Re: [pyrnet] Weather

["Tracy" <espinay@bigpond.com>]

<< Drastic temperature changes ie: going from cool to very hot or vice versa
is not good for the animal.(or people)  Particularly double coated dogs, its
just takes them a bit longer to regulate changes in body temp.>>

I would agree with this.  Living in Australia we are used to the extreme
heat of summer.  It is actually much easier on both the dogs and people if
they are not subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations.  They have a
better chance of acclimatising if the temperature remains fairly constant.

In my house I have fans rather than air conditioning.  I use blocks of ice
in front of the fans and in water bowls on the really bad days (40 degrees
celcius and the like), the dogs have wading pools (by walking through and
wetting their paws they can help themselves keep cool) , they are kept
brushed out so the air can circulate to their skin, and when in their runs
during the day (they are inside with me at night) have plenty of shade
(trees and bushes make the coolest shade, and damping down foliage can
reduce air temperature) and cool dirt to dig in.  Old dogs have their belly
shaved to assist contact with the cool ground (the feet and belly area are
the 'temperature regulating' areas.

Taking these initiatives and despite the 'lack' of air conditioning, my dogs
have to date never shown stress due to the heat.

Tracy Bassett
Murrumbateman, Australia
espinay@bigpond.com