lostforgottensoul
VIP Member
Service dog and Florida summer heat questions. And I might be highly over thinking this. But...I ask anyway.
Ok, so it's 85 today but feels 100. Welcome to summer in Florida. So, first I use a sun shade in the car front windoe. That's a no brainer but the car still gets boiling. At least 100 degrees if not hotter. I want those baby shades but I am so scared it's going to obstruct my few too much. At least in the back and that's the biggest source of sun on Chopper. It's a 2 door so the other sources is the side windows and the small decorative ones but the back is the biggest source. It's not a hatchback but has a back window sort of like one. And it looks like it used to have tint that's pealing off. Thus my worry of view blocking. I did massive research on the sun shades, read loads of comments, looked at loads of pictures, and asked loads of questions. I had a sun shade set in my Amazon cart (attach to the windows without suction cups as thats how most said their view was blocked. Being an inch or so away from the window) that had the best and most reviews but placed it in the save for later area as I am just really scared of obstructing my view too much. Was recently in a car accident so that's where some of that is coming from.
First question. Does anyone use these baby/kid sun shades to help shade sun and heat in the summer on your service dog? If so, do they obstruct your view? What kind do you use (suction cups or no suction cups)? What about on a back window that's already a bit obstructed with pealing tint. Would it be worth the money (if I can save that up) to have professional tinting done on a 2001 car with 195,000 miles on it that likely won't last too much longer? Though it may last the year so this entire summer. It's really anyone's guess to be honest.
I use a summer vest here: Service Dog Harness in CUSTOM COLOR - whatever color you want! Includes Patches and Handle - cool, comfortable, and lightweight!. His is red. And I have these boots: Dead Link Removed. Which we didn't use last year really at all other then to train a bit with them as they are impossible to get on due to the sock thing at the top. Ruffwear has since remade the Summit Trex without the sock thing at the top: Link Removed which I just noticed would be cheaper to buy on Amazon then on Ruffwear's site using my service dog discount which is rather shitty but anyway, was going to buy them but ran out of money so ended up just cutting off the sock thing at the top on his current boots (the first link). It worries me that the velcro is now at the tippy top but they are with the new style anyway. I put them on him and they slide right on and i was able to tighten them so that i couldn't pull them off. So heres to hoping they work and don't easily fall off. Here and there of falling off is fine. Every 2 seconds or every step or two isn't. I also have Musher's Secert if I need it for a bit more protection. He isn't trained to work in boots as I was never able to use them last year but he wasn't working near is often as he is now. Now, the only place he doesn't go with me yet is to work. But, that's coming and I want to prepare for that. And I can and will train him to work in the boots.
So, we have some modified foot protection. We also have baby socks. If we need them. And we have 10 million water bowls. I wanted one on each piece of gear so that I wouldn't switch vests and forget to switch water bowls. Did that in the beginning, felt horrible, and found a great deal for like I believe 10 collasable water bowls for like $15 on Amazon. So, we have more bowls then we have gear. I also keep a set in my backpack and want to clip one to his treat bag. So I never forget one. And I of course take water with me and always have water in the car. It gets hot but still. He has yet to drink out of one of the bowls though. He just flat refuses to drink. I know its not the bowl size (though I do have a set of two large collaspable bowls) as he drank from his crate bowl and would go into the crate to drink rather to drink from his large one. And the crate bowl is about as big as the collasable ones. A but deeper I think but the size around is about the same.
I'm trying to do things in smaller spurts. So instead of going out all day I'm trying to go out for maybe an hour, come home and rest, let him drink and cool off on the cool hard floor and then go back out an hour later. And If I can help it, I'm trying to go out in the cooler parts of the day.
But, like today we went two places. My pharmacy and then Aldi (a cheap grocery store). The car was our biggest issue. I cannot figure out how to not to load him when its 100 degrees or hotter in the car. The only thing I can think of is to put it in neurtual (a stick) and the e brake on and let the AC run a few mins before loading. I want to figure out how to mount a battery powered fan I have to the middle thing to blow more AC from the front into the back as even with the vents all pointed to the back, not enough AC gets back there. And it doesn't help that the sun is beating down on him from the back window. I do show him loading and unload in the car and pretty much show the entire back seat and back window in a recent video if anyone wants to see it. Its on the site on my profile. Just if anyone wants a visual of what I'm attempting to describe. Does anyone have idea of how I can cool the car off and keep it cool?
I'm trying to run in fast so he gets into the AC pretty quickly then get myself together inside. I felt the pavement today and it wasnt too hot yet but was close. So I need to do a lot of boots training and then just work him in the boots in familuar places so he gets used to getting into positions with them on.
I used the sun shade in the front window while in Aldi to try to keep the car as cool as possible but it was still an oven. Even though we only ran in to get a few things and weren't in there that long.
I'm also asking him to down at the bagging station (you bag your own groceries there) at Aldi and that helps to cool him with his belly on the cool floor.
I'm sorry this was long and rambling. I just wanted to lay out what ive already done to help combat the heat. But we're still struggling. Mostly with the car. And summer is just starting. It's going to get way hotter. Any ideas?
Oh, also i want to get the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler but even with my discount its too much money at the moment. But I have some cooling towels I bought at Walmart after Irma that I can put around his neck if needed. Irma taught me a lot too but, we were combating the heat at home mostly. I only worked him to charge devices after Irma. And we were in the AC to do that. Someone showed how they used a shammy under the vest but this is too small to be able to stay on his belly or back. If anything Id want it on his belly and use our summer vest so that the water can evaporate (which is how cooling towels work). Maybe I can figure out how to attach it to his summer vest?
Ok, so it's 85 today but feels 100. Welcome to summer in Florida. So, first I use a sun shade in the car front windoe. That's a no brainer but the car still gets boiling. At least 100 degrees if not hotter. I want those baby shades but I am so scared it's going to obstruct my few too much. At least in the back and that's the biggest source of sun on Chopper. It's a 2 door so the other sources is the side windows and the small decorative ones but the back is the biggest source. It's not a hatchback but has a back window sort of like one. And it looks like it used to have tint that's pealing off. Thus my worry of view blocking. I did massive research on the sun shades, read loads of comments, looked at loads of pictures, and asked loads of questions. I had a sun shade set in my Amazon cart (attach to the windows without suction cups as thats how most said their view was blocked. Being an inch or so away from the window) that had the best and most reviews but placed it in the save for later area as I am just really scared of obstructing my view too much. Was recently in a car accident so that's where some of that is coming from.
First question. Does anyone use these baby/kid sun shades to help shade sun and heat in the summer on your service dog? If so, do they obstruct your view? What kind do you use (suction cups or no suction cups)? What about on a back window that's already a bit obstructed with pealing tint. Would it be worth the money (if I can save that up) to have professional tinting done on a 2001 car with 195,000 miles on it that likely won't last too much longer? Though it may last the year so this entire summer. It's really anyone's guess to be honest.
I use a summer vest here: Service Dog Harness in CUSTOM COLOR - whatever color you want! Includes Patches and Handle - cool, comfortable, and lightweight!. His is red. And I have these boots: Dead Link Removed. Which we didn't use last year really at all other then to train a bit with them as they are impossible to get on due to the sock thing at the top. Ruffwear has since remade the Summit Trex without the sock thing at the top: Link Removed which I just noticed would be cheaper to buy on Amazon then on Ruffwear's site using my service dog discount which is rather shitty but anyway, was going to buy them but ran out of money so ended up just cutting off the sock thing at the top on his current boots (the first link). It worries me that the velcro is now at the tippy top but they are with the new style anyway. I put them on him and they slide right on and i was able to tighten them so that i couldn't pull them off. So heres to hoping they work and don't easily fall off. Here and there of falling off is fine. Every 2 seconds or every step or two isn't. I also have Musher's Secert if I need it for a bit more protection. He isn't trained to work in boots as I was never able to use them last year but he wasn't working near is often as he is now. Now, the only place he doesn't go with me yet is to work. But, that's coming and I want to prepare for that. And I can and will train him to work in the boots.
So, we have some modified foot protection. We also have baby socks. If we need them. And we have 10 million water bowls. I wanted one on each piece of gear so that I wouldn't switch vests and forget to switch water bowls. Did that in the beginning, felt horrible, and found a great deal for like I believe 10 collasable water bowls for like $15 on Amazon. So, we have more bowls then we have gear. I also keep a set in my backpack and want to clip one to his treat bag. So I never forget one. And I of course take water with me and always have water in the car. It gets hot but still. He has yet to drink out of one of the bowls though. He just flat refuses to drink. I know its not the bowl size (though I do have a set of two large collaspable bowls) as he drank from his crate bowl and would go into the crate to drink rather to drink from his large one. And the crate bowl is about as big as the collasable ones. A but deeper I think but the size around is about the same.
I'm trying to do things in smaller spurts. So instead of going out all day I'm trying to go out for maybe an hour, come home and rest, let him drink and cool off on the cool hard floor and then go back out an hour later. And If I can help it, I'm trying to go out in the cooler parts of the day.
But, like today we went two places. My pharmacy and then Aldi (a cheap grocery store). The car was our biggest issue. I cannot figure out how to not to load him when its 100 degrees or hotter in the car. The only thing I can think of is to put it in neurtual (a stick) and the e brake on and let the AC run a few mins before loading. I want to figure out how to mount a battery powered fan I have to the middle thing to blow more AC from the front into the back as even with the vents all pointed to the back, not enough AC gets back there. And it doesn't help that the sun is beating down on him from the back window. I do show him loading and unload in the car and pretty much show the entire back seat and back window in a recent video if anyone wants to see it. Its on the site on my profile. Just if anyone wants a visual of what I'm attempting to describe. Does anyone have idea of how I can cool the car off and keep it cool?
I'm trying to run in fast so he gets into the AC pretty quickly then get myself together inside. I felt the pavement today and it wasnt too hot yet but was close. So I need to do a lot of boots training and then just work him in the boots in familuar places so he gets used to getting into positions with them on.
I used the sun shade in the front window while in Aldi to try to keep the car as cool as possible but it was still an oven. Even though we only ran in to get a few things and weren't in there that long.
I'm also asking him to down at the bagging station (you bag your own groceries there) at Aldi and that helps to cool him with his belly on the cool floor.
I'm sorry this was long and rambling. I just wanted to lay out what ive already done to help combat the heat. But we're still struggling. Mostly with the car. And summer is just starting. It's going to get way hotter. Any ideas?
Oh, also i want to get the Ruffwear Swamp Cooler but even with my discount its too much money at the moment. But I have some cooling towels I bought at Walmart after Irma that I can put around his neck if needed. Irma taught me a lot too but, we were combating the heat at home mostly. I only worked him to charge devices after Irma. And we were in the AC to do that. Someone showed how they used a shammy under the vest but this is too small to be able to stay on his belly or back. If anything Id want it on his belly and use our summer vest so that the water can evaporate (which is how cooling towels work). Maybe I can figure out how to attach it to his summer vest?
