# Your GSD in summer - Heat



## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm beginning to get worried about Tacoma, every summer she's been ok with the heat... but lately in Pa, it's been so ungodly hot. Tacoma is pretty much all black and yesterday she couldn't cool herself down at all, to the point where I was up with her till 2am trying everything I could but nothing seemed to help, I have friends who say shave her in summer... these past few years she's had her own baby pool to "swim" in.. (meaning she would go in... and lay there... for HOURS at a time)...

Is anyone else's black dog bad in summer/heat... and how do you handle it?
:help:

-Tracey


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## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

Ace is all black. He gets hot fast. We limit how much time he spends outside during day light and save our walks for after the sun goes down. We also soak rags in cold water and put them on his belly to help him cool down.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I have a dark sable and a blanket black and live in SC where it is hot. Neither one has real heat problems though I can tell some less heat tolerance as they get older but Grim is working in the heat.

I have worked both dogs on a boat in the direct sun on 90 degree plus days where their coats were hot to the touch and they were fine. Actually excericse in heat more than sun seems to be harder and we take a lot of water breaks and forced rest. No issues outside but they always have shade.

First issue - if she really overheated that bad, she may have done some long term damage that will make her more susceptible to heat issues. 

--Is her weight right
--what is her condition
--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons
--how old is she; it is harde for older dogs to handle heat
--does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?
--what was going on that kept you up until 2am?


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I have a 55 gallon drum that I cut into about 1/4. I fill it up with water and Hondo will stand with his front legs in it. He isn't really interested in a baby pool. Last year he just laid outside the plastic pool and chewed on the rim. 

We place a fan both outside and inside that he can lay in front of. 

Hondo isn't all black, but it gets really hot here in the south. When the weather begins to turn, it is the most difficult time for them to adjust. Same for us. You may find that she'll do a bit better as the months go by.


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## CaseysGSD (Oct 15, 2010)

what about something like this for when she's outside The Chill Collar - Dog Beds, Dog Harnesses & Collars, Dog Clothes & Gifts for Dog Lovers | In The Company of Dogs


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## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

jocoyn said:


> I have a dark sable and a blanket black and live in SC where it is hot. Neither one has real heat problems though I can tell some less heat tolerance as they get older but Grim is working in the heat.
> 
> I have worked both dogs on a boat in the direct sun on 90 degree plus days where their coats were hot to the touch and they were fine. Actually excericse in heat more than sun seems to be harder and we take a lot of water breaks and forced rest. No issues outside but they always have shade.
> 
> ...


--Is her weight right - she's about 95lbs or so... she BUILT, BIG... Probably could use to lose a few pounds which we're working on currently. 
--what is her condition - she's still very active... she has a 2 yo pit bull and a jack X to play with
--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons - when she's at my parents house, she sleeps on the concrete in the basement... when she's over the boyfriends house (more and more lately) he farms so AC really isn't something he uses a lot... but the house isn't HOT hot... it's tolerable to sleep
--how old is she; it is harde for older dogs to handle heat - Coma is 4.5 years
--does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?
--what was going on that kept you up until 2am? - She was panting unlike anything I've ever herd her do... kept going up and down stairs, Downstairs is a little cooler, she actually got on the couch (the couch is right under a window) She NEVER gets up on that... so that was a HUGE red flag to me that she couldn't cool herself down... I had to let her out 2 times last night because of the amount of water she drank.[/QUOTE]

I've thought about getting her one of those cooling dog beds... but I'm a little worried the other dogs will destroy it or kick her off of it... Any suggestions on good ones?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

does she have access to shade? to moving air?
--what does she eat (high protein fat foods actually seem to help with heat tolerance but if she has compromised herself, maybe not
--when was her last vet check? bloodwork?

*I really think her having that much trouble is way outside the norm and she should see the vet. *

They get really hot playing but I have had dogs get hot enough that their ears were all red and the tongue started to widen and within 30 minutes on a cool floor they were back to normal. 


She also may be overdoing it with the other dogs...maybe they need to be separated..... The fact that she was drinking water and peeing says well, not bloat.

OK Shade and moving air? I think that is more important than the bed.


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## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

Any "red flag" from one of my dogs means a vet visit asap. Doesn't matter what any of us say. You know your dog and if she is acting that different from her normal I would take her to the vet.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

How long is she outside?

My dark dogs won't go outside in the heat.


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## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

I'm thinking a vet app is in the near future... she needs her shots in may anyways so i'll just tie the two together. I forget the name of her food... it's from the vet.

She normally drinks a lot... I have a 3 gal mixing bowl we fill for her about 4 times a day... She's not dehydrated at all. She's in the house most of the day (she's at my parents house while I'm at work) and at night with me over the boyfriends house, windows are open so there is moving air. 

I think tonight I'm going to try and put a fan of some sort up for her... maybe that will help her more than just the windows open... and maybe it will bring the other two dogs out of the room so they don't take up the bed... (to the point where they kick you out of bed - I hate it!)


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

My dark dog won't go outside in the heat, either. He'll stand at the door asking to come back in.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Most of the day meaning? What do your parents say - time wise? When it is really hot I mean - my dogs go out to potty and run back in. They don't sit out, they don't stay out longer than it takes to go to the bathroom. It's like the opposite of winter! I have dark dogs and mixes that are fluffy - they HATE summer.


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## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

That's pretty much how Coma is... If I'm out there with her she has her baby pool and a huge bowl of water... but while I'm at work, she goes out to potty, then at longest... 5 min she'll lay out on the porch in the shade with a bowl of water then come back in


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

You know I would be inclined to figure out the heat issue before you stress her with shots. A delay probably won't hurt.

Since she has access to shade I just think there is something else going on. I really don't have that kind of problem and South Carolina gets a lot hotter than PA and is very muggy too.

Because Grim works he is outside most of the day in the heat.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Wolfie is mostly black. On really hot days, he doesnt go outside much. We take our walks after the sun goes down. He has a baby pool and we take him to the beach after 5 pm. Our house is air conditioned, so he spends most of the day inside if it's super hot out, and we also have a fan blowing on him in his crate.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

TacomaGS said:


> I have friends who say shave her in summer...


Since no one else addressed this, please do not shave her. Their fur works as an insulator keeping her both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Shaving her may inhibit her ability to regulate her own body temperature and she can get sunburn.

I don't live far from you at all and I had to get a window air conditioner for my downstairs the first summer I had Raven. I don't have central air but on 90+ days, it was just too hot for her despite my downstairs staying fairly cool (laminate floors over a concrete slab).

I always had an window unit in my bedroom because *I* can't sleep if it's above 70 in my bedroom. The last two nights, it's been 82 in my bedroom (while downstairs is only 70) when I go up to go to bed but it's too darn early to break out the AC so I have 3 fans on me. Neither of my dogs seem to be affected by the temps yet.

I agree that it's not normal for her to have such a hard time and the heat is only just beginning. Definitely a vet check.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I think the way the OP keeps her dog, she should be acclimatized. Sure when a dog is kept in the AC all the time, it will melt when it goes outside but see her answer. Dogs live in hot places all the time, including GSDs, and tolerate the heat if not kept in the AC. The coat color should mean nothing when the dog is in the shade.

Question--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons - 

Response --when she's at my parents house, she sleeps on the concrete in the basement... when she's over the boyfriends house (more and more lately) he farms so AC really isn't something he uses a lot... but the house isn't HOT hot... it's tolerable to sleep


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## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

jocoyn said:


> I think the way the OP keeps her dog, she should be acclimatized. Sure when a dog is kept in the AC all the time, it will melt when it goes outside but see her answer. Dogs live in hot places all the time, including GSDs, and tolerate the heat if not kept in the AC. The coat color should mean nothing when the dog is in the shade.
> 
> Question--how much time in the A/C-I minimize heatingcooling in my house to tolerable levels and keep the dogs out as much as possible for acclimitazaitons -
> 
> Response --when she's at my parents house, she sleeps on the concrete in the basement... when she's over the boyfriends house (more and more lately) he farms so AC really isn't something he uses a lot... but the house isn't HOT hot... it's tolerable to sleep


the average temp in both houses is about 75-80* in summer... She's not "new" to heat


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

jocoyn said:


> I think the way the OP keeps her dog, she should be acclimatized.


Sun was the hottest day so far this year (if I'm correct) and was only 84 here. Kaiser and I did a 7 mile hike that day and he was fine with frequent water breaks. He's an inside dog so not used to warm temps. I'm concerned that the dog is having so much trouble and it isn't even summer yet (and not what I would consider ungodly hot).


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

gsdraven said:


> Sun was the hottest day so far this year (if I'm correct) and was only 84 here. Kaiser and I did a 7 mile hike that day and he was fine with frequent water breaks. He's an inside dog so not used to warm temps. I'm concerned that the dog is having so much trouble and it isn't even summer yet (and not what I would consider ungodly hot).


We, too, have had sudden summer and it was around 88. Grim did 3 hours worth of scent work on a search (with water breaks and 2 10 minute rest breaks) and was fine. .. and he is 8 years old. That is why I am concerned there is somehting more to the story.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

We have the kiddie pool, and when it's really hot...Alice has to share.
Zoey the weasel doesn't like water but when it's hot, it's hot...too bad, I'm not harming you and I put her in.
Zoey will now stand for almost thirty seconds before jumping out.

I've thought about those mist thingys that they have at art and wine festivals. 

Alice loves, loves, loves, water...which is a nice as she fell in a swimming pool as a puppy...quickly rescued but made her "mad" more than scared her.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

IF this happens again I would take her temp
I keep a flexible kids digital thermometer (the tip is flexible) that will let you know if she is overheated or someting else going on.
Since she drank so much water is it possible she ran out and got dehydrated? Dogs loose a lot of water (not electrolytes) panting.......dehyration makes it much worse.


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## Davey Benson (Nov 10, 2010)

gsdraven said:


> Since no one else addressed this, please do not shave her. Their fur works as an insulator keeping her both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Shaving her may inhibit her ability to regulate her own body temperature and she can get sunburn....


Thanks for bringing that up. It's the very first thing I saw that I was going to comment on. Are the freinds who comment "shave the dog" actually dog owners? Just like the fiberglass insulation in your house, that fur actually does help insulate the dog, even black haired dogs.

Also having had great pyrenees for years, I've heard that argument before. I know some people think they do the dogs a favor to shave them in the summer, and that just *wrecks* the dog. If you want to trim the belly, that could help, the dog rarely ever lay around belly up, so not much chance of sunburn there, and if the dog lays on a cool surface, that cool can help pull the heat out of the body, but please, don't shave the dog anywhere else. Aso remember the dog sweat through their pads of their feet, it's important that they aren't caked with mud.

The black hair really doesn't play a role unless the dog is out in the direct sunlight. A dog laying in the shade will be about the same temperature, black, white, shouldn't matter. Please make sure you provied shade for your pooch, as well as fresh water. When the temps get in the tripple digits around here in the summer time, my basement turns into a dog den, and I allow my dogs free run of my basement from the moment the thermometer gets over 98 untill the temperature drops back down to or below the same. When it's that hot, the dogs can sleep all day long, and not need a potty break, and if I shove them out the door, they want right back in, so I just let them turn into nocturnal dogs in the heat of the summer. But this time of year, I wouldn't think it would be that hot to be stressing out a dog yet in your area of the country.


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## TacomaGS (Mar 3, 2011)

Davey Benson said:


> Thanks for bringing that up. It's the very first thing I saw that I was going to comment on. Are the freinds who comment "shave the dog" actually dog owners? Just like the fiberglass insulation in your house, that fur actually does help insulate the dog, even black haired dogs.
> 
> Also having had great pyrenees for years, I've heard that argument before. I know some people think they do the dogs a favor to shave them in the summer, and that just *wrecks* the dog. If you want to trim the belly, that could help, the dog rarely ever lay around belly up, so not much chance of sunburn there, and if the dog lays on a cool surface, that cool can help pull the heat out of the body, but please, don't shave the dog anywhere else. Aso remember the dog sweat through their pads of their feet, it's important that they aren't caked with mud.


they are dog owners... but nothing like the GSD... I kept saying no to shaving her... It just makes me think of the last scene in Major Pain lol poor dog

Going to try a fan tonight along with windows open and see if that helps her... I have to weed Whack today after work, she insists on being outside with me.. so I'll probably bring her pool out, put it in the shade and let her be out with me while I'm working... she LOVES that thing


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

I soak our dogs' fur in water when they go out... since dogs can't sweat, it acts like artificial sweating.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Jax's Mom said:


> I soak our dogs' fur in water when they go out... since dogs can't sweat, it acts like artificial sweating.


That can backfire in high humidity situations
And NEVER put a wet dog in a plastic crate.

The sporting dog working dog guidance I have always heard there is to limit the soaking to the lower half of the body. THe dry coat insulates better against heat than a soaked coat. I imagine SC USA is hotter than Toronto in the Summer time. 

I know that it does ME little good on a muggy day to soak my clothes.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> That can backfire in high humidity situations
> And NEVER put a wet dog in a plastic crate.
> 
> The sporting dog working dog guidance I have always heard there is to limit the soaking to the lower half of the body. THe dry coat insulates better against heat than a soaked coat. I imagine SC USA is hotter than Toronto in the Summer time.
> ...


You wouldn't guess it, but Toronto gets extremely hot and humid sometimes (second only to Florida I think on the disgusting weather scale)... its weather is also really unpredictable... last weekend it was about -6C (21F) when I woke up, in the afternoon it was 25C (77F).
I had no idea about the wet fur though, I would have imagined that when the wet fur is fluffed up after they shake, it allows air to circulate and cool them down as it evaporates?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

We are inland so we often have days where humidity is in the 80s and evaporative cooling does not work. It is great where it is. I spent my teenage years in central FL and was never as sticky as we get here (but I was near the coast where you get a constant breeze)


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Mine do really well in heat if they have shade and water on a regular basis, including my bi-color, so if I saw one having problems like described I would be concerned there may be other medical problems there.

Even hot, indoors at night the dog shouldn't be in distress as described. Maybe something wrong other than heat - IE: upset stomach,etc?

Ours do love the AC in the heat of summer though and they sack out on the tiles inside with the AC on. If they were working dogs, this would be an issue for adaption purposes, but as active pets they like to come in to cool off and then play when it's not so darn hot and humid. Of course in central IN an average summer day would be middle 80's - 90's with pretty high humidity. Not like SC or the south.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

When we lived in Virginia, where it very easily goes above 100 and has humidity in the 90%, I got to know an awful lot about how heat affects dogs and how quickly and easily it does.

The first important thing to know is that you should never shave a double-coated dog in the summer because it takes away their natural climate control system. The coat actually protects them, instead of harming them, since they do not sweat through their skin like people do. (Which is why it's such a bad comparison when people say, "Stand outside in a fur coat if you want to know what your dog is experiencing in summer.")

What is important, however, is proper grooming of the coat. Brush it frequently, especially with an undercoat rake and especially if your dog spends a lot of time outside. Dirt and mats all prevent the coat from doing what it's supposed to do.

The other most important thing is to acclimatize your dog to the heat. There are many, many dogs in parts of this country and in other countries (particularly ones where they do not have air conditioning in their homes) that acclimatize and do perfectly well in the summer heat. Most Germans don't have air conditioning in their homes (or screens on their windows ... talk about having a lot of mosquitoes in your house!) and in summer, it gets hot. You just "get used to it". So do the dogs.

My first recommendation would be to make a vet appointment to ensure that there is nothing physically wrong that makes it difficult for her to deal with the heat. Skin conditions, being overweight, etc. can all contribute to having a harder time dealing with it, so it's best to go for a thorough checkup and try to rule those out.

A great way to provide your dog with relief is having a kiddie pool for her to play in on those hot days. The plastic ones are great for this, or, if you don't have a dog that will bite the pool, and inflatable one will work as well. (I used an inflatable with Abby last summer because our neighbor gave it to us and had no issues.)

If you need to cool a dog down, pouring water on their backs is generally the wrong way to go about it, as is putting the dog in a large amount of cool water (like a full bath tub or pool) to cool them off. On the back, most water just beads off and provides very little cooling, especially in a double-coated dog. And when you suddenly immerse them from being too hot, it can actually trap the heat in the fur and cause them to experience heat stroke - or the sudden change in temperature can do damage as well.

If you have to cool, it's best to cool first where the major blood vessels are located, especially inside the rear legs and on the tummy, as those areas don't have the same thick fur and a number of major blood vessels run through this area and will carry the cooled-off blood to the rest of the body.

If you need to think about providing cooling, a fan should be your first option, followed by a cooling vest. Stay away from those "around the neck" cooling things, such as the cool collars, as they cause the body to carry cool blood to the brain, which tends to tell the body that it's no longer hot and to stop initiating a heat response - which can lead to heat stroke if the rest of the body is actually still hot. (In humans, too.)


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## mydogrocks (Oct 20, 2010)

We live in Central Fl near Orlando and we just try to keep Ares inside during the hottest part of the day and spend a ton of time at the lake surrounded by trees to help cool off. We also make sure he has access to lots of water and a cool spot where he can rest


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

To add to Chris' post. 

Water that is too cold can also shut down the capillaries near the skin causign the heat problem to be worse. Cooooool water not cold. The cooling vests I have heard of most effectively used are 50 degree phase change materials (but those need recharging every few hours else they will trap the heat) Ice packs etc close down those capillaries.

That said, it is in the mid 80s with about 70% humidity and my dogs have been outside all day. No panting. They start panting at rest when it is about 93-94 outside. 

I have to wonder about the water access that day with that dog given how much she drank that night. Dehydration is a big killer. Is there any chance one of the other dogs was resource gaurding the water or someting?


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

To add to the cooling vests, they make several different kinds.

One kind, you drench in water and as it evaporates from the vest, it cools the dog. These don't work well (or at all) in very humid climates because the water has no place to evaporate TO if there is already high humidity in the air. So they just add a layer of fabric to the dog that heats them some more instead of cooling.

And the other kind uses cooling packs that are made from a type of animal fat. They do need recharging as they only work for so much at a time - you can put them in the refrigerator or the freezer (or a cooler) to recharge. On average, they last about an hour or so and keep a relatively constant temperature on the dog. (I have the kind made by GlacierTek and like it quite a bit, but haven't used it much since moving to upstate NY.)


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The fat is actually an esterified vegetable oil. Non toxic (We use them in shipping containers for biological products so had to know the details on the materials of construction  - same company - same product - different temperature)

You want 50 degree temp phase change. Not too cold like ice packs. You can recharge in a cooler iwth ice water.

Important to know because we only recently jumped on phase change materials as older versions were toxic salts.


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## robertm (Apr 20, 2011)

Mine are mostly black so the direct sunlight is a problem. Before we get to the high nineties they like frequent dips in the pool. When it gets really really hot they get in and out of their bath tub which I leave the hose in with a small but steady stream of cool water. They also have a fan.

I remember when they were pups they would quickly move from one shaded area to another. They can handle it better now.


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## Deuce (Oct 14, 2010)

Deuce is a saddle black and he's having a hard time with the early heat here in Maryland, too. We just take him outside to use the bathroom and them bring him back inside.


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## Lola10 (May 5, 2010)

Summer is a little tricky here, i'm expecting it to be a brutal one (mainly because we've already had 98 F here...and we're just getting started  ) We take early and late walks, it's still humid, but less heat (we do short walks if Lola needs it during the day) and we both lie right next to a fan when we get home =] . I guess i'm just trying to say, fans are amazing, love them!


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Pretty please don't do this to your dog....










For one, the coat is one of the GSD's (and many other dogs') beautiful qualities. Why shave it all off? 
Those dogs are probably at risk for sunburn, now that their natural barrier from the sun has been taken away. The fur is most likely going to grow back awkward and choppy. 

This has probably already been said, but a dog's fur also keeps them cool.

Please don't shave your dog.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog is blk&red. in the summer we play, exercise and
train early in the morning or the evening. i'll play, train
in the house also. during the really hot days
i leave the ac on for him. i make sure there's plenty
of fresh water available. my dog likes ice cubes
so he gets them every now and then.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

TacomaGS said:


> ...
> --what was going on that kept you up until 2am? - She was panting unlike anything I've ever herd her do... kept going up and down stairs, Downstairs is a little cooler, she actually got on the couch (the couch is right under a window) She NEVER gets up on that... so that was a HUGE red flag to me that she couldn't cool herself down... I had to let her out 2 times last night because of the amount of water she drank.


Did you take her temperature which is normally a good indication of a dog having a heat related problem?
Dog Heatstroke - Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention | Dog Topics 

I'm wondering if her problem was really heat related or if she was having some type of gastric upset? The way you describe her actions sounds very similar to when one of the Hooligans has had a severe upset stomach, partial bloat, torsion, etc.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

I dunno. Maybe I am to simple minded. But I think a dog that likes to go outside is a dog that likes to go outside. Meeka really did not care for going out no matter what the weather, she would lounge when it was mild out but in general wanted to be inside all the time, Kelso and Allie want to go and play rain, snow or shine!

so you just have to protect them from the elements! As in, never leave them out on their own, wether it is 100 degrees, 0 degrees ect. We get all of that here in KS.

The would prefer snow but like pools as well (a great way to cool dark dogs off...BUT be out there WITH them!) The really do have all weather coats..please do NOT shave them.










They love the air conditioning in the humidity of summer...here is Kelso as a puppy seeking the coolest spot in the house...


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