Is It Too Hot To Train My Golden Retriever? | Summertime Dog Training Guide

[@StonnieDennis]

Are you a fan of my training style, but can’t travel to Kentucky to see me in person? No worries! I offer an awesome online dog training course, which includes access to an array of exclusive videos and content, personalized coaching, journaling, and in-depth mentoring and evaluation by yours truly! If you just need some an advice or have a couple questions you need answered, I also offer professional consulting by the hour. Both of these great services can be found here: www.kentuckycanine.com Thank you all for your remarkable support over the years! I cannot express enough how grateful I am for your appreciation and patronage of this channel, my training style, and my kennel. Always remember, it’s a great day for a puppy-sized adventure!

[@stephaniedonlan6749]

We have been driving our dog (16 months old) to a shady trail; tall trees, no asphalt - in Georgia. He enjoys his walk but cannot tolerate the hot car on the short drive home even though we crank up the ac. He started refusing to “get up” even though he is usually obedient. We now know that we MUST park our car in some shade when we drive to our outdoor adventure areas. Yes! “Your dogs tell you if you’re doing the right thing or not”

[@nancybuchanan9830]

THANK YOU, @StonnieDennis for sharing your wonderful training videos!! I used to train Labrador Retrievers for companions OR hunting dogs. it's so nice to see my methods 50 years ago were very similar to yours today. I currently (in my 70's) share my home with a 21-month-old BLACK miniature poodle. She loves to either : (1) race around playing "find" or "fetch" or (2) walk or run, or (3) sleep or sit at my side or on my lap. (When it is too hot or cold for me to walk outside, I take her to Lowe's or Sam's Club & walk at various speeds) or (4) on my treadmill if I'm snowed in 😂⛄️ I have trained her to greet strangers with all 4 feet on the ground and to sit silently with me in public spaces -- including church, concerts, libraries & offices. She is my therapy dog, laying on me & applying pressure over my chest to stop either cardiac exhaustion or a panic attack before they become critical. My dog training theory has always been to catch a puppy doing anything you want to reinforce and immediately praise, treat & name the activity. It's so important to identify a dog's own innate abilities & encourage them to excel with their nature in mind. Thank you for all you do to train and demonstrate your successful methods! (Oh, BTW, my little black poodle loves to lay down in the sunniest spot on my patio until I can barely pet her due to her hot hair! She seems impervious to hot & sunny days, but being in Michigan. I suspect that's due to our almost constant clouds & brief downpours!! 🐩🐕‍🦺

[@amydelpiere9315]

That bit about her hair being hot ... I live in Michigan as well and have a small herd of six goats. Some days when I go down to tend to everybody my black goats will be out in the sun and are uncomfortably warm to the touch. I marvel at how they sometimes lay out in the full sun on a hot day!

[@curttempleton591]

Think I am watching too many training videos! Yesterday after my wife finished her small challenges course , I said “ you are a fine woman “! I then took her to TJ Max to wander around to her heart’s content !

[@StonnieDennis]

That’s awesome!

[@TomsWhip]

Rough rule of thumb is tongue out straight = totally OK Tongue hanging out the side = slowly starting to overheat, ease off throttle or find shade soon-ish Tip of tongue spatula shaped and swollen = heatstroke

[@beastinblack4055]

Tongue out to side also means very happy!

[@TomsWhip]

@@beastinblack4055 Sorry, but not really. Wolves and subsequently dogs evolved to primarily exhibit crepuscular behaviour. Meaning they are active during low light conditions, such as dusk, dawn and at night. Your dogs tongue hangs out the side because it is struggling to regulate it's body temperature during the day, because it is simply not meant to be active when it's hot. Some dog breeds have been specifically selected over thousands of years to cope better in high heat, such as the desert hounds, for example Saluki, but the vast majority of dog breeds should be resting or engaging in mental exercises/training during the hotter parts of the day to keep them healthy (Depending on where you live and the time of year, ofcourse)

[@UtahRoadbase]

I found your videos recently and I really love your philosophy. We have a 2 year old bully breed that was not socialized as a puppy. We've been trying to expose him to as much of the world as possible. Living in Utah, there are a lot of hiking opportunities but he gets hot quickly and recovers slowly. I'm looking forward to taking him hiking but I think we'll have to start with a long lead because there's are so many other digs and hikers out there. Any chance you would make a video taking about staffies, put bulls, bulldogs? I'm not sure I know if my expectations of them are correct. Now back to binging Uncle Stonnie!

[@seemownay]

I am finally leaving a comment. Thank you so much for your down to earth approach to dog training! We got our first dog ever in January. A rescue that turned out to be a working lab/German shepherd/shorthaired pointer/border collie mix. And this weather is the worst - he gets antsy at 3:30 pm but we tried to keep him inside until 6 pm. Man. Worst behaviors ever - today we went to the river, did a loop and came home. Why didn't I think of this earlier? Thanks for the encouragement!

[@StonnieDennis]

Thanks for watching!

[@tjava2338]

Reasonable, rational, measured, appropriate to the condition of the dog, and the environmental conditions. Intention, with a bit of strategy, and diligence. Almost like common sense. Excellent videos Stonnie!! Inspirational.

[@StonnieDennis]

Thank you!

[@C.Pachovsky]

Great video Stonnie!

[@StonnieDennis]

Thank you!

[@halpen]

Phoenix here - land of portable water dishes, dog boots because our sidewalks are 120F and the asphalt is worse, and patio mister systems because even the shade is over 100F. It is flat-out dangerous for humans or dogs to attempt to walk for the majority of the day on most days right now. More power to you if you can do 5am walks, but we swim instead. Bought the dog a flotation vest and some floating fetch toys, and she is one tired and happy girl. Its also great for her hips. Plus, swim-racing a sheepadoodle to a toy at the other end of the pool is hysterical and fun for all concerned. 😂

[@christopheryale6867]

Unless doing nightshift you can have

[@Naamturd101]

Similar conditions out here in So Cal, like you the choice is walk at sunrise or walk at dusk with water and a portable bowl on hand. Two things my dogs love in the summer heat. A splash pad (basically a shallow kiddie pool with sprinklers on the side.) A piece of tempered glass meant for office chairs to lay on.

[@halpen]

@@Naamturd101 ooo - that glass is a great idea!!

[@SoBelle100]

I know you are a conscientious trainer...ethical and genuinely care about the well-being of the dogs. However, there are pet owners who do not have this same level of integrity and compassion. I live in a place where people are walking their dogs in 115 degrees (outside temps) and the pavement/asphalt is probably 20-30 degrees hotter, but the dogs are not wearing protective covering on their paws. This is animal abuse in my opinion, but the state I live in has minimal animal welfare rights. I would love for you to address this issue with your viewers. On another note, I was bringing home my new golden retriever puppy from the breeder in Dallas, TX. He flew in the cabin with me but SW Airlines decided to keep the plane at the gate with no AC (or even air flowing) with all doors open and it was 117 degrees outside and high humidity (this lasted 45 minutes.) After about 10 minutes, I checked on my puppy in his carrier whom I was mandated to keep under the seat in front of me even in these conditions. My puppy was unconscious and unresponsive, and this happened in only 10 minutes. I immediately took my puppy out and attended to him while the flight attendant was yelling at me to put the puppy back under the seat and threatening to report me. As my puppy's advocate, I told her my puppy was in distress and needed medical attention (either vet or dr) and I told her I was not putting him under the seat until he was medically cleared. She continued to yell at me and this went on until some other passengers told her to leave me alone. It was so hot and humid inside the airplane that people were starting to get sick. Long story short, I had come prepared with the items needed to revive my puppy and I took him to the vet the next day. He never recovered from this experience and went on to have serious medical problems leading to his death. This was heart breaking to me because I had no control of the situation. I was stuck on a plane, not allowed to get off and did not have access to AC or any flowing air trapped in 117 temps with humidity. I had packed wet washcloths, water, bowls, and items to help cool him off. I could not believe the lack of compassion exhibited by the flight attendants. Young puppies should never be exposed to conditions like this. I know this side story is not about training, but it is about dealing with puppies and intense heat and how we should al lbe advocates for our animals. I appreciate the voice you give to animal welfare and the compassion you model for your viewers.

[@jensjacobrmer1433]

your videos give me incredible joy to watch, you are my biggest inspiration

[@StonnieDennis]

I’m glad you like our content!

[@backtobaking4054]

Also the puppies really like you ❤

[@compa4929]

The only thing I really worried about when out and about in the heat with my black Lab was the concrete/asphalt. I noticed it looked like you had watered down your course to help remedy that. Otherwise I just went based off of he was still going he was fine. When I noticed he was finding shade and laying down it was time to go home.

[@RatdogDRB]

So many GOOD dogs there. Those labs are lookin' for a big ol' bowl of cool water and a pool to hop into. I agree, looking at your dog to look for the signs of fatigue is a big one. And like a good man would, looking out for the cameraman when coming to the whipping branches along the path.

[@mindycrocker]

we are so frickn grateful for you time!!!!

[@StonnieDennis]

Thank you for watching!

[@greenbean9353]

This in principle is true also with raising children!

[@Naamturd101]

You hit the nail on the head with "you chose the dog the dog didn't choose you". For me it's not really rocket science, living in Southern California where it approaches 120 degrees in the hottest parts of the year. Wake up early in the summer and enjoy the sunrise with your dog. Especially if you live in the city, you'll meet the well behaved dogs with responsible owners in those early morning hours. I also take mine out in the evening around dusk, but it's still pretty hot at that hour so I always bring some water and a portable fabric dog bowl just in case. It's also worth brushing up on the physical signs of heat stroke in a dog, how to deal with it, when you need to take your dog to an emergency vet, etc. One other thing my dogs love in the summer time, even with the AC on in the house, is a piece of tempered glass meant for office chairs on the floor that they can lay on.

[@StuWNZ]

I'm loving watching your videos they are a breathe of fresh air and I'm looking forward to getting a lab puppy next year. Looks like you have a beautiful property. I've not been to that part of the US yet. Thanks. Stu.

[@dgates19]

Not jealous at all, you have the best set up, probably in the world. Meanwhile I have a 20m x 10m lawn and that is considered a 'big' garden here in England

[@whitleyrobertson7070]

Summer in the Central Valley Ca is very hot (over 100), we get out early morning for our adventure everyday…..beat the heat!

[@jeantemplemeyer366]

Every day is training day and growing up with out air conditioning having it now is a bonus.My pets survived just fine.

[@CaroleHerndon]

Side bar question: what works best for you and the other humans as far as warding off ticks? Thanks for your great videos!

[@Naamturd101]

Geranium oil works as a repellant, still need to check your dog for ticks though. Better to ask your Vet for a prescription, the one we use is a single pill every 30 days and handles ticks, fleas and heart worm.

[@Journal_Jonesy]

I want to know how many steps you walk in a day. I love watching you work with the dogs.

[@lindaszymkiewicz5109]

Another great video- thanks again Stonnie!

[@fignewton8202]

This video inspired me to take the dogs out even though is 93 degrees today! We had a great time sniffing, exploring, and training off leash even though I thought it’d have been too hot!

[@StonnieDennis]

Awesome!

[@emilyh.9240]

Good video! The catahoula is sure enjoying that pool! Hot weather is definitely good for water fun.

[@DEADB33F]

Great video. Yeah,. basic obedience work and relative sedate activities can be done anytime. If I have no choice but to work them hard in the heat (eg, dogging in errant pheasants from shoot boundaries, etc) then I'll keep them doused with water, give them regular rests & opportunities to drink as we drive between the hedgerows and areas of cover that we're working. A high-drive gundog will easily work themselves to exhaustion if you push them too hard though. So yeah, it's important to know the signs. When it comes to formal gundog training with pups & youngsters, for both our sakes I'd rather take them out at first or last light when it's cool. I generally stick to short 10-15min retrieve sessions anyway, and those can easily be fitted in at 6-7am & 8-9pm.

[@GOOSE-se1hu]

I think Hank was waiting 4 Rosie knowing she would b led into the pool. Luv ur style Stonie!

[@VibekeVanRijn]

Very interesting video! You said something very true about having a smaller dog when you get older / is it a spring spaniel or a cocker spaniel you have with you on the video? I would love to have one of those ( either one) as a therapy dog, what do you think about that? Thank you in advance for your response

[@vanessabrewer2050]

I follow my dogs lead. I have a Great Pyrenees and if it’s above 75° he’s not having it. I can get him on a short walk and he’s quickly heading back to the house. He gets a big drink of water and then lays on top of the AC vent to cool off. We have enough room in our house that he can play and run when it’s too hot.

[@moonmunster]

How about carrying some water and a dish(s) with you when you go hiking? Unless I know there is water on the trail, I always carry water and a cheap plastic dish to put the water in for my dogs. Plus, I might need the water too. But there is nothing better than a cool stream for the dogs to wade in or lay down in.

[@route59performance34]

Great video

[@StonnieDennis]

Thank you!

[@backtobaking4054]

Very good puppies ❤

[@C.Hawkshaw]

I used to walk my chihuahua along a river. ln the summer when she got hot l’d take her down and plop her in. ln the beginning she didn’t really like it or understand but after a while I’d say “River?” and she’d get really excited, or sometimes she’d just try to run down on her own. l wanted to be careful because she was not a great swimmer, but she could swim.

[@kinguin7]

You're trying to tell me the dog named Bunsen isn't a Berner?

[@C.Hawkshaw]

oooh l like the new rubble pile !

[@terrystarr2617]

Stonnie, I know all Labs want to be black. Is that true for English Springer Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels as well?

[@bingsballyhoo711]

You have to always be aware of surface temps so your dog does not burn his feet.

[@willis9421]

“Grease those grooves” your west side experience is showing ;)

[@StonnieDennis]

LOL…100%

[@alessandra.lisetta]

Unpopular opinion - hiking in difficult weather is more satisfying...

[@marshaknox9346]

I live in Florida… The walks are very uncomfortable right now and they get shorter and shorter. We’re down to about a mile instead of the usual two out and two back 4 mile trip. I’ve gotten overheated a couple times to the point of fainting and each time I just wonder what it was doing to my dog even though I made sure to offer water repeatedly. Our walks are not power walks and sniff a lot and take our times so as to reduce the chances of getting overheated. Usually there’s someone at home to come and get us if it gets too uncomfortable. You’re the best Stonnie!

[@memeh1290]

Do you take electrolytes when your walking? This would be fore you not your dog. This is besides water.

[@CooperMaMa322]

Florida here also. I look for parks with shade for walks during this hot weather while paying attention to his tongue and breathing. I also break it up sometimes with Lowes, Homes Depot, Pet Store and car wash outings just to get my guy out of the house.

[@sarahwoodring5587]

Also in Florida and the struggle is real! We try to stick to grassy/shaded trails and get down to the river to try and catch the breeze when possible. I suffered heat stroke (medically confirmed) last year, so I have to be careful about getting overheated. I'm trying to stay consistent and motivated, but I could do better.

[@C.Hawkshaw]

@@memeh1290Actually l wonder if there is an electrolyte drink for dogs 🤔

[@marshaknox9346]

@@sarahwoodring5587 turning 66 this September and I also have had a medically confirmed heat stroke. I actually fell off a bicycle going down the road just as rescue drove by. They picked me up off the ground and took me to the hospital. It was quite the story. I try to stay in the grass, but then we deal with the tick. It’s a tough battle and you’re right. The struggle is real to find places where there aren’t 5000 other dogs and piles of dog poo that is safe and shaded. Being from Saint Augustine I also head for the water as soon as possible some water any water because there’s usually a breeze.

[@beastinblack4055]

Usually drive my dog down to the river to exercise, once she’s wet and swan for a bit she’s fine running around without getting too hot

[@victorziebenhaus3229]

Does high humidity change any of this Stonnie? I find my shiloh only likes 15 minute walks at a time when it's 40 plus degrees (canadian) so we just go swim instead with a few shorter walks rather than a couple long walks.

[@StonnieDennis]

100%

[@devanriley3014]

What are your thoughts on playing after obedience hindering the retaining of information?

[@nancyk3615]

I've noticed that my dogs seem to learn from having a consistent routine everyday and seem proud to show you how well they know it. My older dogs help show the newer ones the ropes...

[@StonnieDennis]

We always play after work.

[@StonnieDennis]

Consistency is king!

[@emedlock1]

Off topic - any issues with dogs not getting along with one another? Do you always have success integrating them even if one has a bully attitude? How do you address that?

[@StonnieDennis]

For sure, like people, there are plenty of dogs who just can’t get along with others; as a general rule we don’t take those kinds of dogs as it would endanger the others.

[@emedlock1]

@StonnieDennis thank you for such a quick response. I appreciate the effort you take to make such great content.

[@backtobaking4054]

Older labs said , not today 😂

[@DesignerLisa]

More Hank!

[@Mitch_Ryder]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@SunnyvaleTrailerParkSupervisor]

Research the BARF diet for dogs and cats. Your pet will love you and be more healthy

[@nancybuchanan9830]

Brunson Berber -- 😂hahahaha

[@nancybuchanan9830]

Oops, meant Bunsen Burner 😂

[@wmickinley]

watch out for liability because I let mine out too long and it had a seizure and I nearly had one too, there are also risk of rattlesnakes and I don't carry a gun like a lunatic.