# Moving to hot country



## Aristo (Jul 23, 2016)

I may be moving to the Caribbean in a year and would be taking my gs with me. For those of you who live in hot climates year round how do you exercise your dogs keeping in mind some months the temperature remains high even at night thanks.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I lived in SW Florida for 5? Years with GSDs. Bleh. You will have to get used to exercising your dogs before 8am or after 8pm. Sometimes before 7am in the summer.

If it is a place with dangerous wildlife consider what that means....my dogs were always bee lining for the water to cool off and in FL that means possibly getting eaten by a gator. Thank god I got out with only losing one of my milking goats to a gator.

One thing I really wasn't prepared for was how different little cuts and scrapes were. Everybody was always getting clorhexidine/keto baths because the tiniest boo boo would become a nasty weeping sore in the heat and humidity with crazy tropical bacteria. If they had been swimming they would get what I called "swamp ick", itching, chewing, rashes ect only cure another medicated bath.

Everybody was on allergy meds all the time.

It was defionitely worse on our farm than where we had lived in the burbs, we moved to a much wetter area. All of our pastures flooded at least 6 inches and it was really hard to find anywhere to walk the dogs that was legitimately dry land. So that definitely contributed to our woes.

But it sure was beautiful, the tropical paradise. I wouldnt go back to live full time. You might convince me to snowbird one day.

Oh and year round flea/tick and heartworm preventative or else fleas the size of baby cockroaches take over your life. Bugs are MUCH bigger in the tropics!!

I had a lizard named "friend" who lived in my milking room and would drink spilled water and milk during chores. Also, a spider named "enemy" who was almost the size of my hand and lived in the shelves of udder balm and such. When they are that big they din't run from you when you accidentlly move a jar and uncover them. They rear up with their front legs and threaten you. Aaaah!!!!


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## milaneechan (Dec 29, 2015)

Have you looked into the rules for bringing animals to the Caribbean? Typically, taking an animal out of the continental country you are living in requires a 6 month quarantine. My friend recently moved from montana to hawaii, and couldn't take her dog because of the 6 month quarantine, she didn't think he would survive it because he was old.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

milaneechan said:


> Have you looked into the rules for bringing animals to the Caribbean? Typically, taking an animal out of the continental country you are living in requires a 6 month quarantine. My friend recently moved from montana to hawaii, and couldn't take her dog because of the 6 month quarantine, she didn't think he would survive it because he was old.


It's six month in Hawaii, because they have no Rabies on the island. They have rabies in the Carribean. It should be fairly easy. 

Also, it's not even 6 months for Hawaii anymore. If you do you diligence, Hawaii now allows animal in off the plane. But certain protocols must be followed before going.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

Hello! It depends on where you are moving. We moved to Costa Rica last December, and we are more toward the Pacific side than the Caribbean. Here, although it is tropical and near the equator, weather is all about elevation. I detest hot humid weather, so we live in the more mountainous area of Costa Rica. It is pleasant all year round, and sometimes actually gets cool enough in the evening to wear a sweater! Compare this to Alabama, where I lived for 10 years, where it was so hot and humid, I just wanted to die. So...it depends on where you live. Also, I have been told that dogs don't necessarily blow their coats seasonally here, but I haven't had experience with that yet.

I should add that when we visited a beach here a few months ago, it was hot as Hades! No beach living for me.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

We used to live in the SoCal desert. My solution was to speed walk him a couple of miles at 3-4 am. Fortunately we lived in a gated community with a guard, so we had a safe route at that hour.

Even more fortunately, I'm naturally up at that hour. If you can get into the habit of getting up super early, you'll not only have a nice tired pooch but you'll feel invigorated first thing in the am.

The great thing about walking is that you can adjust the pace to give the dog a better workout and you won't be putting delicate hip & elbow joints at risk in young dogs.


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## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

I should have mentioned that Costa Rica has no quarantine for dogs or cats, so please check on requirements for the country you are moving to - rules are very specific and enforced.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Choose a home with: good sea breezes, a pool and air conditioning with a good hallway for chasing a ball. 
Take chilled water along for dog when walking. Playing outdoors with the hose is fun. Consider buying a cooling vest for your dog if there will be a dramatic climate change. 

Humidity is harder to take than just heat. I would be aware of micro climates when selecting an area to live, e.g. I'd avoid a valley or area with geographical features that block sea breezes. 

Find out what unfamiliar wild life may be a risk for your dog, e.g. cane toads.


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## Aristo (Jul 23, 2016)

Thanks for all your input so far the country I would be moving to is the Dominican Republic. I have looked into their laws as long as the shots are up to date it is fairly easy to bring a dog in.


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## Chai (Dec 11, 2014)

Here in Oz the summers get crazy hot, the dry kind. I find that Tchai (a LSC) adjusts gradually and manages quite well in the ambient heat. However, he does struggle under direct sunlight. I exercise mostly before 8am and after 6-8pm. We also have a pool and go to the beach every other day


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