[FLHfan]

My dog likes to lay on the garage floor or the tile on the lanai. They always find the coolest spot.

[PDF]

Dogs have no problem in FL. I think the better question is if you think you'll be fine taking them out for mid-day walks in that humidity.

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by bahiabrazil

Im moving to florida next year and have a standard poodle. I know i would have to keep his coat short and also have a good AC, but is there still a risk. I love my dog and i dont want to put him in a bad place. Is having dogs in this hot humid state safe for them?

I live in Arizona desert. A climate so hot that, I've decided that its not a livable climate even for people. Sane ones anyway. People who love it here are those who feel 95 is a comfortable temperature and 110 is a little warm......
I have a pug. They are very sensitive to extreme temperatures. A/c is a great thing. That being said here, temperatures aside, the ground gets hot enough to cook a dogs paws. I manage, so will you. Just don't leave your dog outside for long periods in extreme heat. That's a no brainier IMO.

[Vinny536]

I have a german shepherd, her favorite thing in the world is to lay in the sun. In phoenix she would lay on the patio, in the sunshine, after the concrete was heated too hot for me to step on during days the temperature was over 110°F. She had a dog door, so she was able to come and go as she pleased. Her choice was the sunshine. My neighbor was able to see the dog but not the dog door, they gave me an ear full about being "abusive" and threatening to call the police until I showed them the dog door.

Now that we live in Florida I don't have a dog door. I limit her time in the sun. If it were up to her she would lay out there all day. I give her 10 or 15 minutes, and she never looks thrilled when i make her come in. She generally huffs loudly in disgust.

If you don't have a dog door, and work long hours you can get an air conditioned dog house for your dogs. I know some people with "outside dogs" in phoenix that had them. I'm not one of those people though. When i'm out long hours I have a dog walker stop by.

Remember that dogs are adaptable, here in florida we have dogs in the wild. Foxes, coyotes, and wolfs exist here with no air conditioning or hair cuts.

[doom1001]

Short nosed dogs like bulldogs and Boston terriers have issues breathing when its hot and they get worked up.

[Abirdinahand]

Thanks for this thread. I worry about my dogs if we move to FL too.

Can you let dogs swim in lakes if you are right by them or too dangerous with alligators? And are there alligators common above the frost line in FL? (sorry for the ignorance!!)

(one of my dogs loves swimming but he's so afraid to enter a pool, I've even resorted to forcing him in thinking he'd like it once he's in but he doesn't like his feet not touching the bottom)

[FLHfan]

Originally Posted by Abirdinahand

Thanks for this thread. I worry about my dogs if we move to FL too.

Can you let dogs swim in lakes if you are right by them or too dangerous with alligators? And are there alligators common above the frost line in FL? (sorry for the ignorance!!)

NO! NEVER! There are gators all over Florida.

[Abirdinahand]

Originally Posted by FLHfan

NO! NEVER! There are gators all over Florida.

Do gators typically go after dogs? Say you just go for a walk in a park where there are lakes, it's uncommon for them to try to attack right?

[Sunscape]

Originally Posted by FLHfan

NO! NEVER! There are gators all over Florida.

Never in lakes.

[BNBR]

Too funny. Nope, no dogs in Florida. They die instantly when taken outside.