My whole family is going camping this weekend. I protested on going because I didn't think my kids should be out in the heat let alone our puppy. Well being as stubborn as she can be my wife said she was going and so were the kids. I consider it my duty to go and make sure the kids stay cool and I don't end up worrying about them. This makes me have to bring our dog with us as we just don't have anyone to leave him with plus kennels are so darned expensive.

Does anyone have any sound advice on keeping a pup cool? We won't have any air conditioning in our camper. It will just be a few large fans. Lucky me for we are camping at Rend Lake so we will be able to go swimming and hopefully I can get Gambit in the water. He's had a pretty good growth spurt and some club members think he might actually hit 70 #!

I'm thinking lots of water plenty of inside time under fans in his kennel and he will be fine. I'm just over protective of him and wanted to make sure I do everything I can to keep him cool.

Here's lot of detailed help.

Be very careful about never getting thoroughly soaked and then in the sun or crated. Soaked means "must then be in open air in shade."

It's in the article in my second post.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=134&Number=335335&Searchpage=1&Main=30141&Words=+Connie+Sutherland&topic=0&Search=true#Post335335

thank you

I'd worry about ticks more than heat. My shepherd was adopted as a stray in S. Illinois and she had some terrible tick diseases.

Let Gambit relax in the shade on a short tie out. Supervised. Or use the x-pen if possible- also supervised. Make sure he has access to water, and keep him quiet during the heat of the day. Exercise should be limited mainly to early morning (before 7) and late evening (just before dusk, or after sunset). When I lived down there, I always ran my dogs at 5 am with plenty of water breaks, and again just after dark.

I found that the water in S.Illinois reservoirs is downright warm, pretty stagnant, not super cooling. Swimming is great exercise, but a swimming dog down in S. Illinois summers can still get overheated with the high humidity in the air limiting evaporation, the high temperatures, and direct sun that you generally get in open water.

If you aren't using tick preventative, get some Advantix or Frontline (from experience I'd recommend Advantix for S. Illinois ticks).

Dogs love camping. Glad to hear his health is improving!

Just a word of caution on the x-pen, some dogs will jump out. And, mals can be very bouncy.

I have Advantix and he's getting his second dose tomorrow. I was going to take him in the lake to swim but now that you mention it the water was rather warm the last time I swam in it.

Sounds like the Ex pen in the shade is the best idea and maybe a fan near by

The poor guy! I was hoping he could have some fun in the water. Maybe a evening swim will be ok once the sun is almost down. But he doesn't like water from what I can tell. Least not his baths! I need to show you guys some new video he enters and leaves the create only when I tell him to. He downs, sits and walks on a leash just fine. I also need to post pic's of my hands for wanna be owners that think they want a mal. I took my first real hard bite tonight on my fingers and it felt like someone had hit my fingers with a hammer. He missed the tug and nailed me.

 Quote: connie sutherland

Here's lot of detailed help.

Be very careful about never getting thoroughly soaked and then in the sun or crated. Soaked means "must then be in open air in shade."

It's in the article in my second post.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=134&Number=335335&Searchpage=1&Main=30141&Words=+Connie+Sutherland&topic=0&Search=true#Post335335

Would placing a wire crate in the shade be effective? I would assume that because of all the wholes it won't block the evaporation like a hard shell crate would

 Quote: Nick Logan

I took my first real hard bite tonight on my fingers and it felt like someone had hit my fingers with a hammer. He missed the tug and nailed me.

Move FASTER!

 Quote: Anne Jones

 Quote: Nick Logan

I took my first real hard bite tonight on my fingers and it felt like someone had hit my fingers with a hammer. He missed the tug and nailed me.

Move FASTER!

I still can't always escape Koenig's teeth. (He's 2.) Yes, we have a targeting problem.... ROFL.