Dog Community

Posted : 6/17/2010 4:32:00 PM

3girls
For walks and such, does anyone have any experience using those cooling bandannas?

I have one, and it's fairly useless, as far as I'm concerned. For walks, I'd go with a cooling coat, personally, but even that is with the caveat to avoid walks in the heat of the day.

3girls
Any recommendations for a crate fan?

Crate fans - eh, I have yet to see any particularly amazing ones (versus another). One that has multiple speeds is good, and a DC adaptor that allows you to plug it into your vehicle is good. There's one I wanted for a while that had an insert to place a thing of ice in it, so the fan would blow across the ice, creating cooler air (the way a swamp cooler works), although some say the ice insert doesn't last that long. I guess having your crate out in the sun kinda does that to ice!! Confused

I saw a reco to store the ice rings in dry ice to keep it colder longer, but I have no experience with that.

This one (pictured below) is the ProSelect Deluxe, I believe. What's nice about this one is it has a thermostat that causes the fan to automatically kick on when it reaches a certain temp. It's battery operated, but has a power cord option, too - I like that kind of versatility and for only about $30, I think it's a decent price: (I just found it at PetEdge for half that price!)

JackieG

Posted : 6/17/2010 6:06:03 PM

I have some crate fans and they move a good amount of air. I don't rely on them, though and I wonder how much they actually help cool a dog. Fans cool us by evaporating the moisture on our skin but dogs don't have much bare skin and they only have sweat glands in their paws, so I don't see how it could actually cool a dog very much. Moving air might help keep temperatures lower in a stagnant environment by bringing in outside, cooler/fresher air from the turbulence of the fan. I don't think it would make enough of a difference to actually provide cooling in a too warm environment.

eta to clarify, I hope. :)

jennie_c_d

Posted : 6/17/2010 9:07:53 PM

JackieG
but dogs don't have much bare skin and they only have sweat glands in their paws

Unless they're hairless! Bean sweats, like a people, but that is fairly useless in the extreme humidity we have here.

I wanted to add, that dogs' pads do sweat, and they are a cooling point. Use extreme caution on asphalt. I always test it with a bare hand or foot, before I'll walk my dogs across it. That means, when the car thermometer reads 110° for the outside temp, I carry them across parking lots. Blisters on your feet are painful, and standing on the hot asphalt will quickly lead to overheating, just like it would for people with bare feet and bellies close to the ground.

mrv

Posted : 6/18/2010 6:21:47 AM

Last year in the midest there were some dogs who died in vans with fans running and doors open at a hot summer dog show. dont remember the specifics.

JackieG

Posted : 6/18/2010 6:35:50 AM

jennie_c_d
I wanted to add, that dogs' pads do sweat, and they are a cooling point. Use extreme caution on asphalt. I always test it with a bare hand or foot, before I'll walk my dogs across it

Yes, very hot for the dogs feet and the heat radiating up from the pavement can overheat a dog quickly. I've seen dogs trying to drag their owners onto the grass or road verge to get off the hot pavement. :(

I knew you would respond to my comment about dogs not having much bare skin. :))

Cooling an overheated dog - advice?