running in the heat

[jlboomer]

How are you guys running in this heat ive got a couple started pups but its been getting so hot here and thick. Ive ran them hard this week and they look like theyve been in a war lol and ticks and snakes have been really bad. 93 this evening when i took them out for a short run. I hate to sit them up this summer but man i don't know.

[BCBeagles]

I start very early, before daylight or very late, near dark.

A couple hours is all I will go in the extreme heat...jmo.

I hate to leave them home. Even if you go out and get a couple good runs in, say 1.5 hours, I feel it is much more beneficial than not going.

Again my opinions...good luck!!

[jlboomer]

Pulled 15 ticks of one pup and already killed 4 snakes this week man I hate summer for the dogs

[jlboomer]

Pulled 15 ticks of one pup and already killed 4 snakes this week man I hate summer for the dogs

[Smoke'n Mack]

Only night running this time of year, unless we get a light rain in the evening i'll go then too. Night running makes it tough with pups if they aren't broke yet though.

[Shady Grove Beagles]

Be careful!! No one likes to leave their dogs sitting up in the kennel but when it gets as hot as it's been getting here in Tn. [mid 90's ] I just don't go.Not only for the dog's sake,but I just don't enjoy it myself.
A dog's regular temp. is 101.5 and when running in these temps. it can easily climb to 103-104 or higher and when it does you're getting into the danger zone for your hound.
Dogs have a fairly inadequate cooling system that almost entirely depends on their ability to pant and/or consume water.When beagles are running and barking continously after a rabbit they are not panting and can overheat fairly quickly.Many of our beagles have so much heart and desire that they won't stop for water even when it's available.
For 30+ years I was in the X-ray business and had many veterinarians and vet.clinics as my regular customers.Because I've always run my hounds year round this was a subject I discussed many times with many vets.The watchword from all of them was BE VERY CAREFUL!
When your hound's body core temp. creeps up in the danger zone you can actually"cook" them doing damage to their internal organs ie;kidneys,liver,brain,respitory system,etc.Some of this damage may not be immediately noticeable but can contribute to long term damage shortening the life of your hound.Kidney failure anyone??
When I was a lot younger I regularly ran in the hot summer months here in the south.Many times the hounds would be pounding hard after a rabbit and showing no ill effects.It would occur to me that it was getting pretty hot/humid and I'd decide to pull them off and head for the house.Even though they had been running strong,once on the leash and heading for the truck they'd often get the wobbles,loosing control of their back legs,stumbling and getting glassy eyed.These are evidence that your hound is not doing well !
After loosing a couple of really nice females to kidney/renal failure at 6-7 years old,I just don't subject them to that type of stress when it can be avoided anymore.
Did running them regularly in the heat shorten their lives? I don't know.
One vet. that I had a lot of respect for and hunted with hounds and bird dogs thought that it probably was a contributing factor.Think of the marathon runners and the N.F.L. players that you see collapse on the course or on the field from dehydration,cramping and overheating.And those athletes are continously taking in fluids ie;Gatoraide,juices and even I.V.'s on the sidelines.
The vets. thought was along the lines that whenever you subject your hound to that type of stress that he suffers some degree of dehydration and if done on a regular basis that there is a cumulative effect throughout his lifetime that could contribute to early kidney function decline.Made sense to me.
Running very early in the morning and late at night can help,but keep the runs short.
I was out this A.M. working in the garden and doing some weed eating and it's already 91 at noon and I'm shot! Dogs are laying in the shade in holes they've dug in the dirt trying to stay cool.Running dogs? Naw,I don't think so!!!!!

[haderondah]

Had a couple pages of suggestion on the heat last month. I did try the supplement suggested in that thread and had decent luck with it. I found the thread and bumped it back up for ya.

[jlboomer]

72 at 5:30am this morning by 8am it was already in the 80's dang and 96 this evening. Hopefully ill get a catch a few cooler mornings if not guess i pickup where i left of in about two months. Ive been tacking plenty of the water for the dogs but man its hot.

[TOBY]

90s all week. I'm pretty much done for the summer. Maybe catch a cooler day here and there.
Rabbits here don't run good when it's this hot. My dogs will run the rabbits down on the first circle or two. Has happen once last month and twice this month. Mostly Crabbing and fishing until September for me.

[bluemouse]

Shady good smart post, i have been on the same page for years. Visted a buddy yesterday took his gsp for a qiuck outing ended up with a rattlesnake bite, three viles of anti venom and going on week at the vet. Its a chance we can all take.

[Will05]

I started running mine at night. That has helped with the heat. Try the flea and tick pills that last for 3 months. I run my dogs as much as i can and i havent pulled one single tick off of them yet this summer. I was very skeptical about the stuff working but it has worked out great for my dogs. They have been tick free since i started using it 2 months ago.