Anyone else read the article about up to 8 dogs dying due to heat exhaustion at/on way to the world show!  Apparently mostly due to transport in extreme heat in non-aircondintioned vehicles.  And in the hall the temp. was up to 40 degrees, but no Aircon, just  some fans!
One of the dead was a St. Bernard, another a Mastiff, no news yet on the rest.  How sad, and how unecessary.
bye
Gwen

Yes Gwen, I read about that too. 11 dogs dead over the three days of the show. It's horrifying isn't it. I don't know but I would guess that some dogs were from a cooler climate, and just not accustomed to the heat. It must be a cause for consern when exporting dogs and puppies to hot places.
What a nightmare for the owners.
Dawn R.

Words just fail me I changed my car two years ago because my previous one did not have AC & even with the windows open & the dogs own fans on one day coming back from a Ch Sh it was stifling, with Air con in minutes the temp is down to what ever I set the tamp at, no panting dogs or owners

I didn't need to change my car but my dogs come first they now not only have the air con, crate fans, blinds but also a coold blanket as well

We also have Air Con, but I also find that no matter which way I am going sod's law seems to make the sun shine throught the back windows, do any of you use shades or anything else to stop the direct sun making the dogs hot, while still being able to see out?

I have shading on the windows & see through blinds that stop the UVA light & hence the heat & when the car is left I have a couple of solar powered fans in the windows & cover the windscreen & have a vert hatch type link in the tail gate. I also make sure that the car park people are aware that no dogs are left in the car as quite a number of people report me for leaving dogs in the car because the tail gate is wedged open & the windscreen etc covers & I also tell the show secretary save on having my car number tannoyed. I never take dogs to shows that are not entered as I have someone to look after them at home

I do run the engine & ait con before putting the dogs in the car tho' Ialways have some one with me to stay with the dogs until the car is cooled

Hi Moonmaiden

The solar powered window fans - how good are they, I saw them advertised recently and have been wondering about them

I tried a solar powered pump for my fish pond a few years ago and it was useless - do the window fans really work and will they work if it is a hazy day as well as full sun?

They are not brilliant but as I have four(got them very cheaply though a contact a wihile ago)but what they do is change the air in the car pulling in fresh from the outside & coupled with the vet lock like thingy on the tail gate & reflective windscreen shield they do reduce the heat

As soon as the air con kicks in(used with the windows closed)the temperature drops within a few minutes I never switch the air con off & as it's on automatic the temp is constant in the car, I usually set it at the lowest for a while after the car has been stood for a while they put it back so it is comfortable

What I do not understand is why on extremely hot days do people still go ahead and attend shows and put their dogs through the misery,  I made this mistake a year or so ago being fairly new to showing (still am),when we set off the day was lovely and cool but temeratures soared, as forecasted, Both my dog and myself had a really miserable day and I would never do it again despite having paid entry fees in advance.  I understand that poor attendance at shows mean CC's etc could be lost but surely its time the KC looked at this and made exceptions for poor attendance where temeratures are above the norm?
Or am I living in cloud cuckoo land?  but isn't a dogs comfort a more important issue than the money paid out in advance or that place in the first 3 we are all chasing?
I would be interested in anyones point of view on this subject.
She

I attend shows in the hot weather.I do however make sure my boys are kept in the shade and allowed access to water at all times.Luckily our classes are never very big so we're not out in the sun for very long and I never travel more than 2 hours to a show.If I'm travelling far I always stop for a break and refreshment stop for the dogs.
Archer

I show in hot weather too, but with a full kit of weather defying equipment.  I take a  smallish sunshade (which fixes on the grooming table, bought in IKEA for about a fiver!) 2 crate fans (for a through draft.)  My crate has a grid bottom so there is coolness from below too, then a fan/water bottle arrangement, for quick, cool spritzs, and a little pocket battery fan (OK maybe I over do the fan thing :) )  then also a flask of chilled water, as well as the bottle of ordinary water, the pug's cool coats  with the chill bag containing the ice mats which go in them, and a wide topped flask with ice cubes in.  And then, if it is an outdoor open show, also the umbrella/tent thingy for shade (invaluable in wet weather too, this one).  Of course, all this equipment is for the pugs,  the Yankees just make do with the cage fan, the cool water - they never seemed bothered however hot outside.

bye
Gwen

I was amazed at Bournmouth last year, we found a wonderful shady area. well behind all the stalls, under a large tree, with a through breeze for the dogs. We'd frozen bottles of water the night before, and as it melted, lovely cool water for the dogs (and us), wet towels, Ice blocks, A/C in the car, the lot. What amazed me, was the number of people setting up with their dogs around the ring side, without any shade or whatever for the dogs or themselves!!!! Just so they could keep an eye on the judging! I couldn't believe it!! Our judge was good, in that, in larger classes, we were all brought in to the ring, then allowed to retire to the shade until it was our turn, so the dogs didn't suffer in the heat. I know the day we were there was unexpetionally hot, but I hate the heat at the best of times, so I'm always well prepared for the dogs and I in any sort of hot weather. It's tragic what happened to those poor dogs at/ en route to the World show, just tragic!
Kay

I also remember a very hot day at Border Union one year. It started out overcast and quite cool, then got so so hot. I did not take my girl in to her class (32 in it, so judging would have taken ages), and put her in one of the water baths/ showers supplied by the stall holders instead, I know what she enjoyed more, getting soaked and cool, rather than standing in a ring for over an hour! A lovely, cool wet Beardie walking around the showground drew some strange looks, but she was cool, and that's what counted!
Kay

I can remember showing my Heidi at Leeds I think when they had huge water containers(looked like big paddling pools) It got really hot whilst I was in the ring after being overcast(the day before was the last day it rained for around three months) after being in limit bitch I took her to get her some water & passing the water container she jumped in(she didn't do jumping nor getting wet either & the ring I had a friend keep bringing me wet towels & water spray for her, being a blue she really didn't like heat)

She wasn't in for the challemge only being third & boy did she look happy swimming around the water container.

Ah the good old days when most shows were only two days

You have everything I take too Gwen ;) but I have a large parasol & I'm looking at a fan that you can fix onto it for this year :O

i hadnt read about that but how sad there really needs to be something done to stop this recurring poor owners who had to dea with the dogs they had lost
hope it dosent happen again
fiona :(

Poor owners???? Poor dogs!!!!!!!!!...can't help but think that most of these deaths if not all could have been prevented if the dogs had been properly attended.
Archer

Seems to be something about the World Show which attracts tragedy , remember the poor little Yorkie found dead in its crate abadndoned outside the Hall in Amsterdam 2 years ago?
bye
Gwen

hi gwen
yes i remember that poor Yorkie found dead in its crate abadndoned outside the Hall in Amsterdam 2 years ago
you are write this world is full of tragedy  when are they going to sort it out!!!!!!!!
fiona :(