Keeping Cool - Page 1

What methods are everyone using to keep dogs cool in the car and/or crate (mainly during training)?

Right now I've been just leaving the car and A/C running. There are only 3 of us at the club I'm with right now, so it is not long between "turns", and this works fine, though isn't ideal.

I've considered trying vent locks, has anyone used those? My SUV isn't big enough to fit a GSD-sized crate unfortunately.

The heat has been brutal the last couple of weeks. We're ready for fall!

I have a Sorrento so a large wire crate (hubby is going to build an aluminum crate to replace it with) fits in the back with last row seats down.
I have the ryobi fans, the aluminet cloth, park in the shade when I can. I also will freeze water bottles to set in front of the fans. Once the water is defrosted, either me or the dog gets to drink it.
I also just bought one the car umbrellas but haven't tried it yet. Designed to set on top of the car.
SW Florida so it gets pretty hot...always looking for ideas to keep the dog and myself cool.

You can't fit an appropriate sized crate in your SUV?! I have a crate in my compact car, Honda Fit. Either your dog is the size of a Great Dane or you have a seriously oversized crate.

I have a Juke. It's shaped weird.

All the above re iced water, use of fans / A/C etc. White sheeting and pre-soaked towels hung over the crate. Using a white motor in the first place, to reflect more heat than a darker-coloured car.
Parking in the deepest shade you can find on whichever site you are at, and CHECKING REGULARLY in case you need to move.(When the sun does). Keeping a stand-alone thermometer in the car so you can check actual temperatures.

The dog van I used to use at work had one of those rotating valve things in the middle of its roof, which used to push fresh cooler air down though the vehicle; I saw an ad for one in the dog press recently, so a good motor-fitter should be able to get one / install one.

Also have aluminium sided 'blankets' to cover windows; and those plastic expanding trellis jobs that you fit in the top of open windows, for security.
I used to have a vent lock; it held open the back hatch-door of my Astra van but I still found I needed to open the windows at the front. And when I changed vehicles, it didn't fit properly so I stopped using it. I also appreciate what Dawulf says, about chassis shapes, roof angles, etc,
being a limiting factor in which crates you can fit !!!

I have more than once resorted to pulling the whole crate out of the car, setting it up in the shade of the car, and putting the dog into it surrounded by fresh air.

Really preferable not to have to leave a dog in a car, at all, but to find some tie-out or 'keep them with you' alternative; but when needs must, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS CHECK BACK AT FREQUENT INTERVALS, AND GET THE DOG OUTSIDE OFTEN. Humans are too easily distracted into "just leaving it a little longer" when there are things to do & people to talk to. Most of the dogs which have died in hot cars have done so because the owners overestimated the amount of time they had.

just got this pic of my pup went to Fla  he trying to stay "chill".

    Yes we know.

I found it too cute not to share

Did you try taking the crate apart? That's what I have to do with the Giant Vari Kennel in my hatchback. The dog rides inside the nested bottom/top (door in between and don't forget the widgets and some spares in a zip loc baggie). Or maybe use a crate one size smaller than you normally would, since it would be for a short period of time.

Or get a roof rack/rails and you can transport any size/style crate you want.

I carry bottles of water, frozen bottles of water, 5 gallon plastic totes of water, a flat sided pail with a snap link, some white bed sheets, a whole bunch of white bath towels, and cord. The crate is set up outside the car and appropriately shaded and/or wet towels applied.  I can wet everyone/everything and the dog (and human) can be shaded, cool, and safe.  And stay hydrated :-)  Best of all, clean up the dog (and the human) before the ride home ;-)

Once, I tied a kiddie pool to the top of my car when I knew I had access to a hose and unlimited water at the training site. This was sooooooo worth it that I might get the roof rack/rails just for this ;-)

Kitkat - how cute is that!

I have been looking into the Aluminet, and will probably order one, come next paycheck. As it stands, we haven't had to go train on any excessively hot days, however it is July in Nebraska, and it's only a matter of time, LOL!

Good ideas with the frozen bottles/fans. "Redneck" AC may be a good plan.

Has anyone had success with this? https://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=4701&ParentCat=156

 

Her crate will fit if I break it down, it is just a hassle to do so. If I have to I will, but ideally, she can just hang out in the car while she waits to train. That is what I always did with Qira in my old Vue, but her crate fit in there (built). I could have the hatch and whatnot up, and not have to worry. There was also a TON of shade and breeze at that field, and that helped immensely. 

This is where I got my aluminet...you can get any size you want. http://www.shadeclothstore.com/?wcw=google&gclid=CMHt4q36-tQCFYwmhgodJ1QMKA

I cover the car with aluminet. This year I bought a "cool coat" for my GSD and it works really well. I did have to keep wetting it so you need to bring a pan or bucket to soak it.