Hot Weather Running

[bucks better beagles]

Here in Michigan, a 90' day, is a scorcher. We had one yesterday. I checked my dogs about 9 PM to see if they wanted to go hunting and they did so we went. They jumped a fox and ran him for about an hour and a half. My GPS registered about 7 miles.

I maintain that a dog should be able to run in this kind of heat if they are conditioned for it. You boys in the south probably see this all the time. I am wondering if you all run in these temps? I had a dog a few years back, suffer from heat exhaustion. He kinda feinted over and laid down. I poured some cold beer over him and let him lay in the shade for about 10 minutes and he came to and went on back in the chase. He never did that again. Maybe it was the beer.

[Crow]

I think you said it in your post. If the dog is conditioned to the heat it shouldn't be a problem. If you have them out on very warm to hot days regularly then probably no issues. If you haven't cut 'em loose since kill season ended then this heat wave is probably not the time to start getting them tuned up. Me personally, I hate trying to run in this stuff, snakes are way to "fired up" when it's this hot. Biggest thing is just acclimating the dog to the heat & watching them closely. If a dog suddenly "goes missing" from a long race or doesn't return with the pack after one then better be looking. Also dogs are like people if one suffers a heat related issue then it should be done for not just the day but several days. I've been a paramedic for 13 years. Heat stress / exhaustion / stroke are cumulative conditions. Meaning that just because you (or the dog) starts to feel or act better all is not well. Suffering such a condition actually increases the likelihood of having another episode & with the rebound affect chances are the second will be much more severe than the first. Best practice for dogs or us is to give it 3 - 5 days to fully recover if the heat stays on.

[Big River Beagles S]

you don't have my option I try to run early in the morning or late at night when the dew comes down if there is any helps cool the dogs.

[bucks better beagles]

Big River: I like your option but I can't get up early enough in the morning.

Crow: every thing comes with risks. No one way can I go 3 to 5 days without running dogs, no matter their problems. They gotta be tough or I will find some that are. I do carry plenty water and watch them closely. I figure mother nature will tell them when it is time to slow down. She sure has told me.

[Pete Tuck]

100 degrees in North Carolina today. No running for me. I have a schedule during the summer that affords me to go to work for a couple of hours each day. So usually I am running dogs from 6:30 to around 9:00. Sometimes I go with Anthony around 7:00 in the evening. It's still hot at these times but our dogs are pretty much adjusted to it. One thing I failed to mention is that I usu ally run cutovers that has a pond right in the middle of it. A lot of time my son and I bass fish while the dogs are running. After a run or two the dogs get in the water for a swim or a drink.

[fasttrackpa]

I run in the evenings when it is this hot, usually start before sundown and give 'em 4 or 5 hours, always near a good water source. This keeps 'em in shape for the trials that may be 90 degrees. I don't mind that kind of heat at a trial much because they don't mormally run casts as long when it's that hot. It also really shows who has their dogs in top shape

[Casey Harner]

I voted for 4 and 5. I rather run in fall like conditions but I also like to watch dog work in the summer, the heat will show you the real gritty dogs.

[gun runner]

I will not run my dogs hard in this weather,if i can not have them out there at frist light when the ground has alittle dew on it i will leave them home under the shade,with alot of ice water in there bowls.This hot weather is not good for them i do not care how conditioned they are,i know the boys down south do not have the choices we have up north.I look at this way put a fur coat on and run 2 miles in this heat and tell me how you feel.I love to run them as much as the next guy but iam going to hurt them.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

I think some amount of Common Sense should be used weither its 100 degress or -20. I been wanting to go run with lowell in west virginia but i am smart enuff to know that when its 100 degrees as it is at 1:40 pm in winchester them big rattlers are loving life in them mountains and flat rocks.I dont want to loose anything its taken years to build. The flip side i have watched videos when it was -10 and 2ft of snow i mean really north south east or west you just gotta run when ya can.
And for the post above mine that hair works as a cooling agent as well as heating sorce.

[gun runner]

I heard that before that the hair help with cooling.So take off the coat and run 2 mile in the heat and tell me how you feel.I agree it takes just alittle Common Sense.

[pcable]

It's 100+ here in Eastern Ky! No way I'm turning a dog loose!
I have to agree with Mapel Valley, them big rattlers would take a dog out in a hurry in this heat and I have worked too hard building what I have!
Probably lay mine up for a couple months on count of the snakes.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Speaking of common sense my pool needed vacumed last night so i put in the Kreep Krawler if any of you own a pool, i Noticed the level was low so i put in the water hose and mixed a cocktail . Got to talking to on the phone to this and that one , next thing i know its dark and i go in. 930 Am my 7 year old daughter calls me and says "Daddy the pool is about too run over" Uggggggggh . .......Its called common sense or a lack of there of.

[bucks better beagles]

Man, I love hearing from you boys. I just poured my self another Capt. Morgan and coke. We don't have a snake problem in Michigan and I never considered this as an issue for hot weather. For those of you who are running in the hot weather, I bet your dogs don't have any extra weight on them. I will also bet that you like to run with other dogs that are over weight just for the fun of it.

Do you find any particular breed that is more suited to hot weather running? I have a dog here that doesn't ever seem to take a panting breath in this weather. I also have one that breaths relentlessly as though he is going to stroke (but he does this in winter too). My dogs are all long haired and big.

MVK: that is funny. I have that problem but blame it on old age.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Well buck it happens i reckon. Ya know Chad Gray had a ol hound called Bumper to Bumper still does have him, but as a younger hound i watched ol bump run many a day and night and run around a pond and never take a drink . He was a good one.

[outlaw]

I just lost one last week to a big rattler! Dogs were running in cutover and just quit and other three came straight to me i knew something was wrong. What was weird it took me about 2 hours before I got to him the rattler was about 4ft from him just coiled up. Gotta be careful down here in the south!!