My delicate little flower

[Sandi16]

Me, the kdis and Louie met up with our friends and went to walk around the park. The same park we always walk, and Louie has NEVER had a problem with it. But, today was about 87 and he completely wilted not even half way around. Stopped dead in his tracks, and laid down on his side on the side of the track. Yes, I had to carry my Cairn for a few minutes. Then we took teh path by the water, and he ran in it and sat down to cool off. He was miserable!!

I have a delicate little flower I guess. My friend brought her old, arthritic, very overweight Husky who took it like a champ.

[Angieh]

That's so funny. My Bennie always feels the need to jump into water, if it's available, on his walks--even if it's only 40 degrees outside! I think Cairns do get hot though, because of their coat. Poor Louie.

[SparkyJonesMom]

Haha! I know how you feel! I took Sparky on a long walk yesterday and it was hotter than usual, so he jumped up a few times to let me know he wanted me to carry him. I felt like a fool carrying this dog. I'm sure everyone who drove by thought I was one of "those" dog people. I love the picture of Louie in the water!

[josie&holly]

If Holly decides it is just too warm for her [and remember we do not get as hot here as you do in some of the States] she just lies down on path during a walk and looks at me as if to say she is not going any further! Other people with their dogs invariably ask if she is ill! I say no, just wants a rest and cool off! After a few minutes she will continue walking but not so eagerly!

She does not seem to like the sun on her - having said that - this morning she has decided she wants to sit out in sun! So I have kitchen door open whilst she does so!

[Cairnmania]

My two do not like warm, sunny weather either and they start panting pretty quickly. Abby is prone to deciding she needs to flop down and roll in the grass before going further. So if we are walking far I try to pick shadier areas to walk.

Both of mine, however, like to lay down in the baking sun for a nap. Even in the house they will often find a spot where it is sunniest on the carpet and choose there to nap.

Sun bathing is okay - but sun walking is not?

[Sandi16]

Cairnmania... OMG that is exactly what Louie was doing yesterday before we started the walk. We were waiting for our friends, and the kids wanted to play at the playground. We sat under a tree and he just rolled and rolled all around, panting like crazy. I actually called a friend, worried as I have never seen him pant so hard. I was ready to pack him and the kids up and leave.

Now, I know. Leave him home this summer. It's a shame. But, I understand as I don't do well in the heat either.

[Jetti]

Warm weather or not - mine allways finds some muddy water to lay down in and is very

offended when I put him in the shower to get all that mud off

CrazyCairns

[avusblue]

Hmm ... our cairns don't seem to like sitting or lying in water. Since we live in a tropical climate, 90 degrees everyday, they seem to have gotten used to hot weather.

Axle loves basking in the sun, lying on the hot road or driveway tiles. Took them for an earlier than usual walk yesterday at 3pm. It was so hot, and Axle just decided he was gonna bask in the sun, so he just plopped on the road and wouldn't budge. After his walk, he chased water jets from the garden hose before getting a bath.

[tk223]

Kooper hates the warm weather--he was a puppy last summer, but would dig holes and lay in them to cool off--and he panted like crazy! He loves the Minnesota winter though.

[Judly]

years ago, my old cairn reggie, went out with my dad on a walk in the summer. he started wanting to sit and not walk with my dad who is a fast walker. within ten mins he started vomiting, and as my dad is a doctor he recognised heat stroke. he actually left my dog (although i never would) with a man there and went to get car. we drove him home, he was shaking etc. he wouldn't drink as he was so ill - we wet a blanket and covered him with it in the shade of the garden and then dripped water into his mouth. he was there an hour. finally he fell asleep after having a much needed drink. we replaced the blanket with a dry one as he'd started shaking.

but thank g-d my dad took quick action as the vet later said he was possibly half an hour away from dying!!!!!

i still love reggie more than anything. i miss him daily. cairns always stay with us, even when they've passed over!

reggie RIP.

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[Tracy A.]

My dog with dense coat, Mettwurst- was having issues yesterday during our midaywak when it was above 80. I made mental note to groom him and strip him down to a nice summer look.....

He kept laying down in the shady grass...looking at me like...I can't go any further....it's a less than 1/2mile walk.

[Sandi16]

years ago, my old cairn reggie, went out with my dad on a walk in the summer. he started wanting to sit and not walk with my dad who is a fast walker. within ten mins he started vomiting, and as my dad is a doctor he recognised heat stroke. he actually left my dog (although i never would) with a man there and went to get car. we drove him home, he was shaking etc. he wouldn't drink as he was so ill - we wet a blanket and covered him with it in the shade of the garden and then dripped water into his mouth. he was there an hour. finally he fell asleep after having a much needed drink. we replaced the blanket with a dry one as he'd started shaking.

but thank g-d my dad took quick action as the vet later said he was possibly half an hour away from dying!!!!!

i still love reggie more than anything. i miss him daily. cairns always stay with us, even when they've passed over!

reggie RIP.

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I'm sorry for you loss. We actually saw a couple carry their old basset hound back to the car, covered in a wet sheet.

[JerryLv]

Good Subject. We have lived in Las Vegas for the past twenty years. My wife and I often talk about moving to a cooler climet as it seems every summer is harder to take than the last one (For us adults that is) Four years ago we got Zen, 10 weeks old, and immediately (first day in Nevada) noticed he was very sensitive to the heat. In order to excersise him properly my wife takes him to a large grassy school yard every morning 7 days a week at 4:30 AM. He has a couple of doggie buddies that meet him there and he runs and excersises until 6 AM. By six the sun is up and he is starting to heat up. As soon as he comes home at around 6:15 AM he immediately jumps in his pool to cool off. In the evening we have to wait until the Sun goes down before we can take him for his evening walk. We found out through experience that when he gets hot his ears turn pink. That's the time to find some shade and give him a little water.

It is my opinion that Cairns are definently cool (or cold) weather dogs. This fall we will be moving to Eastern Washington State where I'm sure

Zen will love it and I will be bitching about the cold weather instead of the hot weather.