# Ideal Room Temperature for GSD



## Annie12 (Jun 12, 2020)

Hi all,
I have a 10 month old female GSD. She is in good health but I live in the south where temperature and humidity can get pretty high. 
Summer is coming up and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good room temperature setting for our GSD.
I thought a room temp of about 72 or 73 degrees during the day and night would be ok for her, but husband likes it warmer at 75 or 76 degrees.
I think this is too hot for her, especially with her coat (but she's not a long hair GSD).

She also seems to be drinking a lot more water now, especially at night, which makes me think the temperature is too high for her.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Annie


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

I bet your husband likes the warmer temp in Summer because it keeps the AC bill lower; he probably likes it cooler in the Winter if the furnace is on. The age old thermostat battle lol.

A GSD will seek out the cool floor in the Summer, if you have any, every time. 75-76 is pretty warm to sleep in even for us as the nights are hot and humid. Some of them like a fan on.


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## Catrinka (Aug 6, 2020)

My current pup and my past two GSDs didn't like warm house temps, which worked fine since my husband and I prefer it cooler too. We keep the daytime temps around 72 in summer and 68-70 in the winter. We prefer temps in the 60s for sleeping at night. After a big storm last week, our power was off for the night and much of the day. Luca, my 8 month old pup, apparently doesn't understand electricity and AC and kept coming and nudging me in the night to make it less hot.😆


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I would keep it at what the humans are comfortable. The dog will be fine. I use a ceiling fan plus large box fan for my dog when he's crated and can't move around as much and then he decides where he wants to lie when we're home (we keep it at 76 during the day and 74 at night .. cause we live in TX and don't want to spend $400 trying to cool the house down further). I have a solid black GSD and he's fine with those temps.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

panting, seeking out cool spots, drinking more water are all _normal_ not severe responses to being warm, therefore do not need to be catered to. your dog will eventually acclimate and once her adult coat comes in fully - it will also help with insulation (protection from both cold and heat).

for the most part, temperatures in my area stay between 40-80° at all times of year.... i don’t take any special or unusual precautions until outside of that range and my animals learn to manage.

i agree with the person above... keep the house at a temperature that’s comfortable for humans.


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## Verachi (Mar 22, 2021)

My dogs deal with whatever temp I like my house at lol. Never had any issues, they get accustomed to the temperature they regularly live with


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## Buckelke (Sep 4, 2019)

Whatever it is on the couch is just fine apparently....


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

It’s not healthy for dogs to be inside a home that is cooled extremely low with AC because of the differential between going outside to extreme heat and inside to extreme cold.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

My dog copes better with low humidity and a higher temperature, than high humidity and a lower temperature. I live in a sub tropical climate and in summer I exercise him at dawn, the coolest part of the day, usually 73 degrees. If he needs to lie down and pant on our walks, I'm happy to wait for him to recover. I also carry water for him.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

LuvShepherds said:


> It’s not healthy for dogs to be inside a home that is cooled extremely low with AC because of the differential between going outside to extreme heat and inside to extreme cold.


Got sources?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Experienced dog owners.


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## hirakawa199006 (Feb 9, 2020)

Sounds stupid but, ours when we just adopted that month was 90F and she only sleeps around the AC vents.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

I keep it at a temperature I prefer. I would also never have it at 77 in my home. The dog will be fine at those temperatures though maybe less active. Temperatures above 80 are usually when I start seeing trainings be canceled. The exact temperature varies from place to place though.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

David Winners said:


> Got sources?


I don’t have any studies to back that up since I’ve never looked that far into, but I do know airlines don’t like to fly dogs between places with extreme temperature differences. I don have any real data on it.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

I’ll also add that I’ve had dogs live outside their whole life in Tennessee where I’ve seen summer highs at 110.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

LuvShepherds said:


> Experienced dog owners.


So the 8 degrees between 75 and 67 is going to be detrimental to the health of the dog?

What about different climates?

If you're in Louisiana or Florida or Arizona or..., you can't take your dog outside?

I'm sorry but this makes no sense whatsoever. As long as the dog has adequate water and shade available, they will self regulate. Cooler indoor temps help dump core temperature.

Some dogs will be less likely to work in higher temperatures if they are accustomed to AC, but I totally disagree with it being unhealthy.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Bearshandler said:


> I don’t have any studies to back that up since I’ve never looked that far into, but I do know airlines don’t like to fly dogs between places with extreme temperature differences. I don have any real data on it.


I've flown a lot with dogs. The temperature regulations have to do with potential time on the runway between the plane and cargo terminal. They sit stationary for long periods sometimes due to aircraft movement. Blacktop plus sun equals high temps.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

David Winners said:


> So the 8 degrees between 75 and 67 is going to be detrimental to the health of the dog?
> 
> What about different climates?
> 
> ...


well, not exactly...
she did say _extreme_ heat to _extreme_ cold. i understood this to mean 60’s to 100’s, not 8 degrees.
i don’t have sources and i don’t know if unhealthy was the most accurate choice of words but we do instruct our clients to avoid frequent extreme temperature changes if possible and when unavoidable, allow a bit of time for the dog to acclimate (mainly cold to hot) before working. (“work” being subjective - speed, distance, duration, etc are all factors)


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## ChickiefromTN (Jun 16, 2020)

I live in East TN. I think we only turned the AC on twice last year and maybe 10 times the year before. The dogs are used to the weather. I'm in the woods so almost everywhere is shaded. They have a kiddie pool outside and always plenty of water. I keep chill pads in the freezer I can wrap in a towel and put on the floor for them to lay on if they want. They have fans at night also. They do fine with it and still run around like nuts, lol! We also go swimming at the creek/river multiple times a week.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Canine Heat Stroke







www.iowaveterinaryspecialties.com


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## brittanyS (Dec 11, 2018)

I agree that you should keep the temperature where it’s comfortable for the people. My dog’s ideal temp seems to be about 45 or 50 degrees - he prefers to sit outside on those days anyway - and that’s just impossible to cater to. He’s just lucky we live in the Pacific Northwest where it doesn’t seem to ever REALLY get hot.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

David Winners said:


> So the 8 degrees between 75 and 67 is going to be detrimental to the health of the dog?
> 
> What about different climates?
> 
> ...


I asked the person and got this reply. it’s from someone with a lot more dog experience and knowledge on the subject than I have. Do with it what you will.

_Artificial temperatures cause ALL mammals to lose their ability to self regulate their body temperature. Moving a dog from 68 degree AC to 95 degree outside temp and expecting it to self regulate is no different than taking that dog from 68 degree heat in winter and leaving it outside in 30 degree temperatures and expecting it to not to freeze. That is why science states to either keep a dog inside or outside in weather extremes, so that they can acclimate_


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

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Moving can be tough on people, but it also takes a toll on pets. Click to learn ways to ease the transition when moving your dog or cat to a new climate.



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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

Fodder said:


> well, not exactly...
> she did say _extreme_ heat to _extreme_ cold. i understood this to mean 60’s to 100’s, not 8 degrees.
> i don’t have sources and i don’t know if unhealthy was the most accurate choice of words but we do instruct our clients to avoid frequent extreme temperature changes if possible and when unavoidable, allow a bit of time for the dog to acclimate (mainly cold to hot) before working. (“work” being subjective - speed, distance, duration, etc are all factors)


She said cooled extremely low with AC. 

My comment included what I thought was normal and extremely low temperatures, with a difference of 8 degrees.

My point is that I don't believe that keeping your home at 67 degrees puts your dog at greater risk than keeping your home at 75 degrees.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I'm not saying heat and cold can't harm a dog!

I know what a rectal thermometer tastes like. I've seen dogs die from heat stroke operating in the desert.

Please take my comments in context. I simply stated that keeping your house a bit cooler doesn't place your dog at risk. Unless you live in a walk in cooler, I stand by my opinion that simple air conditioning settings are not dangerous for your pet.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I don’t get offended. I get puzzled and curious. I’ve been in AC that was so cold I needed a jacket when it was close to 100 degrees outside. We are obviously talking about different things. I don’t think it’s the AC itself, but the differential between cold AC and hot outdoor temperatures.


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## Jen84 (Oct 19, 2020)

LuvShepherds said:


> I asked the person and got this reply. it’s from someone with a lot more dog experience and knowledge on the subject than I have. Do with it what you will.
> 
> _Artificial temperatures cause ALL mammals to lose their ability to self regulate their body temperature. Moving a dog from 68 degree AC to 95 degree outside temp and expecting it to self regulate is no different than *taking that dog from 68 degree heat in winter and leaving it outside in 30 degree temperatures and expecting it to not to freeze*. That is why science states to either keep a dog inside or outside in weather extremes, so that they can acclimate_


Can't speak about air conditioning, but I can tell you the part I highlighted above is nothing for German Shepherd. These are common temperatures swings during early bow season for moose in September. And I camp with the dog in these swings regularly. The dog won't freeze at that temperature. It will adjust very quickly.

In winter, it is not uncommon to go from a 70 degree house to minus 30 Fahrenheit. We do limit our time outdoors to shorter bursts though when it is this cold.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

I'd say comfortable for a GSD is comfortable for humans but on the cool side is preferred for them, particularly in Summer.

My dogs go from high 60's-70 inside to high 20's-low 30's F multiple times per day all Winter; no issues. They go from low 70's inside to 90's - high 90's and high humidity multiple times per day all Summer; no issues except I don't work them hard in the heat.

Of the two situations, they MUCH prefer the cool/cold but I think that an AC temp that would be too cold for heading outside into the heat would be uncomfortable for us too.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I live in Texas ... it's fairly gross in the summer _grin_ ... High temps and high humidity. Going outside usually means a swing of around 20-25 degrees from indoors up in the day. I have a solid black dog and am very careful about how long we stay outside ... my dog would STILL stay outside forever if he could convince me of it. I will say he's not dumb, if I throw a ball, he zigzags from shade to shade there and back LOL. He's a savvy Texas dog. _wink_


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## davewis (Jan 7, 2020)

Galathiel said:


> I will say he's not dumb, if I throw a ball, he zigzags from shade to shade there and back LOL


My lab would do the same thing until he would finally collapse in one of the shady spots panting and grinning like total goofball.

On a more serious note, I always monitor the color of my dog's tongues when we are in the heat. The tongue is easy to see as it hangs out the side of the mouth like a flag! It gets brighter and brighter red as the blood flow increases in order to cool him down. With all my dogs, at a certain shade of red, we head for a creek or shady spot. They are willing to work or play past the point of safety.


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## Kimkur50 (Oct 5, 2020)

Annie12 said:


> Hi all,
> I have a 10 month old female GSD. She is in good health but I live in the south where temperature and humidity can get pretty high.
> Summer is coming up and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good room temperature setting for our GSD.
> I thought a room temp of about 72 or 73 degrees during the day and night would be ok for her, but husband likes it warmer at 75 or 76 degrees.
> ...


Yes I suggest that your hubby sleep in the oven because I have a GSD and they to be comfortable because of their coat. They shed a lot anyway so they don’t need to all hot and bother! Look at they if they were your baby you wouldn’t have the heat high if they were hot in the house in the summer


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## Beau's Mom (Nov 9, 2017)

Beau is uncomfortable much warmer than 75. He loves weather in the 50s and low 60s. Lucky for him I like cooler temps so the AC keeps my home at 72-76 in the summer, and I rarely turn the heat on at all in the winter. Once it starts to get warm here we exercise during the very early morning hours. He drinks more water, and usually lays under the AC vent when it’s running. He does fine.

We don’t walk miles in heat over 80, and I don’t ask him to run. But I never think about the indoor temps being too cool or too warm by any measure except our comfort, mostly mine. Maybe balanced a little against expense 🙂.


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## CEMC (May 2, 2020)

We too live in hot-humid area and A/C is kept at 75 degrees during the day with ceiling fans on and at night we lower it to 71 and the ceiling fans stay on . 
Our GSD hates the heat (I hate it just as much) and although we have shaded areas in our backyard during hot weather we limit his time there. he sleeps inside and he has a dog bed but he constantly shifts back and forth from the bed to cooler tile floor. I figure he does that because the bed gets too warm for him. For this upcoming summer season I intend to replace his bed with an elevated cot because it will allow cool air to circulate underneath. I believe this type of bed will be much more comfortable for him. 
Dogs live in all parts of the world and in some of the worst hot weather areas they are always outdoors so there's no doubt that dogs can survive extreme temperatures. However we don't believe our dogs should have to endure discomfort if it can be avoided.


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## jonthepain (Dec 12, 2018)

We live in North Carolina. Summer thermostats are set at 78 day and 70 night (windows open at night in spring and fall.) This has been our practice here for 21 years. 78 feels cool to me during the day, and I would have figured that Ada, with that nice thick GSD coat, would think that 78 is warm. And yet she seeks out sunny under-the-window spots to snooze in.

I worked in construction here for 35 years, outside in the sun in 100+ heat and darn near 100% humidity. There's no way I'm snoozing outside in the sun here in the summer. Yet Ada will. Not for long, but it still amazes me that she'll hang out in the sun at all.


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## Carla (Apr 13, 2020)

You can buy cooling mats for dogs. I bought one for my GSD. It was great for car trips, but she didn't use it much in the house. There, she prefers the cooler tile and leather couch. 
We have lived in Florida for three years. I think the heat bothers me more than it does her!



Annie12 said:


> Hi all,
> I have a 10 month old female GSD. She is in good health but I live in the south where temperature and humidity can get pretty high.
> Summer is coming up and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good room temperature setting for our GSD.
> I thought a room temp of about 72 or 73 degrees during the day and night would be ok for her, but husband likes it warmer at 75 or 76 degrees.
> ...


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I guess I’m confused about those that live in very cold winter climates, do your dogs go outside?
I don’t pay any attention to the temperature of my house to outside when it comes to my dogs. Our house is very warm in winter months as we heat with wood. Window air conditioner in summer months so we don’t totally die but dogs are in and out constantly regardless of temps and has no ill effects for them. So in winter months, dogs can go from -10 to 70-80 but not in the summer?
I am cautious about water, shade and how long they work in very hot weather.


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## davewis (Jan 7, 2020)

I am just a simple old man with old man ways....

I live in Wisconsin. The only precaution I take with my dogs and the cold is that I don't wear gloves when I am out with the dogs. When my hands get cold I bring the dog inside. I rinse their feet off if the city has been out spreading road salt.

Some of those windy -30 mornings are pretty chilly. We generally just run for about 10 minutes. This is about 3/4 of a mile for me before I get cold and we head back inside.

Anything above 0 and Ole doesn't seem to mind. This spring a neighbor stopped us while we were walking and told me it was too cold for dogs to be outside. While we were talking I gave Ole his tug. He dug a nice hole in a snowbank and laid down in it to contentedly chew on his tug.


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