Dogs and Climate

I was browsing one of my fave websites - A1K9

http://www.a1k9.co.uk/DogstotheCostadelSol.asp ;

and saw the page (see link) where protection dogs that have either been bred or imported into the UK, and trained in Wales, have then been bought by clients overseas ... and the page shown are dogs that have gone to new owners in the Costa del Sol (it doesn't look a bad life!).

This, together with the hot weather we are currently experiencing (isn't it fab ), got me pondering how dogs that are not bred in hot countries acclimatise to such hot temperatures if they are moved to a hot climate as adults?

Does anyone have experience? And, if so, do the dogs struggle in the heat until they are used to it, or do they acclimatise fairly quickly? I assume they will "siesta" much more in a hot country than our dogs do in chilly old Britain

Rupert struggled when we first moved to Germany. We'd gone from still being all wrapped up in cold, rainy Ireland to the temperature outside being in the 30s so it was a bit of a shock to all of us. It's around 26 degrees today according to the weather forecast and he doesn't seem affected by it at all whereas back in the UK he'd have been laying around panting on a day like this. He's been here since the beginning of June.

Can't say how long it took him to acclimatise as I ended up rushed back to the UK when my dad had a stroke. Germany isn't one of the hottest places on earth but after Ireland a German summer is HOT

I had to spend a summer in Tuscany when I had my huskey, Monti , ( heat wave 2003) I'd originally organised for him to stay with friends up in the Alps, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he had to come too. I and oh were running walking tours, but was unthinkable to even let Monti walk. All Monti did all day was move from one bit of shade to another, and only wanted to do anything early morning, or evening, when the sun went down. He shed so much, that mid summer he had a thin sleek coat, completly un huskey like. Bless him, he didn't have the best summer that year ,

Ailsa came from the UK to here when she was 6 months old. She loves the sun and would lie out in it probably all day if I let her. I have to drag her in out of it. Jake on the other hand is a spanish GSD and is far happier just sitting indoors with me in the shade. Neither seem to suffer any ill effects from the heat though. They shed a lot but not sure that's down to the heat they're just shedders.

Just looked at their website - and thought cool, they're in Wales! Went to the previous sales link tho and saw Dobes with cropped ears why oh why are they buying dogs with cropped ears? If you know them Moobli please let them know that will cause alarm & distress for dog lovers :/

Pereg's special friend at the Dog Pension she used to go for daycare [and will hopefully be able to go again] is a large, white, extremely fluffy long-haired - something called Sheleg, which means snow.

OK so he was born here so is obviously used to the heat, but he also has the air-conditioned store and store-room where he can ample in to flonk on the stone tiled floors. Even Pereg will not lay out in the sun for more than a few minutes, and she is short-coated.

But the big white one? It is like looking at a polar bear at the equator!

I have a dog that went the other way. It was 27C in Houston when he flew to me... on Feb 1st 2009 it was -15C here, mind you, that was a warm day...

He adjusted just fine, infact, I think he enjoyed it, he LOVED and still loves playing outside in the snow, the cold doesn't really bother him, if he's wearing booties.

Thanks everyone for your experiences.

Sorry Azz - I don't know the people who run A1K9 personally. I have to say though that I love the look of Dobes with cropped ears - they look so much more alert and worky than their floppy eared counterparts.

Is Jake noticeably different to Ailsa in looks and temperament - being bred in Spain? Or are the Spanish GSDs very similar to the modern day UK bred GSD?

Do you have pics of your two?

Well Hannah's father has happily coped with a move from England to South Africa. Not surprised as she happily lies by the radiators till her coat is hot to touch or lies out in the sun all day when she could chose to go in the shade as my male does.However she will aso happily lie out in the snow for hours unless forced to come in.