Let’s talk about the weather (and maybe other things)

It was 88 today, and is supposed to be warmer tomorrow. Welcome to Spring. We all know from here forward we are going to have “seasonal” weather (whatever that is), and hotter than seasonal, and colder that seasonal. What is a tracking dog handler to do?

Step one: THINK. Hot is harder, hot and humid is hardest. Do I still track in it? I do—short tracks, run comparatively fresh. So what does that mean?

Today, it was lovely early, and was hot by 10. We put 2 tracks in early, ran them, and then ran tracks fresh. We DO want the dogs to experience, and learn, to track in warm weather (I judged a test in Yorktown, it was 90 degrees, in December). I suggest a two pronged approach—first, track in all conditions, and alter the amount of augmentation relative to the temperature and humidity. HOT? Short tracks, heavily augmented. We want the dog to be successful, and we don’t want him to feel physically bad at the end. Cool AM with warming (like today)? Put your track in early, age it a little, but make sure you run it before the sun feels hot. Unseasonably cool day, or overcast warmer (not hot) day? Add some age….and still be generous with your augmentation. If your dog is uncommonly heat sensitive consider a reflective coat.

Meanwhile…..at the heat of the day….take your dog for a walk. Carry water for both of you(this is a great way to get them to drink). Start short—say 10” (you know your dog). Make it a brisk walk! Next time, maybe add 5 minutes. Do you know the warning signs your dog is getting too hot? Ask your vet (or maybe Betty and Kara can weigh in). Walk on grass, not asphalt (even VST tracks aren’t run on hot asphalt). Here’s a cool (hahahahaha) side effect—YOUR heat tolerance will increase with your dogs! Include hills, walk from sun to shade and back to sun.

Bottom line, condition your dog for the heat off the track! And yes, I track all summer. 105 degrees? Yes. The track was 30 yards long total, and had one turn. It was in full sun. I’ve run a 10 yard track!

One more detail. It’s warm enough for ants to attack your treats. It’s the rare dog who likes having the inside of their nose, or their mouth, bitten by ants. Take your favorite treats, put them outside on the ground. Check them in 30minutes. Covered in ants? Don’t use them! I’ve been told Pupperoni is less likely to attract ants…but please do your own tests!

I, for one, already miss winter. However, spring is an opportunity to train, so that when the actually not so cool temps of September come around, my dog and I are both ready. Remember, temperature is relative….88 today feels blistering. 88 in September feels like a cool day. 66 today is shorts and tee shirt. 66 in October is a sweatshirt. We all acclimate!