For those without central AC

[LoveBug]

We live in NW Washington state (on an island) and for the most part it doesn't get very hot here in the summer. But when it does - we are miserable. No one has central AC and it often doesn't cool down very much at night during those few days or weeks (our house stays 80+)

This will be Bug's first summer. We have a portable AC (the rolling kind with the hose that goes in the window) and can keep a small room comfortableish. Anyone else not have AC with the bulldog? Our breeder thought it would be fine but I still worry a bit since she has so many breathing problems (which we hopefully get somewhat better after nare and palate surgery).


Bug says thanks for any advice!

 

[rjisaterp]

You are absolutely correct about Bullies not tolerating the heat very well. Do your best to keep cool.

 

[Cbrugs]

I'm in Washington so I know exactly what you are talking about! At our old house we had a heat pump so it had a cooling feature and kept the whole house cool. There was one day last summer it broke down and it was about 84 degrees in the house and Louie would not stop panting so I brought him to the breeder's house to spend the night cause she had AC. But now we have moved and no heat pump so I have been worried about the same thing. We have a window AC for the bedroom which is where both dogs sleep so at least at night we will be good. And I am probably going to buy a portable AC for the living room to try to keep it cool for them during the day. I am dreading the hot days!!

 

[Manydogs]

When my a/c was not working,a couple of years ago, I had two good fans,and they would hang out in from of them. At night, I would bring the fans into the bedroom. Fans and portable a/c might be good.

 

[Clermont]

Way down here in the Deep South, the heat is intesified by the tropical humidity.

we have been extremely fortunate to not have any AC problems yet.
Last Summer Ty, stayed inside mostly, early morning and after dark I would try to take him out for some fetch and tug in the front yard, we also have ceiling fans on the porches as well, if he needs a brief timeout.
What he enjoyed the most was filling his kiddie pool, and I would freeze water in my largest mixing bowl and drop it in the pool with him, he has a blast !!! Oh, and I occasionally put chopped apples or a new toy in his iceberg

 

[1Chumly]

I was really concerned when hurricane Harvey came through last year. Thank God we didn't lose power and it was pretty cool for Houston. We have a pool and we were going to keep dunking Monty in that if he ever got too hot plus I bought him a cooling vest. If we had lost power we would have been stuck though as we were surrounded by flood waters with no escape route. It is a big worry but I think if you have a room A/C and a couple of fans blowing on them, you should be OK.

 

[Clermont]

I was really concerned when hurricane Harvey came through last year. Thank God we didn't lose power and it was pretty cool for Houston. We have a pool and we were going to keep dunking Monty in that if he ever got too hot plus I bought him a cooling vest. If we had lost power we would have been stuck though as we were surrounded by flood waters with no escape route. It is a big worry but I think if you have a room A/C and a couple of fans blowing on them, you should be OK.

where did you get your cooling vest?

 

[rjisaterp]

I do not envy you and the hot days. There are also some products on the market to help keep puppies cool. Please see https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714KN8S4/ref=psdc_2975315011_t1_B00IAR9WCM . Not that I am a spokesman for Amazon.

 

[rjisaterp]

There are also cooling mats; however, my kids need to be supervised with those because they were chewing on the mat.

 

[LoveBug]

Thank you all so much for your ideas We do have several fans and a kiddy pool. I guess I am most concerned for the time no one is home during the day so I'm not sure I would trust her not to try and eat the cooling pad. My kitchen/mudroom area is on the north side of the house and stays the coolest so I think if I put up a curtain in the doorway to the rest of the house and use the portable AC and fan in there during the day it should stay comfortable for her (and the other dog and most likely cats ) Just trying to get plan before the warm weather gets started.

 

[rjisaterp]

Thank you all so much for your ideas We do have several fans and a kiddy pool. I guess I am most concerned for the time no one is home during the day so I'm not sure I would trust her not to try and eat the cooling pad. My kitchen/mudroom area is on the north side of the house and stays the coolest so I think if I put up a curtain in the doorway to the rest of the house and use the portable AC and fan in there during the day it should stay comfortable for her (and the other dog and most likely cats ) Just trying to get plan before the warm weather gets started.

Proactive is good.

 

[1Chumly]

where did you get your cooling vest?

It was a last minute purchase at Petco and it didn't fit him very well but I figured it was better than nothing!

 

[Cbrugs]

I've seen cooling towels I might try. I have a cooling mat and neither Louie nor Jax lay on it. They lay next to it though.

 

[robanddonna]

Here on Long Island it gets real hot/humid in the summer and part of the fall. Back in 2007 the summer came early before I could get the window ACs in and we lost our boy Mack. I can never forgive myself for it and since then we have always made sure they had AC. In fact we bit the bullet and had central ac installed for our babies last year. We do enjoy it too, but I will do whatever I have to to make sure they are comfortable.

 

[helsonwheels]

Yup I have cooling mat