new here (dogs won't eat in hot weather)

hi all, I am new to this and have a problem with 2 of my dogs. think it's the heat though but not sure.
I live in spain and temperatures have been over and around 40 degrees for the last 6 days. they drink ok, but do refuse to eat at all ( except the odd titbit now and then). they run, bark etc...and do not give the impression that they are ill. maybe someone has some more advice on what to feed them. tried chicken, mince etc...but no good.

try giving them something high in protein frozen like peanut butter inside a bone, my dogs really seem to enjoy milk in the hot weather so they get that on their dry food and they seem to eat it rather than leave it or perhaps try giving them a raw food diet that is all fresh they might eat it.but i wouldnt worry too much they will eat when they are hungry,are they losing weight?

hi, thanks, why do we worry so much?? well because they are part of the family and can't tell you what's wrong. anyway, I boiled some chicken liver last night and hand-fed them. they ate a few hand-fulls, so I will try again today with some chicken boiled. they both have the 'runs' but I am not surprised with not eating and this heat (38 again today), at least they are drinking ok. they are loosing a bit of weight but nothing to worry about as they are a bit 'podgy' anyway. fingers crossed they eat the chicken tonight.

Welcome to dogsey

Welcome to Dogsey!

I'm guessing you feed dry kibble? If yes then that is your problem....well sorta. Kibble is dry and so the dogs aren't really wanting something that will make them thirsty. I have the exact same problem with my dog.

Try to add a bit of moist food to it, mix it well and serve. The moisture makes the food more desirable for the dogs. After the heat is gone, ween them off of it and voila, you are back to normal.

I wouldn't mess with their diet. Try wetting them down. A pool for them to take a dip in is great, but they need to be able to get in and out easily. Not even Labs like being sprayed with water, but I often do it when I am out all day with my dog.

Have you thought about just feeding them in the evening when it is cooler?

A pool (you can get plastic sand-pits maybe from Lidl's over there??) put in the shade and make sure it's always cold, fresh water, you must have a hose? Cold,wet, towels are good too, but never leave these on them, just cool them down with them and take them away, but maybe leave one for them to lie on, make sure you wet their faces with them, but always do this somewhere cool, never in the sun coz it makes it worse.

Liver, even chicken liver will give them the squits, it's too rich, you have to make liver cake if you're going to do that. Rice would be good to mix with that chicken coz they eat a lot of rice in hot countries don't they and there might be a reason for that, don't know! Dogs like mashed potato too, so you can always mix that with the boiled chicken. I would also go for feeding them only in the cool of the evening, maybe outside somewhere cool, and again very, very early in the morning even 5 am if necessary.

Poor dogs and poor YOU, I hate that weather you have over there and I just hope it's not heading our way when you've finished with it!

Hi,

I have family in Alicante and I'm due to fly out there this week. I can't wait - I love it; the hotter the better for me!

I'd agree with what's already been advised. If you usually feed them twice a day then do it at 5-6am and 9-10pm. If only once a day then feed them around 8pm with treats etc in between.

They should be able to eat rice and chicken particularly at those times of day.

How long have you lived in Spain? Are there no specialist pet stores that can help to advise you on the best course of action for keeping dogs in such hot weather? If not, maybe you could start one!?

What time do you usually walk them. You could take them out for a walk at 5am or thereabouts so they work up an appetite and also they'll be "earning" their food so to speak. At least this way you can rest assured that they've eaten. Then if they don't eat for the rest of the day it doesn't matter.

It's lucky for the dogs that we don't have it so hot here and when it does get warm (28 degrees or so is hot here! ) my dogs stop eating altogether. Fortunately it's only ever fo r acouple of days here then it rains.

Other than that I don't know what else to advise. What I do know for sure is that if your dogs are in good health, they'll eat when they're hungry.

Laura xx