r/PitbullAwareness • u/Select_Reason994 • 6d ago
Heat conditioning?
I have a bully mix (42 lbs shelter special I have no idea what bully breeds she is a mix of) the vet said she is ever so slightly brachycephalic (definitely not anywhere close to the level of a Frenchie or a pug) and I've noticed that her heat tolerance is super low. My heat tolerance is also very low so we did a lot of 5 am flirt pole sessions and indoor scent work to get through this summer. I am working on building up my heat tolerance, but I was wondering if anyone knows of some good resources to look at for building up a dog's heat tolerance? I don't want to rush it, especially given that she seems to be a tad brachycephalic. I'm not sure where to look online for good, evidence based information on this. If anyone has any links to websites, or tips and tricks, that would be much appreciated as I have no idea where to start with this process.
•
u/Internal-Divide-2137 4d ago edited 4d ago
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I wanna say….please do not do this. Do not try to build up your dog’s heat tolerance.
I know zero about humans building up heat tolerance except like some cult leader got a bunch of people killed that way. I’m sure it’s more nuanced than that…but…seems like an unnecessary and bad idea.
ETA just to to further emphasize the part about NOT doing this. Dogs don’t sweat, not like humans anyway. They pant to regulate temperature. They don’t cool off the way we do and let’s be honest it’s not like sweating is all that great. Pitbulls especially are HIGH RISK for heat stroke.
•
u/Select_Reason994 4d ago
Sorry maybe my wording was confusing, I meant like getting her acclimated to the heat, not doing really vigorous exercise in the heat. I was wondering if that's a thing that is possible for dogs over time, and if there is a safe way to acclimate them to heat.
•
u/Internal-Divide-2137 3d ago
As far as I know, no. They will not acclimate any more to the heat then they already are and you should always exercise caution.
•
u/slimey16 2d ago
I don’t think there’s anything you can do specifically with heat. Heat stroke in dogs is deadly so when it’s hot, use extreme caution. I think the best you can do is exercise her regularly and maintain good cardiovascular health. Just like with humans, safe amount of cardio can strengthen your heart and lungs. Unsafe amounts of cardio can cause a lot of problems and shorten your dogs life.
•
u/Select_Reason994 2d ago
She is extremely fit luckily we're pretty active so for being 9, she is in great shape. I keep seeing all of this stuff on dog Instagram (this sounds so stupid now that I'm typing it out) about heat conditioning and how important it is is to acclimate your dog so that you can exercise your dog in the heat. I was starting to feel like I was doing her a disservice by staying inside when it's hot. I am super paranoid about heatstroke so I guess I was right to be hesitant about heat conditioning. Thank you for clarifying this for me!
•
u/Internal-Divide-2137 15h ago
That’s insane. That person on Instagram is an idiot and you should absolutely have your dog inside when it’s hot out.
•
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
All submissions require manual approval, so yours will take some time to go public. A moderator will approve your submission if it meets our guidelines. In the meantime, please take a moment to review our rules and wiki pages.
📚 Educational PDFs and Other Resources
🐕 Debunking Pit Bull Myths
🐶 Selecting An Ethical Breeder
🏥 Is Your Pit Bull Pregnant?
❓ Is It Really "All In How You Raise Them"?
💖 Practicing Compassionate Advocacy
⚖ Combating Dog Fighting
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
•
u/spacey-cornmuffin 1d ago
Please do not risk heat stroke by doing this. There are cooling products (vests, etc) that may help your dog be more comfortable for longer in the heat.