# How hot is too much for mals outside?



## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

Ive been paying close attention since my dog hates being inside. Its been just over a 100 degrees in Phx but he seems to be fine sitting in the shade and grass.

any thoughts or info?


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Matt Grosch said:


> Ive been paying close attention since my dog hates being inside. Its been just over a 100 degrees in Phx but he seems to be fine sitting in the shade and grass.
> 
> any thoughts or info?


fitness, health, climatize, just like yourself.


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Also a difference in being there on their own, or being stressed, in drive, or working. Left to their own choice, without much stimulation, my dogs will jump in the pond or lay in the shade and cool off. If training, playing hard, in drive or stressed or whatever, most of them will ignore signs of physical discomfort and keep going. I have to watch them. My first mal almost heatstroked because I didn't know better...


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

If he is outside he should be fine, as long as there is shade. I would watch for excessive panting, and make sure there is lots of water, but even Buko is able to be out in the kennel without stressing, and it is 100 plus here. He is not good at all if he runs around, but stupid won't stop chasing Soda.


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## Laney Rein (Feb 9, 2011)

Just get a kiddie pool and leave it in a shady area or get one of those mist system deals you can attach to a hose and hang on tree. I, too, live outside of Phx and when it gets 110+ it really helps. We have mists set up in our runs plus have an auto waterer and a pool and they do just fine.


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## Matt Grosch (Jul 4, 2009)

with the kiddie pool, if its 110 outside, wouldnt the water end up being 110?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I guess you have never heard of evaporation. Nice work missing that all through childhood.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

As long as there is a place to get out of the sun and fresh water he will be fine.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Matt Grosch said:


> with the kiddie pool, if its 110 outside, wouldnt the water end up being 110?


 
You dont have kids, do you?


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

If you are concerned about the heat you could set up misters in one area. I have misters in front of my rabbit cages that are on a thermostat controlled valve. Rabbits are way more sensitive to heat than dogs and because they are in cages and can't dig in the dirt and make a hole to cool themselves. Never had a problem here with the dogs, but I do provide water pools and there's plenty of shade. It's not hot here like Phoenix.

Misters are set up to cool the air just above where the animals are, not to wet the animals.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

If he's not panting then he's fine, whatever the temperature and setup is. If he is laying in the shade/grass panting, you might want to consider the pool/mister setups. I have a large stock tank for my dogs, one of those black reinforced rubber ones. So far it hasn't gotten hot enough here to need to fill it up, and since the dogs are always going inside/outside I'd rather not deal with wet dog if I don't need to. But when it's 90+ I'll fill it up for them, and at 100+ I start turning on the misters. 

The bonus of him being outside and used to the heat will show up when you are working him, he will tolerate it much better than a dog who noramlly sits in an air conditioned house, and isn't acclimated to the outside temps.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Delaware was hit with some major heat for this area. My black Bouviers haven't expired. It boils down to common sense: watch the dog's behaviors for heat related stress, provide shade, and* lots of water!* 
About 4 times a day, I have taken the hose to the kennel to help reduce the heat from the concrete pad.


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## Laney Rein (Feb 9, 2011)

Matt Grosch said:


> with the kiddie pool, if its 110 outside, wouldnt the water end up being 110?



That's why you put the pool in a shaded area. I have 4 working dogs that live outside 24/7, 2 are Aussies thus long coats and all do fine. My Mal and small dogs are indoor/outdoor.


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## John-Ashley Hill (Jan 5, 2011)

If MWD's can work and survive in Iraq and Afghanistan then your dog can make it hanging out in the yard provided you follow the advice given, the best of which was to "use common sense."


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## catherine hardigan (Oct 12, 2009)

Matt Grosch said:


> with the kiddie pool, if its 110 outside, wouldnt the water end up being 110?


If it's 110 outside then the water will most likely evaporate/vaporize before the pool reaches that temperature. Water has a very high specific heat 
(1 cal/gram C) which means that it requires A LOT of energy to raise its temperature a single degree. 

Sorry for nerding out on you.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

I know a Rott can handle heat and humidity of the steaming rain forest (jungle) of south west Costa Rica. My Rott didn't move around much during the day and had lots of skin ailments but he did it.

We were on a Pacific Ocean bay so he went down to the ocean whenever he wanted to cool off. The only issue was you had to get out of the water and under a tree with some breeze to cool down. The ocean water was the warmest I felt anywhere in my life right there.

Bahia Drake (Drakes Bay) Costa Rica 1997


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## Victor Sadhu (Jun 8, 2011)

I live in the northeastern Brazil, wich is one of the hottest places in the country and Malinois work just fine.
Of course we dont train in the hottest hours of the day but, by themselves, they are just fine.

My brothe lived in São Paulo wich is colder than my country, when he visited me, his golden retriver suffered a little bit, he was always looking for the fan or air conditioner, but the poor dog is just too, too hairy.


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