FranVT Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hey guys! Even though there's a tonne of water around at the moment, it's blazingly hot here in Rocky at the moment and I'm wondering what ideas people can throw out there to keep my Finnish Lapphund cool. She is pretty good at doing it herself to be quite honest, she chills out in the cool garage (cement and shady) or on the slate floor of the bathroom but I wonder if there are other ideas I might be missing? I have gone back to work today but it was so hot yesterday, I worry about her! I used to have a clam pool for her last summer, but this summer (wasn't actually that hot until recently) she is an inside dog because we don't have a fence so we can't have a clam pool. What I'm doing so far: giving her some of those (very sturdy) ice brick things to lie on, wetting a towel, putting it in the freezer and taking it out when it's very cold for her to lie on, giving her soft drink and milk bottles with no lid full of water and frozen to lick all day, always making sure she has plenty of water and giving her access to air conditioning when I'm home. It wouldn't be impossible to let her have access to the air con when I'm not home but it would be difficult. If we have very high temp predictions of course I will do this. Any more ideas? I am sure there are things that are cool and fun for her to do that I am just not thinking of! Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have a cool coat for one of my dogs. i probably wouldn't leave it on her unattended (as apparently it can cool them down quite a biit), but when I'm around it is great for her. You can also get bandanas and mats, etc. I got mine from a dog show but this is their website... http://www.coolweave.com.au/coolchampionst...oling_vests.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranVT Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Would you use one for a double coated Spitz breed though? Interesting. When I'm around, we're generally in the air conditioned areas of the house (because I am a sook) but it'd still be handy to have around, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keira&Phoenix Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 What I'm doing so far: giving her some of those (very sturdy) ice brick things to lie on, wetting a towel, putting it in the freezer and taking it out when it's very cold for her to lie on, giving her soft drink and milk bottles with no lid full of water and frozen to lick all day, always making sure she has plenty of water and giving her access to air conditioning when I'm home. Sounds like you are doing heaps as it is!!! Obviously when your not home leaving as many windows open (with fly screens of course) and turning on fans, if you don't have ceiling fans maybe a pedestal fan on rotate near the area she is staying in. I think you can get fans that have a mister on them as well..? I heard someone talking about them that might be ok. Does she have free roam of the house or is she staying in a certain room ie: bathroom? If she is big enough maybe putting a little bit of water in the bottom of that bath tub for her to sit in if she wants... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsKatie Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have a coat for the heat that is made of towelling material that you wet and put on the dog - might be a thought - in fact - if you wanted it I am happy to send it over as mine don't use it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) Would you use one for a double coated Spitz breed though? Interesting. When I'm around, we're generally in the air conditioned areas of the house (because I am a sook) but it'd still be handy to have around, thanks! Both my girls are long haired border collies. I haven't yet used it on the young one, but using it on my old girl kept her being able to work in obedience and agility when it was getting a bit too warm for her without it (as you would expect we weren't working hard, but it did mean that she could get out and about on a day that was a bit warm for her previously). Edited January 5, 2011 by Pretty Miss Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranVT Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) Different coat to Spitz breeds though - I'm looking into it! ETA I also ended up buying a clam pool today She can play in the backyard (supervised) because it's sooo big (ages to the road) and that's what we did this afternoon Edited January 5, 2011 by FranCQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_inoz Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 (edited) FRan - I've used cool coats on my shelties - similar coat to yours. I had a cool mat for mine to start with, for when shows were a bit warm. Would have it in the trolley. Both girls hate it and refuse to lie on it - they scrunch it to the side. I've now got some cool coats that are made of a shammy type material - the same stuff that olympic divers use when they are about to do their dive - you know, the ones you see them wipe themselves down with. You wet these and put them on - stops them from panting on a really hot day. BUT actually - having mentioned these - I don't think any of this stuff would work in a humid climate - these things work on the whole evaporative cooling method, and you're not going to get that in a humid climate. Just be aware of that when looking at cool coats and stuff. Personally - my dad reckons that dogs always find the coolest spot anywhere when it is hot - so yours has probably already found them. He tells the story of when he was young boy - finding the dog on a hot day, then turfing the poor dog out of the cool spot it had found and taking it over.... how mean!! (but very effective). I like your ice idea Edited January 5, 2011 by jr_inoz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have a coat for the heat that is made of towelling material that you wet and put on the dog - might be a thought - in fact - if you wanted it I am happy to send it over as mine don't use it I wouldn't leave this on a dog while I went to work though. If it dried up it could be making her hotter. Fran - she is young and healthy. I'd freeze some iceblocks on the really hot dogs, but otherwise I wouldn't worry. She'll find the coolest spot and chill there. Ny trying to interevene, you may actually make her hotter, especially since you are in a humid climate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Fran, you sound as if you have it covered already. I wouldn't be leaving any type of coat on her when you are not home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Cool coats and cool beds (which I use) work wonderfully for the Spitz breeds Fran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormie Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I make up big liver ice blocks for Orbit when it's hot. I boil up the liver, or sometimes mince, in some water and then put it all into a big ice cream container to freeze. The ice tastes like liver and he also gets chunks of it throughout. I don't like using commercial stock because it's often quite salty. I also give him his meals frozen - so a big hunk of frozen mince or frozen carcasses. Takes him a while to eat and cools him from the inside Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranVT Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks all! I would not leave a cool coat on her when I'm not around, and the point about the humid climate is a good one too regarding the evaporative cooling method. The ice block thing I'm already doing stormie Great minds think alike .. I put whole sardines in ice cream containers and freeze them, though when she decides to lie on or next to the ice blocks she does tend to get a bit whiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_inoz Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Thanks all! I would not leave a cool coat on her when I'm not around, and the point about the humid climate is a good one too regarding the evaporative cooling method.The ice block thing I'm already doing stormie Great minds think alike .. I put whole sardines in ice cream containers and freeze them, though when she decides to lie on or next to the ice blocks she does tend to get a bit whiffy Yeah Fran - remembering my Darwin days and how humid it was and how evaporative cooling just blew hot air everywhere and didn't cool at all... I don't reckon a cool coat will be of any use at all. She'll find her own spot to lie down - sounds like she has... Couple of wet towels on the ground wont hurt though - you'll soon find out if she wants to lie on them or not. Your idea of freezing a wet towel is a good one. Would be interesting to see if she would lie on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranVT Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 She does! She loves her frozen towels. I've been doing that for her since I brought her home at 10 weeks of age. She doesn't lie on it for ages (for obvious reasons ) but she will have a lie down on her tummy for a few minutes, roll around on it making happy noises then off she goes. And you're right she does tend to find the cool spots, in the slate bathroom or the cement garage, or with her tummy wedged up against the bottom of the door where the air con gets out She is a funny thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajtek Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Fill hot water bottle (rubber) with icy water and ice. It lasts longer than a frozen towel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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