GWP's and Heat

[al4x]

Anyone else having any issues recently, mine seems to be struggling a bit in this warm humid weather fine for the first mile and a half or so in the morning then finds a puddle and lays in it not wanting to move

She isn't one with a particularly long coat so not sure if she has enough to have her stripped but any ideas welcome as she sure is too big to carry anywhere!

[garyb]

You've got a gay dog!

[al4x]

that is a possibility, but today got me thinking as she was back to normal when out in cooler and wet conditions. Almost found out what she would do with a fox as she stopped one that was in amongst a load of poults in standing wheat. Certainly gave it a good bit of exercise as it was a good 300 yards to when it reached a fence to loose her. I'm not sure there is a solution just interested if other owners are finding the same in warm humid conditions

[WGD]

Yes, hard going dogs can't take too much work in the heat. My labs ok, but I had to soak my own spaniel and a "guest" with the hose the other evening to cool them down. Same as yours, cool and damp morning and it's back to business as usual.

[kent]

Yeah, my wire is just the same He is kenneled outside perminantly and never comes in by the fire and he just can't handle it for too long in the heat and i have to watch how much he does. On the plus side he don't mind the cold. He doesn't lay down in the water but i used to have a lurcher bitch who disliked swimming but would lie in the lake with just her head sticking out on a hot day at the slightest chance. The wire just starts panting and drinking

[brian28]

My springers are doing the same, jumping in ponds or the sea.

Then back to warp speed in seconds

[Dirty Harry]

My GWP seems to tire a lot quicker in the heat and looses interest in hunting. I got home from work today and took him out in the rain and he was mad for it. He was hunting for 45mins and when I put him back in the car he could have gone on for hours.

 

Harry

Edited August 26, 2010 by Dirty Harry

[kent]

My GWP seems to tire a lot quicker in the heat and looses interest in hunting. I got home from work today and took him out in the rain and he was mad for it. He was hunting for 45mins and when I put him back in the car he could have gone on for hours.

 

Harry

I wonder if the lack of intrest has more to do with a bad scenting day, most wires will hunt like crazy even if they are uncomfotable or even in servere pain for that matter but give them a day with no scent and they only wanna plod about. If scent is good but the dog is hot thats when the owner needs to be mindfull

[Raja Clavata]

I knew that "far superior" comment would come back and bite ya

[al4x]

I wonder if the lack of intrest has more to do with a bad scenting day, most wires will hunt like crazy even if they are uncomfotable or even in servere pain for that matter but give them a day with no scent and they only wanna plod about. If scent is good but the dog is hot thats when the owner needs to be mindfull

 

 

I would think so mine never seems to stop hunting even when she decides to sit in a puddle only needs a pheasant or dare I say it squirrel to turn up and she is back into action. Get a windy day and she is unbelievable but then the scent is being pushed to her

 

Raja I'd still stick with the comment after all we don't really need to work them in the summer its winter they work

[Gully]

Mine suffers from the heat when it is actually hot, but I wouldn't be worried over the last few weeks. One day in July I took him for a walk and when we got home he just lay on the floor on his side panting. I was worried and covered him with a wet towel, after about 5 mins he was up and bouncing around again. Did yours have water available?

[al4x]

water is always available at home and walks are usually an hour max with a river on the way home that she likes to get in and drink from so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. I think the humidity gets her as really hot days she isn't too bad at home the kitchen is always cool so if she gets warm she just lies on the tiles. Its quite interesting as its taken till she is 3 to get to this point and she is a house dog so probably doesn't grow quite as much coat as some but its one hell of a thick coat. probably why she doesn't bat an eyelid about going out in any dodgy weather, rain she positively enjoys I just put that down to her being welsh

[J@mes]

The lab is fine but we are looking after the missus' parents boarder collie at the minute (ADHD dog if ever there was one) and it always sits down in puddles when the weather is slightly warmer. Usually the muddiest ****tiest one she can find too.

[kent]

I would think so mine never seems to stop hunting even when she decides to sit in a puddle only needs a pheasant or dare I say it squirrel to turn up and she is back into action. Get a windy day and she is unbelievable but then the scent is being pushed to her

 

Raja I'd still stick with the comment after all we don't really need to work them in the summer its winter they work

 

Ever heard of the glourious 12th? Seriously versitle dogs like these should not become pegged down to winter work, what with Roe bucks etc,etc. Just need to keep an eye out for problems. Seen footage of them hunting in some real heat in the states and the handler kept hydrating them with a water bottle with a nozzle squirting it directly into and onto the dogs realy regular through the day

[kent]

water is always available at home and walks are usually an hour max with a river on the way home that she likes to get in and drink from so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. I think the humidity gets her as really hot days she isn't too bad at home the kitchen is always cool so if she gets warm she just lies on the tiles. Its quite interesting as its taken till she is 3 to get to this point and she is a house dog so probably doesn't grow quite as much coat as some but its one hell of a thick coat. probably why she doesn't bat an eyelid about going out in any dodgy weather, rain she positively enjoys I just put that down to her being welsh

Its the moisture holding scent, mine loves it he sheds water from the surface realy well but rooting about in heather and sedge scrub and he is soaked though in a couple of minutes, but it don't bother him none as long as you don't make him sit around in the cold afterwards, just ordered a neoprine jacket for him for this winters wildfowling (his first venture onto the marshes)

[ziplex]

The lab is fine but we are looking after the missus' parents boarder collie at the minute (ADHD dog if ever there was one) and it always sits down in puddles when the weather is slightly warmer. Usually the muddiest ****tiest one she can find too.

 

My little Springer does this, she virtually body surfs into puddles, the muddier the better! The GSP on the other hand is a quivering wreck in the cold unless she's on the move. She'll happily hunt in any conditions but as soon as she's still she's had it....her teeth chatter so bad I would imagine you'd hear her 20 yards away If it's raining and you let 'em all out for a pee she'll stand at the doorway squinting and grimacing until you put your toe up her butt. A friend of mine trains lab's and GWP's of which he uses two for all sorts including wildfowling, they seem to be able to handle anything including icy cold fast flowing water without a problem. Nothing like a GWP's expression too, fantastic faces

[kent]

Yeah you need them eyebrows to realy sulk and a beard to realy grin

[ziplex]

Yeah you need them eyebrows to realy sulk and a beard to realy grin

 

that's the one!

[hutchie the white hunter]

yep they have some faces they can pull, funny though my gwp just wants to drink every puddle on the planet even the entire loch cant keep him away from it he would drown if i left him there on his own

Edited September 1, 2010 by hutchie the white hunter