Here are two ideas similar(nozzles and t/f spray are different) to mine that I used Google image search to find. The white PVC one is more complicated than needed. For a Kennel you really do not need to wrap around the hole kennel you only one wand for each kennel.




The black one is simple and flexible much like a firm drip hose. It should also connect directly to water hose.

Then there are solar fans you can get a rig to move a decent amount of air for about $30.00.

 Quote: Jeff Cambeis

Then there are solar fans you can get a rig to move a decent amount of air for about $30.00.

Wow! I didn't know such a thing existed!

That sounds great, aimed at the side of the kennel and not the face, of course.

Again I would try to make my own. I am sure you can spend 300.00 + on one that you can make in minutes for 30.00-50.00 from stuff on ebay. Then you can easily replace parts if it breaks or dog chews it or what ever Murphy throws at my expensive stuff.

Misters & evaporative cooling systems wouldn't work well in the Memphis region -- too humid.

A misting system can, at best cool to about 6-8F above the wet-bulb temperature (dew point). (ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooling#Evaporative_cooling )

Memphis averages 69% relative humidity. (ref: http://www.memphisite.com/about.html )

At 90F, the wet bulb (dewpoint) temperature is 79F. Adding in the 8F for the 'best performance' gives an effective temperture of 87F and 100% relative humidity. Not really worth the effort.
(ref : http://www.moretv32.com/sh/idi/weather/calculators/relative-humidity.html )

In fact, it may make things worse because the higher humidity in the misting zone would make it harder for the dogs to cool themselves by panting.

Since dogs don't seem to be dropping dead from the heat in the south, they clearly adapt to the local climate. If they have shade and some air movement, they should be ok.

Evaporatve cooling does work quite well in drier climates. I remember the canvas bags the field workers used to use in Idaho. They actually kept the water pretty cool. The water would soak the canvas. As moisture evaporated from the surface of the bag, it would cool the remaining water in the bag. They called them desert bags.

There are a variety of systems that can be used. My favorite was a marble slab dog house floor in the shady side of the house. Wet or dry it had a great cooling effect. I've also seen old kegs used with a fan for a swamp cooler effect.

marble slab is a novel idea.

Jeff you are way to handy. I also didn't know solar fans exsist.

We just got a solar founntain for our pond to help with algea build up.

I finished looking at misting fans and found a nice one for around $90.00 at Frontgate that I can also just use as a fan to generate a breeze for when we don't have one.
This way when we have hot but low humidity I am covered or if we have high humidity I can just use the fan.
The dogs for the most part do acclimatize , however last year we had 2 weeks of 95 -100 degree weather with around 90% humidity and the dogs stuggled exposed to that many days of continuos heat. We had a member of a local club lose her doberman and yes it had water, shade and a breeze, no illnesses. The vet felt just that many days in the heat led to its death.
The husband won't like it but the dogs will come inside if we get a repeat of last year.(I just hope I can breathe when they do come in)

Lorelei

If the dogs must stay outside, have you thought about hosing them down before you leave. Also, getting a plastic kiddy pool and keeping it in the shade so the water doesnt get to hot. This way they can tunk themselves if they need to.

Michelle

Lorelei

If you are interested I saw man made wolf dens on one of those lets all save the wolves shows. They made them out of old concrete culverts but I would think you could use about anything they just dug holes and buried the culverts to help keep the wolves warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If you own your house I would think it would be the cheapest way to keep them cool. I personally kept the crawl space open under my house so that the dogs could get under the house during the summer. The dens buried in the back yard would do the same the crawl space under my house is a good 20 degrees cooler during the summer. I live just an hour south of Memphis in Mississippi.
I have been really considering it here but the entrance is going to be hard here flat land so I will have to build something like a dog house to keep rain water out. If you had a hill or slope to the yard you could position it to drain. Just a thought if you didn’t mind the work.


I would love to know if anyone else has used these and also if anyone used anything similar up north to keep the dogs warm the temp in the den should be close to the temp of the ground so instead of your dogs house being 30 degrees it should be 60.