smith family kennels
08-02-2010, 06:17 PM
This summer is brutal and is taking a serious toll on my yard. Its so hot here its hard to breath. Our heat index is ridculous and this has been the hottest summer we have had in along time. I have spent everyday hosing down my dogs since chester died of a heat stroke. It wasnt enough. I have lost another one to this heat
I went out and checked my dogs like I always do and made sure they were all cool yesterday afternoon. At 8 pm when it gets dark here everybody was still doing well. I went out and checked again and did my walk of the yard again around 11 to 1130. Got to Houdini and He did not greet me like he always does. He had passed away from the heat.
I have been doing everything I can do besides bring all dogs in and crate and rotate leaving them with no freedom. I am now to that point were I nolonger have a choice........ The rest of my dogs are in the house crated and will remain that way for the rest of the summer. I live on the very top of a mountain in alabama which means hot, brutal, dry, and no breeze. My shade is limited in my yard and while my dogs do get shade most of the day their are times when the sun moves that they dont. I made sure to change their water frequently and hose them down and try to keep them cool.
both dogs I lost were pacers never laid down never sat still.
Houdini was a very hyper dog. He loved people but hated other dogs and was the only dog in my yard that I could never bring in the house and crate when I had to bring all dogs in. He busted through crates if I were to even take another dog out of a crate to take to potty. He was not a human agressive dog but was nto a dog I trusted around people when other dogs were around. He was mouthy and if you were in the way of another dog he wouldnt pay you no mind and with a 8 year old in the house and him being a crate buster it wasnt a risk i was willing to take.
He was a good dog and was a decent puller but would only work for children not adults. He only competed in weightpull twice because of this. My son wasnt intereted in pullng dogs at the dog show only at home. Its a shy stage fright thing I think. LOL wonder who he gets that from. Anyways, He had his tail amp when he was a year old because he had broke the tip with happy tail. He was not a show dog. He was pretty much a pet and my son's dog. There isnt much more to tell than that. He was a pet on this yard and was a happy friendly people dog that loved to be hugged.
I am taking measures to redo my yard and find new ways to keep dogs cool. Might be installing a underground sprinkler system. Also dividing the play fence into to sections and putting all chain spots in the back right under the big trees that keep my house cool right at my back steps. I have also decided its to hot to breed Tai and I am holding off here breeding til winter. I have notice the heat is also taking a toll on her and she only goes outside for 3 hours a day.
Its just a really bad summer for us all and I hope noone elses loses dogs to this heat.
Houdini Im sorry buddy may you RIP
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdini1year6.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinianddaymian3.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinianddaymian7.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/mommadaymianandhoudini.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdini1year3.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/daddyandhoudini.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinidrag-1.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinidragweight5.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinigapull2.jpg
I went out and checked my dogs like I always do and made sure they were all cool yesterday afternoon. At 8 pm when it gets dark here everybody was still doing well. I went out and checked again and did my walk of the yard again around 11 to 1130. Got to Houdini and He did not greet me like he always does. He had passed away from the heat.
I have been doing everything I can do besides bring all dogs in and crate and rotate leaving them with no freedom. I am now to that point were I nolonger have a choice........ The rest of my dogs are in the house crated and will remain that way for the rest of the summer. I live on the very top of a mountain in alabama which means hot, brutal, dry, and no breeze. My shade is limited in my yard and while my dogs do get shade most of the day their are times when the sun moves that they dont. I made sure to change their water frequently and hose them down and try to keep them cool.
both dogs I lost were pacers never laid down never sat still.
Houdini was a very hyper dog. He loved people but hated other dogs and was the only dog in my yard that I could never bring in the house and crate when I had to bring all dogs in. He busted through crates if I were to even take another dog out of a crate to take to potty. He was not a human agressive dog but was nto a dog I trusted around people when other dogs were around. He was mouthy and if you were in the way of another dog he wouldnt pay you no mind and with a 8 year old in the house and him being a crate buster it wasnt a risk i was willing to take.
He was a good dog and was a decent puller but would only work for children not adults. He only competed in weightpull twice because of this. My son wasnt intereted in pullng dogs at the dog show only at home. Its a shy stage fright thing I think. LOL wonder who he gets that from. Anyways, He had his tail amp when he was a year old because he had broke the tip with happy tail. He was not a show dog. He was pretty much a pet and my son's dog. There isnt much more to tell than that. He was a pet on this yard and was a happy friendly people dog that loved to be hugged.
I am taking measures to redo my yard and find new ways to keep dogs cool. Might be installing a underground sprinkler system. Also dividing the play fence into to sections and putting all chain spots in the back right under the big trees that keep my house cool right at my back steps. I have also decided its to hot to breed Tai and I am holding off here breeding til winter. I have notice the heat is also taking a toll on her and she only goes outside for 3 hours a day.
Its just a really bad summer for us all and I hope noone elses loses dogs to this heat.
Houdini Im sorry buddy may you RIP
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdini1year6.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinianddaymian3.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinianddaymian7.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/mommadaymianandhoudini.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdini1year3.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/daddyandhoudini.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinidrag-1.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinidragweight5.jpg
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp41/smithfamilypitbulls/houdinigapull2.jpg