Will my dog be ok in my back yard on the hot days this summer?? (Austin: gated, camp)
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Again I agree with JayBrown80. Several of our neighbors leave their dogs out during the day (some escape, some snooze, all of them BARK frequently). I work at home so I near it.
I've never seen a place that has so many outside dogs as Texas.
personally I think that if people are going to leave their dogs alone for 9 hours, they should rethink whether or not they should have a dog. I've picked up so many dogs in the two years I've lived here who got out of their yards.
And dogs should not be outside when it is too cold although that is not really an issue here in Austin.
Again I agree with JayBrown80. Several of our neighbors leave their dogs out during the day (some escape, some snooze, all of them BARK frequently). I work at home so I near it.
I've never seen a place that has so many outside dogs as Texas.
personally I think that if people are going to leave their dogs alone for 9 hours, they should rethink whether or not they should have a dog. I've picked up so many dogs in the two years I've lived here who got out of their yards.
And dogs should not be outside when it is too cold although that is not really an issue here in Austin.
let's see. I frequently work at home and somedays my dog wants to hang outside and she doesn't bark. But apparently I know nothing about my own dog. My dog is outside alone maybe at most 6 hours a day, she is healthy and happy so I guess my dogs vet doesn't know anything either.
let's see. I frequently work at home and somedays my dog wants to hang outside and she doesn't bark. But apparently I know nothing about my own dog. My dog is outside alone maybe at most 6 hours a day, she is healthy and happy so I guess my dogs vet doesn't know anything either.
Let's not jump to conclusions here. I was specifically talking about people who leave their dogs outside in the heat for 9 hours at a time to bark unchecked. That is quite different from someone who is at home when their dog is in the yard, and therefore can supervise them. Take offense and be sarcastic if you want, but you are talking about something totally different.
It's the same difference as parents who play with their kids in the backyard supervised, and parent that let their children roam around in the streets.
You can do what you want with your dog. I can't speak for Faithrube or anyone else on this board, but I don't think anyone said "You are wrong wooinvilleguy, you are so cruel to your animals".
But when someone is LOOKING for a reason to be upset, well....there is really no reasoning with them.
The fact of the matter is, when it is 110 degrees outside, no amount of shade or water is going to be perfect at protecting your dog from heat stroke or death. Period. There is a reason why coyotes and rabbits and armadillos and skunks and racoons are nocturnal. The difference is, Wild Animals can escape and dig a hole to escape the heat. Your dog can't. If you CHOOSE to abandon your dog in the yard, simply because they might pee on your floor, then that is your right. But there is nothing wrong with other posters pointing out that it could be a bad idea. Especially to a new comer who is not used to the Austin Summers, such as the OP.
There are so many irresponsible dog owners in Austin. EVERYONE insists that they want a dog. But the dog is not allowed inside the house?? There are so many options for your dog, such as crating. I feel sorry for every dog that sits in 110 degree heat for 9 hours, day after hot summer day. Is it any wonder that they bark their heads off? Dogs are social creatures, they are not meant to be left alone in the heat for 9 or more hours on a daily basis.
If you are one of the few responsible dog owners, good for you. But I doubt very seriously your vet said to you "Dogs can survive 110 degrees! Also, put them in the oven after a bath! It's so much quicker than drying with a towel!"
Of course, you didn't say that. I am being sarcastic. Just like I didn't say you were wrong with the way you treat your dog, when you decided to be sarcastic.
But seriously, in my opinion, (please note that this is my opinion) I don't understand why some people do have dogs. In another life, I worked at a university (UVA) and actually had a boss. I would walk my dog in the morning, go to work (1.5 mile commute), rush home at lunch to give my dog a break, and then not see my dog for another 4 hours. I felt incredibly guilty.
Now I work for myself and either take my dog to the office with me (she really does not bark) or work from home. She can certainly be on her own for 4-5 hours but I wouldn't think of leaving her all day- not because she will have an accident (she won't) but because she is social and wants company.
She is a rescue dog who in her previous life, spent 10-12 hours in a crate (she was a show dog who was on the road a lot). As much as I love dogs, I wouldn't have one if I had to leave it outside or leave it for 9 hours or more a day. But I do understand that people have different experiences and attitudes towards dogs. However, I don't understand why someone thinks their dog can tolerate extreme temperature! My vet has told me that the number one illness Austin vets tend to is heat stroke. Ask your vet what his/her experience is. Dogs do not sweat like we do and they have fur coats which does not insulate them from heat, but keeps the heat from escaping. It is not rocket science.
Our dogs have always been outside dogs, and have done fine in Texas weather year round. From the Blue Heeler to the Great Pyrenees (and, yes, we considered shearing the GP, but the vets all advised against it for the reasons given above). The only one who's barked much is one of our current ones, a GP/lab cross (short hair from the lab), and since our closest neighbor is half a mile away, that's not much of an issue.
Come to think about it, all of the dogs around here are outside dogs, and except for the evening "doggie-net" that lasts for about 15 minutes while the news is passed from farm dog to farm dog, there's precious little barking that goes on.
Definitely you'd want to acclimate your dog, but letting them adjust naturally should work, unless you bring a dog from a cold climate to the middle of a Texas summer and just throw them outside.
Make sure the dog has access to shade, and lots of fresh water. If you really want, you could set up a mister system.
Oh, and it very rarely gets to 110 degrees outside here, hyperbole to the contrary notwithstanding.
We do not leave our dogs outside during the day when we are at work, no matter what the weather. Growing up, we always had inside dogs and my husband and I continue that now.
Before moving back to Texas, I volunteered for many years at a Humane Society. We would not adopt dogs out to people who kept their resident dogs as outside dogs and/or intended for the new dog to be an outside dog. In my time there I saw so many outside dogs come in to the shelter because they had escaped (jumping, burrowing, finding any way to get out of a yard) out of sheer boredom or because they were trying to run after something (and several of those had been hit by cars or wounded by a stray dog). Many of those dogs who came in were not as well socialized as the inside dogs. We also had many owner-surrenders of outside dogs because the owners had received numerous complaints due to the dog barking while being kept outside all day as well as surrenders because the dog had heat stroke or had been attacked by an animal that found its way into their yard and the owners couldn't/wouldn't be able to take care of the dog any longer.
So, personally I would not keep a dog outside when I am at work, but people do have different perceptions about this and you know your dog best. I definitely would check with the vet prior to trimming the coat very short because many breeds do need their coat to regulate their body temps and are more likely to get overheated if the fur is too short.
Our dogs have always been outside dogs, and have done fine in Texas weather year round. From the Blue Heeler to the Great Pyrenees (and, yes, we considered shearing the GP, but the vets all advised against it for the reasons given above). The only one who's barked much is one of our current ones, a GP/lab cross (short hair from the lab), and since our closest neighbor is half a mile away, that's not much of an issue.
Come to think about it, all of the dogs around here are outside dogs, and except for the evening "doggie-net" that lasts for about 15 minutes while the news is passed from farm dog to farm dog, there's precious little barking that goes on.
Definitely you'd want to acclimate your dog, but letting them adjust naturally should work, unless you bring a dog from a cold climate to the middle of a Texas summer and just throw them outside.
Make sure the dog has access to shade, and lots of fresh water. If you really want, you could set up a mister system.
Oh, and it very rarely gets to 110 degrees outside here, hyperbole to the contrary notwithstanding.
There are some good pet owners out there who thru experience know that they can leave their dogs outside permanently and (in their opinion) not harm the dog. I don't personally agree with them, but at least they have tried it out and observed their dogs to make sure they aren't dying from heat stroke.
However, for every one pet owner that takes care of their animals, there are 50 who don't. Many pet owners don't take the precautions for the safety of their animals, nor show courtesy to their neighbors with their animal noises. I will always err on the side of caution and say "no, your dog doesn't belong outside for 8 hours". It's wonderful that their are so many THL's and Woodvilleguy's in the world that are actually responsible dog owners.
But not everyone is like you THL. You yourself admit that your situation is different, because you live in the country. The country is a lot cooler temperature wise than urban Austin. Plus I am sure you have multiple trees and a front porch your dog can crawl under. Something a city dog does not have access too usually. As such, I think the OP should take your advice with a grain of salt.
And regardless of you being dismissive, Austin had over 70 days last year of triple digit weather. Was it all 110? No. But I doubt a dog left alone in a yard goes "Oh god I am hot, oh wait, it's 108, and not 110? Well, I can handle that then. Why, I feel cooler already."
Everyone has a different opinion on what a dog ranks and what animals deserve. Some people have old strays that they kick at every once in a while. Some people buy $100 sweaters for their pooch and get their dog Xmas presents. Wherever you are on the scale, there is no convincing you otherwise. If you think dogs are okay outside in triple digit heat, no amount of cajoling is going to convince you otherwise. Some people think it's okay to leave granny in the car, as long as you crack a window. I don't think that's cool, but it's between you and granny.
But if we are supposed to be giving advice to the OP, as residents of Austin, who are familiar with it's weather, then we should be honest. Austin gets hot, it has mulitple days above 100 degrees. Your dog should be inside. If you CAN'T leave your dog inside, or don't want too, then you need to provide him/her with plenty of water and a space in the shade. If you live in urban Austin, this can be difficult. You owe it to your dog to be a better parent. You owe it to your neighbors too.
Personally, I hope that there is an afterlife and someone leaves you outside to suffer in sweltering heat for all eternity, but that is neither here nor there.
JayBrowne, we didn't always live in the country, and our first Great Pyrenees lived in the city with us (albeit with daily trips to the ranch we boarded our horses at).
As for how I care for my animals, I've been accused of being overly concerned with their welfare, even by vets, who have said I'm more conscientious than even they are, so that particular arrow flies far afield of its mark. Also, I'm on the board of a national equine rescue group, and daily work with that group to rescue horses who are on their way onto the truck headed for Canada, plus working with horses that are not at that stage yet but are at risk of being so if we don't help out the horses AND their people, often as not, so I'm not unfamiliar with what neglect actually looks like.
Funny thing about me, I don't anthropamorphize my animals and think that because I'm cold, they should put on a sweater. (Tried not to do that with my kids, too, for that matter.) Instead, I pay attention to the animals and what they, and their reactions, and their health, are telling me. Seems to work better for them that way, go figure.
Yes, Austin gets hot in the summer - I don't think anyone here is denying that. However, we should also be careful, when giving advice such as the OP is looking for, not to indulge ourselves in hyperbole, lest our advice not be taken seriously for that reason.
My parents live in the country near Jarrell. Their dog goes outside to work the cattle as she loves to do, but she spends a good amount of time inside when the temps get too hot. That's seemed necessary with all of their dogs out there over the past 32 years. Not sure the city vs. country difference is significant enough when it gets very hot. But, to each their own.
capcat, I live outside of Jarrell, as well. Our dogs, in the heat of the day, seem to be cool enough on our porch, but, then, our house is set on the land to take advantage of the prevailing summer breeze (and there always is one - one of the reasons we bought the place in the first place), and the porch provides shade, and, as said, there's always fresh water.
Trust me, if they appeared to be in ANY distress, they'd be inside. But so far, in the almost 14 years we've been out here, none of the dogs have given any indication of being so.
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