Hot Weather Running

[ANTHONY KERR]

I run about the same schedule hot or cold. Normally late afternoon into some after dark running. Keep the beer on ice and my hounds will crunch ice in the box on the way home. I have seen two dogs this year affected by the heat. Both are very competitive and give their all as 2 year olds. They have not had any problems since. The running always seems to pick up just before dark as the temprature inches down.
We don't have too many rattlers where I am, but I have had two bitten by copper heads. Usually just swell up a few days then get back to normal after some benadryl.

[Bobby Vest]

I came in yesterday afternoon at about 6 p.m. I had 2 females that had been on the ground going on 24 hrs. I figured they would be in the barn in the shade with my old Shepherd but when I got out of the truck I heard my Jasper female open up down in the hollow. It didn't take but just a little while when I heard the Trails female fall in the race. I use the term race lightly because it was more like a walk-a- thon. I figured if they could stand to run in it I could stand to listen to it. I heard the last 20 minutes of it and it wasn't all that pretty but they did keep him moving. They do lose a lot of weight in 24 hrs. on the ground this time of year but I am feeding more food than I usually do in the dead of winter. It was 101 degrees when I came in and checked the weather channel. It doesn't seem to hurt them because they all act happy. It is 100 degrees right now and I have one other female loose by herself but I haven't heard her running yet.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

I came in yesterday afternoon at about 6 p.m. I had 2 females that had been on the ground going on 24 hrs. I figured they would be in the barn in the shade with my old Shepherd but when I got out of the truck I heard my Jasper female open up down in the hollow. It didn't take but just a little while when I heard the Trails female fall in the race. I use the term race lightly because it was more like a walk-a- thon. I figured if they could stand to run in it I could stand to listen to it. I heard the last 20 minutes of it and it wasn't all that pretty but they did keep him moving. They do lose a lot of weight in 24 hrs. on the ground this time of year but I am feeding more food than I usually do in the dead of winter. It was 101 degrees when I came in and checked the weather channel. It doesn't seem to hurt them because they all act happy. It is 100 degrees right now and I have one other female loose by herself but I haven't heard her running yet.

Better ck your swimming pool.Talk at ya later.

[Bobby Vest]

I have a leak and that sucks for sure. I have all 5 grand kids this weekend too. I may have to get out the muzzles.

[bucks better beagles]

Bobby: You mean that those dogs had been running for 24 hours? Wow!!

[Newt]

Its 103 F and 22% humidity here around Knoxville, TN. Good day to test the hounds. However, I'm staying inside.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Its 103 F and 22% humidity here around Knoxville, TN. Good day to test the hounds. However, I'm staying inside.

I wish playstation 3 would come out with a great game and i could let my sorry azz kids run em for me.

[TOBY]

Not worth it to me when its this hot! Not only is it hard on the dogs but it aint no fun for me to be out there walking around in 100 degree weather. Ill wait this hot weather out in the ac!!

[Shady Grove Beagles]

I lived in New Hampshire for 21 years and ran year round.Summers really no problem but winters with many sub zero days made it uncomfortable on the hunter and some tough running on the beagles [and I'm not just talking -5 below,sometimes -25 below and that's when I stayed on the couch! ]
Been living here in Tn. for 16 years now and continue to run year round.If I want to run my beagles in June,July and August I will usually start about 4:30 in the A.M. or 10:00 P.M.
One thing that has been mentioned by several is that the dogs MUST be conditionrd to run in the hot weather.Very true.I have friends in northern New England that if they get up on a Sat. morning to go run hounds and it's already 65 degrees they figure it's too hot and go back to bed.On the other hand if I get up and see that it's 65 I thank God for a cool morning grab the dogs and load up and go.
One thing that I will take some exception to though is the mind set that running when it's 90 or hotter somehow "seperates the men from the boys" or "if the dogs aren't tough enough I'll get some that are tougher".
For 33 years I was in the X-ray business and had MANY veterinary clinics that were my customers and many of these vets also became very good friends and an invauable source of information in my keeping dogs.They all knew that I viewed my hounds as canine athletes,competed with them,hunted them hard and year round,hauled them from Mississippi to Maine and often required them to run everyday for a week or ten day hunting trips.Knowing this you'd be surprised how candidly some vets will share with you things that they wouldn't tell their clients with the foo-foo dogs.
First off they will tell you and most vet books also mention this is the fact that dogs have a very inefficient cooling system.They cool almost exclusivelly through the act of panting [a little through the pads on their feet but that is minimal ] They don't sweat!
So when your beagle is driving that bunny hard and barking every breath their isn't much panting and/or cooling able to take place.Your beagle is also down at ground level [alright 13" for some and 15" for others.LOL ]in the thick brush,weeds,etc.where there's no air stirring and it's a lot hotter than you are at head high 5 feet or more.
When I run in the warm/hot weather I ONLY run where there's a water source that the dogs can get to.But, have you ever noticed that if you have the type of hard going beagle that would rather run a rabbit than do anything else that often they WON'T stop to get a drink even if it's available?
Now here is what numerous vets have told me about hot weather running.Be VERY,VERY carefull or you'll end up killing a good dog or at least risk shortening his life.A dog's normal body temp is 101.5 F.When running in hot weather it is not too much of a stretch for that hard going dog to reach a core body temp in the danger zone.At a core body temp. of 104 degrees the dog will often get the staggers,wobbles and be generally unsteady on his feet . I'm sure many of you have seen this as I have had it happen and have ended up carrying dogs to a creek or pond and laying them in the water until they were cooled enough to get back on their feet and walk out of the woods.If your dogs core body temp. gets up to 106 or higher your at great risk of losing him or at worse he'll suffer some internal damage that might not be readily noticable but in the long run can affect his longevity and performance.
When I asked vets what actually was happening to the dog that was exhibting the staggers when I downed him off a rabbit and it was so hot their comments were usually "you're cooking him".Most of these docs. weren't being judgemental just factual. They said that the animal's core body temp was getting so high that some of his functions were beginning to if not shut down were struggling to continue to function properly.They went on to say that when the dog's internal organs,tissues,brain cells,etc. got that hot that permanent damage could occur.Two vets even told me they thought that could very well be the reason that so many competition beagles and those hunted hard have a large percentage of occuring kidney disease/failure.Dehydration is another factor of hot weather running.A dehydrated dog not only loses the fluid that keeps his skin's elasticity and circulatory system functioning but they also lose electrolytes which are minerals such as sodium, chloride and pottasium. A hound run frequejntly in these conditions is regularly having his kidneys/renal system stressed to a certain degree and one can only speculate as to what effect this may have on any individual hound.
If you think that I'm just blowing smoke about all this ask yourself why so many of the N.F.L. players are seen on the sidelines during the early season games when it's still hot getting I.V.'s and are often seen down on the field cramping from what the commentators always say is the heat? Why is it that the marathon runners are constantly being handed fluids throughout the race and even then come across the finish line and collapse writhing on the ground and end up going to the med. tent for I.V.'s? and in these events we are talking about world class athletes who have been in serious trainng prior to this happening.
All I'm saying is be very careful how you use your hounds in this very hot weather we're having as it's not neccesarily a question of are they tough enough or can they go the distance at the next trial.The heat is something we all have to take it easy in.
P.S. A little off subject but still related.I've noticed that the bluetick beagles I've had have a thicker/denser coat then my tri-colors and don't seem to tolerate the heat as well????

[lebro]

i voted seperates the men from the boys as i sit in the ac in front of the computer. buck: that captian morgan is awesome mixed with sweet tea as well in fact i prefer it that way. mvk: next time you go to fill the pool just call me i will keep you on the phone talking dogs till well after midnight.

[gwyoung]

Buck, Believe it or not I agree with most of what you post and you do seem to make sound decisions most of the time but I find it extremely difficult to go along with you on this one, Don't they sell Jim Beam in your neck of the woods!

[NeilKimbrel7]

I believe running the hounds when it's hot makes them acclimate to the heat and makes it easier on them while just sitting in the kennel. I won't run during the the hottest hours of the day though. I know a man that lost 6 beagles to heat stroke last year just sitting in the kennel, when the temps got up to 115...kinda wondered if he had ran year around if they would've survived. Ran last night, believe it was still 85 degrees at 10 pm. Anyone else runnin in irrigated corn fields? Can't beat it this time of year.

[BLACKBART]

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.

MINE NOT ON LIST. I'M A TERMINALLY ILL HUNTER, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. GOT IT REAL BAD!
LIVING IN EASTERN KY. I FULLY AGREE WITH EVERY THING SAID IN THE ABOVE. THIS IS A SMART MAN WHO TRULEY PUTS HIS DOGS FIRST.
KNOW IT IS ALL TRUE, BUT I CANNOT GO TO LONG WITHOUT HEARING A RACE.
HAVE LOST NICE DOGS TO HEAT AND RATTLERS, BUT JUST CAN'T SEEM TO HELP MYSELF. HUNT A LOT AT NITE. WHEN IT STARTS TO GET LATE IN THE EVENING
I START GETTING REAL NERVOUS AND ANXIOUS. AFTER A WHILE MY WIFE, GOD BLESS HER SAYS, WHY DON'T YOU GET UP AND GO HUNTING. AFTER 40 YRS. SHE
KNOWS ALL THE SYMPTOMS.
SMART? NO
BUT WHEN YOU GOT THE BUG, YOU DON'T ALWAYS US THE BEST JUDGEMENT.

[Rowco Beagle Kennels]

For a long time we were blessed to not have any dogs snake bit. We had one year before last that did not make it. Last year we had 2 but all survived. Already this summer we have had 3 come in bitten, the last one Monday night. Apparently these this year have been copper heads because after a lot of swelling, throwing up, listlessness they have made quick recoveries. Also having more run-ins with coyotes than ever. The heat today was 100 (105 index). Tomorrow predicted 102 (index 115). We will keep running but take a lot more care to keep the dogs safe. Bobby

[Panther Creek]

Runnin at night scares me- snakes AND coyotes. I had a bitch get real hot last Mem. Day weekend runnin (I had to carry her back to the truck) and she aint been the same since in the hot weather.
My dogs are gettin soft....