 pm which she did regardless of the weather.   One took off on her and was found later on lying in a ditch in the full sun by a passing rider out across the local fields.  She bought him home, called me to help but despite both our efforts, and eventually of her vet as I said he needed one (he'd started fitting), he couldn't be saved.   Other than him, I've seen two other cases of heat-stroke, one survived, the other did not.  All these had black coats.

I still think many people just don't realise how hot a dog with a fur coat gets. I know dogs roam the streets in hot countries but they have learnt to seek the shade during the hottest part of the day, and they live there all year round and have shorter thin coats. My double coated large black breed suffer, we walk early mornings in shade and late evenings. I had entered Windsor this weekend but will not attend. The £30 entry fee and the chance of a ribbon will never replace the life of my friend. From the time I get home after our morning walk till the late evening Medders finds a cool spot and chills. If I go out she has the whole house available so she can get herself a cool spot away from the hotter rooms. I have a south facing garden and a big conservatory on the back and it gets very hot at the moment. She lies under the desk in the office (North facing) on a laminate floor. Dogs will naturally go to a cool area and they need the space to do that. Cars even with Air con cen get too hot if stuck in traffic or a breakdown its just not worth the risk. Trying to find a cool area under a tent at a show is not feasible. With so many dogs and people seeking shade its often very humid under the tents. I just will not risk it these days. Its not just being in full sun that is dangerous. Humidity plays a big part, dogs have died of heat exhaustion even if in a shaded area if the ambient temperature is still high.
Trips out are no fun if I am worried about her being too hot, much better to stay home and know she is safe.

Just seen in local paper, some charity group is holding a Dog Fun Run - only 5k! - on Sunday between 11am and 3pm  with 'optional obstacles' for the dogs. I DO hope they have a vet in attendance as there will no doubt be numptys with the attitude 'I paid £15 for an entry so I will go'

When it's hot Zuma spends time, in the morning when the sun is on the front, lying on laminate kitchen floor at back of house and when the sun goes round he moves to against the front door (the fitting is draughty! )

tatty-ead
there will no doubt be numptys with the attitude,...................so I will go'

Euro

> Humidity plays a big part, dogs have died of heat exhaustion even if in a shaded area if the ambient temperature is still high.

This is SO true!   And it affects humans too.... in S.Ontario we got HUMID and with a long spell of that, quite often some of mine would have upset tummies.   Even if they are way more sensible than we are and just flake out until the extreme heat eases.   Good for you re not going to Windsor ... one of the two suffering heat stroke had been in the ring at the Ch. Show just before the Club's annual Specialty show.   Despite the fact we used damp towels to cover the backs of black coated hounds while waiting in the line-up, and making sure the hounds were in our shade (difficult if the class was held at mid-day), it was possible this could happen.   I have to say re evening exercise, it was almost as bad for heat, as when the sun was out as pavements/buildings held the day's heat and any breeze there might have been, dropped.

Remember to cut back on the amount of feed during periods of reduced activity!!

Incidentally mine went into quarantine in late March that year but thankfully, it wasn't an especially hot summer.   It was a toss-up between putting them in through Winter, or when they did go in (before Pet Passport).

> I had entered Windsor this weekend but will not attend. The £30 entry fee and the chance of a ribbon will never replace the life of my friend. ... Cars even with Air con cen get too hot if stuck in traffic or a breakdown its just not worth the risk. Trying to find a cool area under a tent at a show is not feasible. With so many dogs and people seeking shade its often very humid under the tents. I just will not risk it these days.

Being at Windsor right now, tents are open enough to let a very good breeze through, there is not even a sign of humidity in fact it is unusually dry for the uk. One more hour of relaxing in the shade and we are off for a long walk in the beautiful home park, before leaving for home in the evening, after the traffic. Similarly in the morning we arrived early to miss the traffic. As you can see the risks can be avoided! Windsor is one of my favourite shows because the weather tends to be good and it is always a beautiful place to visit.

Another point is how hot the pavements etc  get in tbis weather.  Can u imagine  walking or standing on  hot concrete without shoes?

> Despite the fact we used damp towels to cover the backs of black coated hounds while waiting in the line-up, and making sure the hounds were in our shade (difficult if the class was held at mid-day), it was possible this could happen.

I have received a PM suggesting that this is not the way to cool an overheated dog down, in case others tried this.  I should urge this was NOT to correct overheating but to help deflect the heat of the sun from a black coated dog.   PREVENTION NOT CORRECTION.

Yes, Jodi, I live on the east coast just outside Banff, and the temperature is liveable with the sea breeze and frequent haar, still too warm for dogs in cars however. By the way are you headed for the Portsoy boat festival? Have a good time here x

> Windsor is one of my favourite shows because the weather tends to be good and it is always a beautiful place to visit.

It's my least favourite as they persist in the old fashioned layout of benching behind the trade stands.

yes in recent years the rings are shaded but only one side and with several often large breeds in the ring shade is almost impossible to find and the trek back to benches to swap dogs a nightmare, and those tents get very hot as it is dangerous to let the sides down.

I had three entered on Thursday in two classes each so over £100 in entry fees wasted as I wasn't prepared to take the chance on my own.

I gave up entering the show, but sometimes we have a judge I want t go under, and I enter in hopes they will have changed the layout to a more modern one.

NOW Southern Counties IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE SHOW FOR LAYOUT, even better than my local Bath, as they put all the benching in the centre and run the rings off them, and the Trade make up the perimeter.

Always enter and the breed draws a good entry, better than at Windsor even though we have no CC's there and did at Windsor.

I didn't like Windsor because we almost never did much at that show!!!

I gave up judging some years ago now because I didn't want to be standing out in bad weather (mainly hot weather ) for hours.   Never mind pulling my hounds.   I think Houndshow was my least fav. because there were almost always wasps around, and it was hot, hot, hot - and dusty.

We’re on the Black Isle near Rosemarkie, samsmum, and right by the sea, tides in and noisily washing in and out. Will take Isla in there as soon as possible. Didn’t do much yesterday, just took her down to loch Linnehe and let her swim to her hearts content.
What, where and when is the Portsoy boat festival?

It is held in Portsoy harbour which is in aberdeenshire/moray, it is a three day event so tomorrow, Sunday, will be the last day. All sorts of boats, old and new, if it floats it is likely to be there! Also sea related demonstrations, music etc. It's a good weekend out but gets busy so maybe not ideal for dogs with all the crowds milling around. Also stalls with lots of food, fish, seafood and the like. Hope you have a brilliant holiday, you are lucky with the weather