Guest katieandpadfoot Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My dogs are very effected by the heat...anything above 74 degrees my girl starts panting like crazy. Is this normal? My husband thought they would be better able to handle the heat then other dogs or are they just like other dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Mine don't do well with the heat either. Adopted greyhounds don't have enough body fat or fur to protect them from the heat and cold. Now you go to a greyhound farm, where they spend a lot of time outside and they have fur coats that are amazingly thick! Those are the coats that they typically "blow" when they get into an adoptive home. They have no need for that fur any longer because they live in climate controlled houses. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tenderhearts Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 None of my greyhounds have done the heat well. It seems like Randy will pant forever if it's hot outside and he just goes out to do his business! I have ceiling fans in all rooms of the house, and he's also perfectly content to lay in front of a standing fan, even with the central air on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 No, they can't handle the heat well. No body fat. Extreme temps are dangerous. My one boy loves to lay outside when it is 50 degrees out! Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 And of course I am the curious one, why does your husband feel that they can handle it better than other breeds? Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 George hates the heat. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerlinsMum Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My two boys can't stand the heat either - Merlin in particular doesn't even want to go out for walks when it's hot and humid. He does anyway because his mean mum makes him but when it's hot and humid I get up earlier in the morning and walk them as late as 7pm - basically when it's cooler. I also refrain from scheduling playgroup if it's above 75 degrees, as most of the hounds can't take it and I don't want to run the risk of any of them getting heat exhaustion. Quote Kerry with Lupin in beautiful coastal Maine. Missing Pippin, my best friend and sweet little heart-healer 2013-2023 Also missing the best wizard in the world, Merlin, and my sweet 80lb limpet, Sagan, every single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sighthounds4me Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My Borzoi actually do better in the heat than the Greyhound does. Though, if you ask Manero, he'll argue. He's a bit of a princess. Cooper and Indigo love to play though! They all prefer the cold, though, even Naples! Quote Sarah, the human, Henley, and Armani the Borzoi boys, and Brubeck the Deerhound.Always in our hearts, Gunnar, Naples the Greyhounds, Cooper and Manero, the Borzoi, and King-kitty, at the Rainbow Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greensleeves Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 And of course I am the curious one, why does your husband feel that they can handle it better than other breeds? Probably because they're an ancient breed that evolved in the desert. Or for the same reason most people think that a tank top and short shorts will be cooler than head-to-toe layers of linen and wool (and a hat). A skinny, short-haired dog must be cooler than a hefty furry one, right? It's just counter-intuitive to most people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My two do not do well at all..they pant when everyone else is just comfortable. Missy loves to lay outside when the weather is "fall like" and watch the birds and squirrels. My Ig, on the other hand, is a heat seeker...even when it is 95 degrees he is looking for a sunny spot to lay in! He HATES being cold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My Greys AND I HATE HEAT AND HUMIDITY!!!!!!!!!!! One huge reason we moved from Central Florida! Well, there were MANY, but and H and H, were on the top of my list! MINE HATE H and H, and I am now able, thank Goodness, to keep my house at 70 :-)) In Florida, I hade to keep it at 80, and my bills were stil well over $300/monthly :-( About half that here, and WE are COMFORTABLE! Yes, Greyhounds feel the H and H. Rule of thumb ... IF you are hot, your dog is hot! Keep these babies COOL! Summer is almost over, ... Thank God! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 We live in the mountains of Pa. a few and I mean a few hot days here, maybe 78 degrees, but all of my pups find a fan to lay in front of, none of mine like it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lflaherty45 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Mine will do much better in the cold than with the heat. Our girl is outside for a potty break and will come in and pant for 30 min or more. Just can not handle the heat and humidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LynnM Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Gradual acclimatization is key. If they're not used to the temperatures, then they won't do well. A healthy, acclimatized dog, given appropriate water and shade, can handle summer temperatures just fine. When Joplin was running, I made a point of doing a short workout (around a mile walk) in the heat of the day in addition to his longer ones when it was dark. There were many days when I'd leave him turned out in Pam's pasture for the better part of the day (with a big pecan tree for shade and huge water bucket). He LOVED trotting the perimeter, occasional sprints and lounging around, even in the summer. He was always pretty heat-tolerant, even for a black dog that was twice the age of most of his fellow competitors. We'd also hose down several times during the day. He wasn't a big water drinker, but was pretty much able to self regulate. I didn't usually have to encourage him to drink, even if I'd rather he drank a bit more. I treat any healthy dog I have like this, even though they don't run. Heat is a fact of life in Florida, and we all learn to deal with it. One last point... some dogs pant more than others. Joplin recovered faster than any other greyhound I've had. He was odd that way (among lots of ways he was odd, LOL). Louis will pant in a 60 degree room if he gets the least bit nervous. Every dog is different. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trudy Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Ryan thinks anything above 55 degrees is hot. Heat and humidity aren't really something we have in Kodiak. The dogs will have to adjust as we go on their trip south next year. T likes heat - he camps out smack dab in front of the woodstove soaking up all the heat in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wdlndgreasil Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 It depends on the dog. Evie loves the heat and cold. You could leave her outside all winter & she'd be happy - just like she enjoys laying in the full sun when it's 90+ outside [and she's black]. She pants up a storm but whatever makes her happy. When it's nice in the summer, they spend all day outside with plenty of shade & water. Only reason is because it's so wet & rainy here in the winter they can never go out! Each dog is different - just like people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest katieandpadfoot Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Hi there!!! Thanks for all the info everyone!!!! It's grety to hear that my dogs are normal. In answer to cbudshomes's question about my husband thinking that they shouldn't be bothered by hot and humid weather is because he thinks that because they came and raced from Florida it shouldn't bother him. I don't it's a man's logic I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest meakah Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Koda LOATHES the heat. She thinks it is boiling out with basically anything over 40F (5C). I normally have a pool in the yard that she can lay in...but not this year. So what I do instead is hose her down constantly. She absolutely loves it. As soon as she sees me with the hose she 'assumes position'. On hot days I will hose her down every 30 mins or so and only walk her in the late evenings once it has cooled a bit....and only walk her where there are creeks/wetlands or a river to lay in. And yes....she pants all of the time once it hits about 60F (15C). My roommate's dog is an Akita/lab cross and she does waaaay better in the heat due to her insulating fur. Definitely counter-intuitive to some.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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