Dog Days Woodside

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⚠️ UK DOG OWNERS : CAUTION CRATING YOUR DOG DURING THE HEAT WAVE ⚠️

Whilst I can understand some of the reasons given for crating, there's no denying that a locked/closed crate door takes away a dog's ability to change the location in which they rest.

🥵 THERMOREGULATION 🥶

Given the freedom to do so, many dogs change their sleeping locations across a sleep/deep resting period and part of the function of this is to regulate their temperature. This is especially relevant for dogs with thicker coats.

My border collie shifts from by my bed (on the floor) to the hall, to my office every night- even when there isn't a heatwave on. Prior to bedtime, he has three main resting places in the lounge- a bed, the carpeted floor and the tiled floor. He proactively changes his location to support regulation of his body temperature BEFORE he is uncomfortable.

🤢 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE BODY TEMPERATURE 🤒

Body temperature is not just influenced by the thickness of coat. It's influenced by exercise (of course), stress, pain, health problems (including nausea and GI upset), hormones and some medications.

It's not uncommon for us to have adolescent dog owners on our client support page report their dog suddenly not settling in their crate when hitting 7-9 months of age. This unexpected shift is likely influenced by development phase specific hormone changes and increased sympathetic nervous system activity (reduced stress and arousal regulation) interfering with the dog's body temperature when at rest.

🌬️ CAN'T I JUST DIRECT A FAN AT THEM?

Directing a fan on your crated dog to help them keep cool is of course one option, but they may also wish to move away from the air flow at some point.

My short coated adult Spanish dog moved from the bedroom into his bed in the hallway last night- something he almost never does. He likely got fed up of the increased air flow and moved away - something he was able to change because he had the freedom to do so.

💦 ACCESS TO WATER

It’s not uncommon for us to meet dogs who aren’t crated with water accessible inside- due to them previously spilling the water.

Water is a basic need and dogs should have access to it 24/7, with the potential exception being during transportation/travel.
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POST EXERCISE CRATING 🐕 💨

If you use a crate, it's really important that your dog is not panting heavily when shut inside.

Fingers crossed, the vast majority of us will be avoiding exercising our dogs during the hottest part of the day - with the exception of those without a garden or whose dogs don't toilet in the garden.

With the temperatures as they are - we should be mindful of their respiration rate regardless of whether they have just been walked or not!

If you're popping out and crating your dog in your absence- please consider whether they're cool enough to be confined to one space.

🤷‍♀️ WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Being unable to regulate their temperature through changing sleeping positions/locations can increase heat stress and in extreme cases- lead to heat stroke.

If you use your dog's crate to 'enforce' sleep and rest, then in the heat wave you need to consider whether crating your dog is counter-productive to increasing rest and sleep.

We are all likely aware of how reduced sleep affects us personally, and the same effects are observed in dogs. Impaired rest and sleep can negatively impact on emotional and arousal regulation and that can, for some dogs, increase bite risk.

OTHER OPTIONS

If you’re concerned that your dog is too hot in their crate, then now may be the time to explore whether they can be left safely out their crate and rest/sleep well without reliance on one. Start with short durations - so the weekend is often an optimum time for exploring this!

Another option depending on the size of your dog maybe a puppy pen- allowing your dog access to a hard floor if one is available as well as a more padded option (vet bed, dog bed etc).

If you feel you have no choice but to crate your dog, be considerate on where the crate is located in your home- taking air flow and room temperature into consideration.

Alternatively consider upping the size of your crate when space allows- so your dog can move around that little bit more.

Cooling mats are an option, but just be mindful your dog doesn’t chew it!

This post is NOT AI and is written by myself from scratch. You are welcome to share, but please do so using the 'share' button below so people are aware of whose intellectual property it is.

Mac has been adopted! And the best part? His foster family fell in love and decided to make him permanently theirs 💙
Look at this beautiful family! Mac will have several dog siblings and cousins around him - he's going from foster to a forever home filled with love and furry friends.
We are deeply grateful for this family's dedication to Mac's recovery. They drove long distances to ensure he got the care he needed, showing us exactly what commitment looks like 🐕 His foster family opened their hearts knowing it was temporary - and discovered they couldn't imagine him anywhere else.
Congratulations to Mac and his wonderful family. We couldn't be happier for you all! ❤️