just wondered what owners used to help the dogs keep cool in this weather?
my lad has 2 kids pools with water,a bowl of water,a bucket of water with ice cubes(that he eats) and usually the fan going.
he likes to lay in the garage or on the kitchen floor usually on his back and stops me from getting in the fridge.
i don't know if any one has any more ideas?
what we do for them!

Hi Marrie sounds to me your doing a grand job I do all the above and they do love the hose aswell. Walk them very early and very late they take to the shade in this heat it does supprise me the amount of people out with their dogs thou (hottest time of the day aswell)

Max has his own paddling pool as he is not big enough to get in to the kids one! He also eats ice cubes like they are going out of fashion.  He does like to lie spread eagled on the tiles on the kitchen floor as it has to be the coolest floor in house.

leomad
if i get the hose out he nicks it and would turn it on me (bless) i have to try and fill his pools up when hes snoozing. i get wet through i know they are a breed (like ducks to water) but people think im mad having a pool on the drive for him.but i really don't care it would be cruel to take it of him now.he even had a cat tray at 7 weeks,im too soft i guess.but it all helps him,so he gets it.i only take him in cool periods and not far it isn't fair on him.it you out yourself in your dogs place and i some how turned into a leo i wouldn't want to go.
wasn't you the other owner at the show that helene/dee was telling me about? you had to go home early because he wasn't very well? how is your boy???
at least we got 1st for the leo's! i said to helene it would be nice if we got 1 and 2 for leo's in the show.

Hi Marrie it is Helen, June is my middle name, the month I was born(Good job is wasnt October lol ) didnt you know thats why I said " Hear you had a good day"

sorry my mistake.i was born in october.......lol
i thought leomad was june as in the one who was the owner of the other leo at the show,you told me about.
can't you tell i'm a new member have to go to more club stuff.got to get to know other owners,but hello helen.
helen...........june......leomad i have got it at last.

Delta is a water baby ..she lies down in the kids sandpit which is filled with cold water ;) If she is indoors, she sleeps on a patch of concrete in the kitchen. Both her and Hudson like their ice cubes and, when I open the big freezer doors, Delta sits almost inside it :D

I cant persuade the Pugs to climb into their paddling pool although Alison does love pushing the plastic ducks around it wiht her nose! Howeve,r the Am. Cockers are happy to splash in it.  this is a bit problematic with the 2 pups in show coat, but seems mean not to let them have fun too :).  for the pugs I have battery operated fans we can take with us if we go anywhre, and a couple with spray bottle attached too, so you get cool air and a mist of water - they love that.  I have also made them coats in sun reflective fabric, with a thin towelling lining.  They have a pocket on each side for a frozen ice bag, this keeps them lovely and cool, especially at shows.

bye
Gwen

Wow gwen what a clever idea, it made me smile imagining yuor little pug pushing the duck round! :D

For all those dog who wont eat plain ice cubes, freeze chicken, beef or vegetable stock but make sure you check what sort you use cause a wall know brand called o*o contains a LOT of salt its best to use homemede. Also if you want to cool your dog down when they are particularly hot wet a towel with cold water and drape it over their back. My wheaten loves this but by the sounds of it you are doing a good job anyway.

luv sarah xxxx

I get marrowbones from the butcher, freeze them and give them as a marrowbone ice lolly :)  They also last longer!

My staffie tends to sunbath, yes i know its odd but my french bulldog and bulldog really suffered last year in the heat so we bought an air-conditioner for our lounge, it really is fantastic, i sit in there all day on the hols because it is SO lovely and cool in there and it has been a real help with our frenchie and bulldog

Yesterday I took Lyric with me to a big, huge potluck party thing. There was a huge number of people. It was actually someone's wake that lived in this community. First I went alone and after a few hours, seeing several dogs milling around outside, decided to run home a mile away and get Lyric. Everyone around here loves dogs. It's normal to see dogs where ever you go...a very small community. Anyhow, he had a great opportunity for socialization where there were more people than he'd ever been around.

There was plenty of open space out in the grass but close to and inside the building I had to squeeze past people. Lyric handled all of it wonderfully and was such the gentleman. Everytime I called him to come, he did so immediately, no matter how much fun he was having. I let him off his leash after seeing how he behaved. He played with a GSD....had a wee of a time and was friendly with a couple of cattle type dogs, a Husky, a little Boston Terrier and some tiny puppy. The GSD retrieved and Lyric herded her. LOL. His retrieving instincts are nill, but he does herd like a quarter horse. LOL. He got lots of pats and compliments and some people were suprised that for a Doberman, he was very nice. LOL. I was proud of my 1 yr. old Doberboy. (just had his first birthday on Fri)

Then to cool off (getting to the point finally) they had dumped over a canoe which was full of ice where the wine, beer and pop was kept. Lyric went and walked around in this huge pile of ice, ankle deep crunching on ice cubes. Otherwise, at home we have an air conditioner and shade outside and often a breeze. It doesn't get any hotter than 80 -90 F in summer and only occasionally 100 degrees. But if the dogs look hot, they get hosed down and get ice cubes. I think the chicken broth ice cubes would be a hit. I'm going to try that!

Carrie