• Is it a basenji trait to be bothered by heat? My one-year-old granddog, Jasper, slows down if it is a hot and humid day and pants a lot. He even laid down during his walk! He seems happier if we play inside on hot days.


  • My male doesn't like it when it is too hot but my girls with sun themselves all day long:rolleyes:


  • In the summer time, if it is really hot and humid here, I only walk early morning or late evening. Even then, I have had Ruby lie down on a walk and I've actually carried her a couple of times.


  • The only time I have ever seen Ella drop down to the ground to rest on a walk was when we were in Scottsdale hiking up Camelback when it was about 80 degrees. The hike is only half as long as hikes we do regularly in Colorado, but she had to be gently coerced to keep moving on the descent and would drop down to rest in any patch of shade we came upon. It seemed strange given their reputation as a heat loving dog. It is also about the only time I have ever sent her pant…And she loves snow.


  • If it's hot here but no humidity, Buddy will lay down here and there on walks. I even bring cold water in a bottle and give him a little here and there when he wants it. Buddy prefers the winter I think. We do the early morning walks but in the afternoon we try to walk on streets that are tree lined so the pavement is cooler.


  • Heat loving and excerise in the heat are two different things….. and remember too, if you are walking your dog on pavement in the sun, be very careful of their pads... they will and do burn. Just like if you were to walk barefoot down the road.


  • I never walk my oldies when it's too hot as I think it must be a strain. When they lie out in the heat they regulate their body heat by coming in to the cool every now and again.

    My young dogs get excited on their walks and get extremely hot in the sun but it never seems to affect them apart from needing drinks.


  • My 2 b's would lay out on the deck and wait until they were panting, then come inside and cool off..
    Course, they went right back out.
    We only walk in early am and late pm…as I don't like the heat.


  • Like humans, some tolerate heat better than others. I can't take mine out till almost sunset and early in the mornings, then only to quickly pee, it is so humid and miserable. They scurry out to do 'serious business' in the yard later, and right back into the AC. My Topper was heat intolerant even as a 2 year old dog.

    Anne in Tampa


  • LOL MY black tri will just stop, drop and lay in the shade on warm days… the r/w will beg to go outside at all times and many times to "SUNBATHE" .... i have had to carry the tri too. silly pups.


  • 'LOL MY black tri will just stop, drop and lay in the shade on warm days… the r/w will beg to go outside at all times and many times to "SUNBATHE" .... i have had to carry the tri too. silly pups.'


    Tris and b/w will obviously not tolerste the heat as well as the r/ws. Try wearing all black clothing in the sunshine and you'll see why!

    I find it very interesting that Basenjis do come in dark colours considering where they originated but then of course in the forests there would be plenty of shade.


  • My 18 month old Shaye, who lies in the sun in the hottest of weathers, also pants and slows down earlier when taken for her walks in the humid weather here in Florida. At dog parks, even in the heat she runs herself ragged, but we have to step in and take her home earlier than she likes, because it really does do her in. The phrase "dog days of Summer" I am sure comes from the fact that just like us, the heat and humidity drains them.


  • Abbey never pants. She just walks along with her mouth open a little. If it gets too hot on a walk she'll flop down in the grass for a bit. A few times I've had to CARRY her back home when she gets too hot!

  • Houston

    Otis would actually want to be outside in the heat, and we have heat here in TX..sometimes he would pant others he didn't, and he would do B-500 in 98 degree weather..

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