[fjm]

Today it reached the dizzy heights of 24C/75F, and even with a pleasant breeze Sophy decided it was Too Hot, and went on strike. I took them down by the river for a short walk on the grass there - first she didn't want to get out of the car, then when lifted out and persuaded over the stile she plonked down in the first bit of shade and intimated that she would wait there for us. Poppy and I walked on a few hundred yards, and began to think she might be right; Sophy, still sitting firmly in her shady bit, knew she was. So we came home and they had cold jellied chicken stock from the fridge.

It is cooler at this end of the country than further South but the heatwaves tend to come very suddenly, with little chance to acclimatise. The last few weeks have been below 18C/65F, often a lot less, especially in the mornings which have been chilly. I feel I should make the most of the rare sunny days; the dogs have no such illusions, frankly preferring the cool and cloudy ones! So it will be early morning walks for the next few days, and pootling round the shady acre of wild garden we share with neighbours the rest of the time.

 

[cowpony]

Ha. My boys wouldn't get walks between June and October if 75F was their cutoff.

 

[Dianaleez]

I get up at 7 to walk Normie when it's about 73 - our sweet spot. Of course, that early the humidity is 98%.

 

[Phoebe’sMom]

We also get up around 7am to walk, about 77F with 80% humidity! The high around here is getting up to about 98F with 40% humidity at 12-5pm which is horrible. But trust me I feel you with the heat strike and I don't blame Sophy either!

 

[curlflooffan]

Its 35 degrees on this side of the channel. It was so hot that my gerbil turned into a pancake!

 

[Liz]

Mia has had enough of summer. She typically reaches her quota of summer by May, but the mercury rises mercilessly until July, when it arrives at 100F/38C. The real crusher is the humidity: it feels like you're breathing liquid oxygen scented of honeysuckle and tar, and even your nose hairs frizzle if you breath too deeply or too rapidly. I can't imagine how a poodle feels - but being a poodle, she tells me.

Perhaps she hasn't noticed, but I detected a slight chill a few days ago. It comes every year around the end of the first week in August, when the nighttime temps start inching towards 70F/21C. Hardly relief in other areas, but locals (and longstanding transplants like me) feel it. Next week on one of our morning trips to the lake, we will notice that the water is no longer a stew; by the end of August the breeze will feel brisk, and I will rush to label it wintery.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

That's my limit, too, Sophy!

 

[fjm]

Yes, it would feel cool and springlike to those coping with really high temperatures, but Sophy doesn't believe me when I tell her that! Humidity hit 99% in the night but fell during the day, but it has been sticky - definite threat of thunderstorms in the air.

 

[Liz]

Mia would like to propose a PF summer exchange program, as travel is an important feature of every well rounded dog's education.

 

[Dechi]

Here our summer is so short we’re happy to walk even on hotter days when we can, but I make sure it’s not over 75. We go before 11 am and since there are a lot of mature trees along the streets, we have many little breaks in the shade, especially when one of the dogs stops for a little sniff.

Beckie is never, ever tired of walking, it just doesn’t happen but we don’t walk for too long. Merlin is happy to follow.

 

[Dechi]

Mia would like to propose a PF summer exchange program, as travel is an important feature of every well rounded dog's education.

What a great idea ! Beckie is in but Merlin would rather pass, lol !

 

[fjm]

My two would like to know who has a summer that stays around 18C/ 65F with not much rain - they can never quite forgive me for not turning the rain off! Sophy will walk forever when the weather is right, but there is little point arguing with her when it is wrong. She is Always Right, as I have been forced to admit again and again when I have ignored her warnings about brewing rain storms or sweltering paths.

 

[For Want of Poodle]

My two would like to know who has a summer that stays around 18C/ 65F with not much rain - they can never quite forgive me for not turning the rain off! Sophy will walk forever when the weather is right, but there is little point arguing with her when it is wrong. She is Always Right, as I have been forced to admit again and again when I have ignored her warnings about brewing rain storms or sweltering paths.

Alberta. I miss it so... no humidity, over 20 is a hot day, dry, rarely rains. I recall gleefully swimming in an unheated outdoor pool on a 16C day!!!
It went down to 24 here in Ontario the other day, and it felt quite cold. I wore long pants! Yet in October 10C will be tshirt and sandal weather.

I suspect Sophy would wish to return home from Alberta for the winter though- I suspect she wouldnt fancy -30C, a dry cold or not!

 

[Liz]

Mia elects to forego summer in favor of two winters: Spring - Winter - Fall - Winter. Do we have any members from the southern hemisphere these day? Where is Jak when I need him?

 

[PeggyTheParti]

My two would like to know who has a summer that stays around 18C/ 65F with not much rain - they can never quite forgive me for not turning the rain off! Sophy will walk forever when the weather is right, but there is little point arguing with her when it is wrong. She is Always Right, as I have been forced to admit again and again when I have ignored her warnings about brewing rain storms or sweltering paths.

She's welcome here! You all are. We thought we were moving here for the mild winters (my husband is very much anti-snow), but it's the mild summers that have really won us over.

 

[Muggles]

Mia elects to forego summer in favor of two winters: Spring - Winter - Fall - Winter. Do we have any members from the southern hemisphere these day? Where is Jak when I need him?

Not too many of us around these days I think! Right now it’s a balmy -3 and frosty
We just had a weekend of constant rain with plenty of flooding around the place. Yesterday was a gorgeously sunny 11 degrees and the rain is due back tomorrow, possibly a chance of snow in the hills.

 

[Mfmst]

August in Houston is always hot, and I try not to add insult to injury, by adding in the “Real Feel”, usually 10 degrees hotter. It’s going to be this way for a few more months. Buck refused to chase his soccer ball this afternoon. After two kicks and self fetches, I agreed with him. Early AM or evening are as comfortable as it’s gonna get.

 

[Liz]

Your timing is impeccable, Muggles, as is your weather.

 

[fjm]

It is 3.30am here now, and I’ve given up trying to sleep through the thunder storms. The thunder is muted by the double glazing, and most has been several miles away, but the last lot of lightening was coming so frequently it was like watching a flickering screen. Sophy coped for a while in a sort of cave of pillows on my bed until it all got too much for her and she dashed downstairs for me to set up a bed in the cloakroom for her, with the fan on to mask the noise. She is torn between wanting the safety of the cloakroom and the comfort of company, so as sleep was impossible I’m down in my big chair and she is on my lap. It has been going on since about 11pm, but should blow over soon. At least it has very thoroughly watered the garden, and the air is cooler - or would be, if I could open the windows!

Poppy, meanwhile, is sleeping through it all...

 

[Mufar42]

August in Houston is always hot, and I try not to add insult to injury, by adding in the “Real Feel”, usually 10 degrees hotter. It’s going to be this way for a few more months. Buck refused to chase his soccer ball this afternoon. After two kicks and self fetches, I agreed with him. Early AM or evening are as comfortable as it’s gonna get.

Same here in Louisiana