my dog seems to get hot really easily. its been really hot where we live and she lays around and pants all day. she still begs to go for walks but when i take her she cant go for that long and she just pants and pants. i have noticed when i see othe pit bulls walking they are always doing the same thing. we even had to go buy her her own little fan and she spends all day laying in front of it. is this common for the breed do they just get hot really easily or something? they have such short hair it doesnt seem like they would get so hot. i have done a lot of research on pits and i dont ever remember anything saying that they get hot easily. oh and do you think my dog needs shoes when we got on walks because the ground gets really hot do you think her feet burn? i know these things seem silly to worry about but my dog is my baby.
2006-08-18 17:55:47 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
The short answer to your question about APBT's and heat is...........sometimes. It really depends on the dog and her lifestyle. As you stated, all pitties have a VERY short coat and this would lead you to believe this would keep them cooler. Actually, hair is an insulator so pitties don't have benefit of this. They, as well as other extremely short coated breeds, can actually sun burn very easily. The lighter the skin, the more easily they burn. My boy is tan/white with pink skin, I have to be extremely careful about how long he's outside right now!!! Touch your dog next time you're out for very long in the heat and you'll see what I mean. Also, if your dog (and I HOPE she is) is a house dog, she's not accustomed to the extreme heat we're experiencing this summer and caution needs to be taken when she's outside that she has plenty of water available at all times. I would even take a water bottle & perhaps a collapsible bowl on walks to keep her hydrated. You're not silly at all to worry about her--this makes you a GREAT dog mom.
2006-08-18 18:55:15 · answer #1 · answered by okcdglvr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you try walking your dog in the morning when it's cooler.The ground has had all night to cool down.If you take your dog for a walk in the evening the ground has had all day to soak up the heat.
You can take her outside to play several times a day after her walk to play in the shade and hopefully in the grass so her feet are'nt as much a concern.Get her a kiddie pool to run thru or find a river or creek for her to play in.A fans a good idea but she should be in the air conditioning with you.
Give her some ice cubes to chew on.
2006-08-19 08:50:44 · answer #2 · answered by misbehavin165 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think that's a common thing with pitbulls, for them to get really hot, but i dont think it's anything to worry about either. just make sure that your dog has plenty of cool water, and i think the fan thing is a good idea. you could also get him a kiddie pool to swim in.
there are certain dog breeds that are more prone to overheating, but those are mainly "brachiocephalic" dogs like boston terriers and pugs, that have "smushed-in faces". but pit bulls aren't considered brachiocephalic, so this doesn't apply to them.
i think your dog would be fine without shoes - his feet would probably actually be cooler. the pads on dogs' feet are really thick, so they don't burn very easily.
2006-08-19 01:04:58 · answer #3 · answered by mighty_power7 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm going to send your question about the panting to my Pit Bull owner/trainer associate.
As far as the booties go, it can't hurt - let her get used to them around the house before you go out for walks, otherwise you'll spend the whole walk picking them up after she flings them off :])
Even the white concrete sidewalks get hot, and their pads are very sensitive. The blacktop is WAY too hot to be walking on! Rule of thumb - if it bothers your bare feet, it bothers theirs twice as much.
I'll have K send you her thoughts on the heat and Pit Bulls...I have GSD's and with their double coats the high temperatures are just miserable.
2006-08-19 01:05:04 · answer #4 · answered by gsdmommy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its because they are solidly built - lots of body so lots of heat.. dogs who do well are greyhounds - tall thin dogs keep cooler much better....
as for the feet - you can get shoes but I suggest you walk on grass not cement and you use ZINC ointment (like for baby bottoms) on the pads of the feet
2006-08-19 01:03:42 · answer #5 · answered by CF_ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes pits dose not handle heat very well.
2006-08-19 01:09:10 · answer #6 · answered by gothicmidnightwitch 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋