What Temp is Too Cold to Take the Dog?

[Duckaholic Doug]

When do you say, "Sorry, boy, you can't go?"

I thought I might let him try to pool out and see how he handles it. The last two weeks, he had to be in the water, but then he shivered when the action was slow. Yes, I use a Neoprene Vest for him.

[hunt-chessies]

as long as the dog is not standing in the water and has a dry place to get up out of it there is nothing here in florida that would make me not take my dog.... As long as the dog is alert and acting normal i really wouldn't worry about a little shaking. Just get something to dry him off with after each retrieve and keep him from standing in the water and you should be fine.

[D Duck]

Yesterday morning was pretty brutal for a dog used to FL weather. It was 27 deg. and a nice 5mph breeze - there was skim ice on the pond I was hunting. I did not and would not take my lab out in that - she is used to warm temps.

[hunt-chessies]

that dog is built for alot worse weather than that.... It's just like a person, you can/should be able to see when it's time to hang it up. They will take alot more than you may think they can... the way the skin, coat, and oils in that coat are designed by nature it both repels water so as not to stay in contact with the skin and it forms a natual insulator to keep them warm inside.

I took my dog out of 90 + degree weather here in florida and after a 36 hour drive we were hunting in 20 deg weather in north dakota... he shivered some but it never really affected him at all.... we did it for a week and came back here in the 80's again

[D Duck]

Oh, I agree, but I was hiking/packing in and was hunting in the water. So she would be wet the entire morning and without a way to dry her off and no neoprene vest (yet). She stayed at home.

[Keith Yates]

My GSP won't hunt anything under 78. JK, on really cold 35 or below I will only hunt him 4 hours or so jst to be safe. My lab can take much more cold of course.

[Dead Ringer]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f378/pretenderfishing/Waterfowl%20hunting/jan2010116b.jpg

[Randy Clark]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f378/pretenderfishing/Waterfowl%20hunting/jan2010116b.jpg

dammm cool pic john

[D Duck]

John - that looks cold as he!!.

I took Bristol out this morning (hunted where she could get up and out of the water). Managed a pair of GWT drakes and a drake Mottled.

[Duckaholic Doug]

January 9th and 10th were two of the coldest days we hunted this year. 30 degrees Fahenheit with 25 to 27 mph wind gusts. No problems with the cold. Jackson actually preferred to be in the water. I guess he was out of the wind while in the water. Either way, he was happy and successful.

[Reddfin]

If your dog shivers from the cold a little higher protein performance food and or a high protein LIGHT snack during the coldest hunts will go a long way on keeping that engine warm. Best to try to keep them dry and out of the water if possible but I cant think of any day its too cold for a healthy Lab or Chessie. Be very careful with the neoprene vests. Your lab does not need it unless its brutally cold, very long water retrieves or current (helps with buoyancy), older dog, etc, Those things can cook your dog on a moderately cold day. Now, too hot is another story altogether.

Regards,
Tony