Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:38 am Post subject: training classes in the heat - what do your clubs do?
We have 3 different training classes a week with Basil, 1 x agility and 2 x gundog.
2 of the 3 are fine and have rest / water/ shady spots.
Tomorrow we have our gundogclub class at 12noon in an open field with no swim spot. I'll take water but I'm wondering whether to skip class...but then what if it's sunny week after week?
I have a feeling Basil will plod behind in his heelwork, walk on his recalls and be reluctant to hold and return the dummy as he'll need to pant. Oh and lie down and chew grass at every opportunity for refreshment...he does that even when it's only mildly warm
I know 'proper' gundogs have the drive and handling to work on in the heat but what do you and your pet doggies do at training class?
I'm wishing I'd thought ahead and paid for a class that was at 9am or 5pm or something
Personally I wouldn`t have a dog out in the main heat of the day which of course is around midday and as it supposed to be getting into the 30`s this week all the more reason not to have Basil out imo.
Do you think I should just skip it as it's personal choice Mary or call to see if the trainer will reschedule the whole class?
The classes are pricey and there are only 8 of them. I'm going to be gutted to keep missing weeks or possibly the enitre course......why didnt I pick a yellow dog at least!
Difficult! Organisers may cancel?
I'm keeping Luna inside between 11 and about 4pm. She's been missing her usual afternoon/evening walk as even up until 8/9pm it's still been touching 30 here in the shade for the past few days. We can't avoid being out in sun on walk, we can in the garden so training and a bit of water-play under trees have replaced her 2nd walk!
We had a class yesterday from 1030-1200. It was really hot. With hindsight, I should have left early as Sophie was not enjoying it at all. The only thing she did enjoy was the 2 min down.
I think there should be some health and safety guidelines for dog training classes as I feel that they are more inclined to run classes in ANY weather otherwise they will lose income.
I know of several trainers that have cancelled/postponed their classes in general during July/August as it can be difficult to run if you've got no access to water or shade. Say that, I've not known gundog tests to be cancelled because of hot weather - they just make sure that the dogs have access to shade and 'dip's' in water plus water retrieves.
When I was in Italy running a gundog clinic, they certainly didn't stop because of 25-30 degrees but the dogs all seemed to be totally used to what we consider warm/hot weather but their heat is of course 'dry' heat as opposed to our 'humid' heat which makes it more 'hot, hot'.
What did you do in Singapore? must have been really hot and humid at times as well?
Natasha
____________
WLF All the Way!!!!
"Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you canīt eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away..."
What did you do in Singapore? must have been really hot and humid at times as well?
It was, all the time, and Basil just got on with it. I suppose he was acclimatized
Don't get me wrong he panted like a loon, but that was just regulating his temp he wasn't plodding around like he was overheated reluctant to retrieve.
I suppose the constant temp is easier on them. We also never had our aircon up high, just on a little to take the edge off - whereas now I drive 90minutes to training with the car as cold as I can and then when you get out the heat feels raging
We have agility tomorrow between 11.00am and 12.00. It is out in a field, and will be pretty hot.
There is some option to get into shade, and an outdoor tap with a hose on it which we can draw drinking water from for the dogs (and ourselves). I also take my own water, but it does get a bit warm. We do take the odd break during the lesson and go into the shade if they are getting hot, as it looks like they will tomorrow.
We didn't have this problem last summer, as the weather was mostly so crap, but will have to look out for it now!
Our obedience class is not a problem, as it is an evening one.
At my training club we have access to shade and are constantly told if the dogs are tired/hot go straight into the shade, also there is running water on site for the dogs to drink.
Obedience isn't too bad as on a hot day we can stick to the shade. But agility is at 2pm and it can get very hot as the club is inland (I'm on the coast where there is always a breeze!) and is quite sheltered so you get to feel the full heat of the sun. We usually pace ourselves and keep nipping into the shade with the dogs. Last week wasn't too bad as we did rounds, so lots of time in the shade.
The only time our agility class gets canceled is if there has been rain and the equipment and ground is really wet which might make it dangerous for the dogs to use it.
I think I would go along and see what happens, if Basil looks unhappy/tired/or too hot remove him, but you know what this weather is like, drive a few miles up the road and you leave the sunshine behind and its cloudy again
I don't know if it would work, but what about dousing him with a fine mist of water that can evaporate in the sun and help to keep him cool?
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