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06-17-2015 03:06 PM
I live in AZ where the high today is expected to be 114. It's beastly hot out.
There is a lady in my neighborhood who walks her fancy large poodle. We walk at the same time in the mornings, when it's already 95 degrees out. I walk for about 70 min. So does she. She walks very fast, never stops nor does she have water with her.
I have to bring water with me, or I'll faint and I'm in great shape.
My question to other pet lovers is I'm concerned that the dog is walking at a very brisk pace (the dog actually walks behind her because she's pulling him with her at a very fast pace). In this extreme heat, isn't it important to keep the dog hydrated and rest at intervals? The dog has no choice. If she gets overheated, she can stop, the dog is trailing her all the time and she never stops.
Maybe I'm just very sensitive to animals, but I think it's a bit unkind of her to do her walking exercise with the dog in this heat and not be cognizant if the dog is overheated and needs water. I swear this woman never even interacts nor looks at the dog, so she probably wouldn't even know if the dog was having issues.
And... I'm not sure if she's aware but the cement is very hot on dogs' paws in this extreme heat, and he has to walk on the cement for over an hour every day. It just bothers me.
06-17-2015 03:20 PM
That would bother me a lot, too. I just posted something on Facebook about dogs getting heat stroke. A poodle doesn't have a smushed in face like my French Bulldog, so it isn't at as much risk, but still it's possible. I walk my dog early in the morning, too, when it's still in the 70's. I don't know what you can do about it, though, but the whole situation would bother me, too. I don't like hearing that the dog has to walk on pavement either.
06-17-2015 03:26 PM
06-17-2015 03:33 PM
Grrrrrr,this is bothers me so much. I walk /run with my dog every day, but in summer I wait until it's almost sundown and the pavement is cooler. I also carry a water bottle and stash it on the track so when we make our laps we can stop for drink. I have a little contraption that hooks on to make a cup for her to drink. Maybe she doesn't know it's bad for her dog. How can people be so unaware? I just would struggle to not say something. Well,knowing me I would say something. Probably I would start by saying hi, what pretty dog,or whatever. Then I would comment on the heat and how I couldn't do the walk without water and say I have a dog but don't bring her out until it's cooler and the pavement is not so hot because I'm a worrier. Ya know...just throw it out there. I mean I'd be polite but still poi t out the obvious by making g it about me.
06-17-2015 03:37 PM
I'm glad I'm not alone in my feelings.
Unfortunately, this woman is not friendly at all. She never smiles or makes any effort to be nice although we walk by each other a few times on our routes. If she treats me like that, she's probably not all that compassionate to the dog. It looks like a show dog, but that doesn't matter.
06-17-2015 03:41 PM
I've had two poodles (miniature not standard) and I always had a spray bottle with me whenever we walked outside in the heat to spritz them down every now and again. I also had the good sense to leave them home when it got unbearably hot despite the pleading eyes and whining.
Depending on how the coat is cut and the dog (I had one that felt the heat and one that cuddled for warmth), it could be okay or not. If you aren't comfortable making conversation, I would have faith that most people know their dogs as well as their kids and can judge what they can take and what they can't. If the dog isn't in obvious distress, walk on.
06-17-2015 03:49 PM
06-17-2015 04:20 PM
Well, I was going to suggest that you offer her and her dog some of your water, but I see you already wrote in another post that you're not friendly with her. I'm wondering: where are you walking? Only on cement, or on grass/dirt as well. That would help the dog's feet, if it could get off the cement. Also, exactly when in the morning do you both walk? We lived in AZ for years and would always walk before the sun was up. Even though it's still hot then, not having direct sunlight on us helped a lot. And related to that, are there a lot of shady areas to frequent?
I can relate to your situation. When we were living in AZ, we often saw a gentleman that was walking his dachshund. We would stop and talk to him (mainly so I could pet the dog) even though at first he wasn't particularly friendly. The poor dog always looked hot and thirsty and this guy never had water. Since we always carried water, we asked him if we could give some to his dog, and he agreed. Then I started carrying a shallow dish for water for his dog. Makes you wonder about people.
I don't think you're overly sensitive at all. But it is a tricky situation.
06-17-2015 04:28 PM
Please go ahead and offer water to her for her dog.
I've offered waste bags even to someone I was leery of and I did at least get a polite "no thanks, I have some." You may just get a look or a "no thanks" at first, but I suspect the more often you offer, the more she might get the idea. Just continue to be your polite and helpful self.
As Robert Louis Stevenson said, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."
We're all rooting for you!
06-18-2015 03:16 AM
We are walking in the morning, but after sunrise. It's not the "hottest" time of day, but it's still hot. The thing is she is walking for exercise as she walks and the poor dog is following behind. It almost looks like she's dragging a sack of potatoes. She never once looks at the dog nor interacts with him. She just walks real fast and he's trailing her, always looking around at others. If I was walking my dog, I'd be talking to him and petting him and keeping an eye on him. I don't think this woman would even notice if the dog was hot or uncomfortable.
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